I’ve Been Working on the Railroad for 90 cents a day

from-Old Time Trains

Carleton Place Roundhouse

In the early 1880s  the district around the Junction Town was the centre of operations for harvesting fuel to feed the wood-burning engines that operated on the old Brockville and Ottawa Railway. “Carleton Junction” was made the working centre for the wood gathering operations for the Chalk River and Havelock divisions. The large round house located at the Junction housed the old wood-burners which were equipped with four driving wheels, two on each side.

The tender, coupled to the engine, was constructed in much the same fashion as tenders are today. Built of steel with a capacity of up to ten thousand gallons of water, the centre was made in a large to hold the wood about fifteen cords ot four-foot sticks, mostly from the swamps and rough timber lands between Perth and Havelock. Every station on the line had its water tower and wood yard for refuelling purposes. Those water plugs were all under the supervision of Road Master Tom Burgess and he was very proud of the pretty flower beds and shrubs around each station, for which he was personally responsible. 

It was run by Ab Hurdis’s grandfather William Hurdis– and later still by Russell Munro, whose son Keith remembers it burning down about 1965.–Before The Carleton Place Mews?

Photo- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

Like the Shanties. it was Burgess’ job to see that the wood was harvested. In winter time he had hundreds of choppers cutting down the tamarack and hemlock trees which were under ten inches at the butt, trimming off the branches and cutting the wood into proper lengths. After that the wood was hauled on sloops or bobsleighs out to the railway tracks where sidings were provided to hold hundreds of cars. These sidings were also used by trains passing in opposite directions. The wood was piled as close to the rails as safety would permit. The bush whackers were paid so much a cord, after the wood was measured by the road master’s foreman. When the snow was gone and the winter cutting was finished, there were wood piles everywhere you looked along the main line. Then came the wood trains operating out of Carleton Junction. About ten crews were engaged in this work five or six weeks every spring.

Read-Memories of Days of Wood Piles Water Plugs and Bushwackers – Carleton Place Railroad

Original Burgess Buildings Burn 1921- Burgess Merrick History Carleton Place

D4f 380 Baldwin 15472 9/1897 Dead in Carleton Place 6/03/1932 Floyd Yates– from-Old Time Trains

Among the old time engineers who were at the throttles on the wood trains were Jack Carey, Joe Durecott and Jack Gallagher, all of whom have long since passed to the great beyond. Some of the conductors were Bill Flagg, Abe Chapman, Pat Caddington, Jack McDonald. Oake Brushe and Jack Laval. These wood trains would pull twenty flat or box cars to the wood piles and the crew, working for ninety cents a day would load the cars and ride them to their destination where they would then engage in the task of unloading. These men, with hands cut and bleeding and clothes torn to shreds, worked anywhere from ten to fifteen hours a day. 

The hardships these nomads of the bush endured to seek out a bare existence was a little short of terrible. When they returned home each night they and their families would face mitts with leather of all kinds to protect their hands. Old Dan Tucker and Jim Miller, the village shoemakers, often cut up calf skins in the shape of mitt fronts and sold them to the workers at twenty cents a pair. Many fights and wrestling matches were staged at the wood yards and camps while the men were waiting for the trains to pick them up after the day’s work was done. Many a battle royal was started by bullies who always went around with chips on their shoulders.

The genial assistant superintendent, H. B. Spencer, earned for himself the international reputation of being the greatest author on snow filling on the railways in winter time. In his capacity as chief train despatches J. E. A. Robillard also was instrumental in preventing many a pile up of trains by his method of mapping out suitable meeting points. His able assistant. John Cole, was always on the job at night. Mr. Spencer left the employ of the C.P.R. in later years and assumed the management of the Hull Electric Railway. But his connection with that enterprise was of short duration; it was not long before he was back on the old job with the CP.R. It was in 1885, I believe, that the railways turned to the use of soft coal as a fuel, and that was the finish of wood burning locomotives in this part of Canada.

Two photos showing Carleton Junction name. Note early style Railway Crossing sign protecting track in foreground. from-Old Time Trains

Two photos Aubrey Mattingly Collection/Bruce Chapman Collection. Circa 1907.- from-Old Time Trains

In 1872, the Canada Central and Brockville and Ottawa Railways constructed a large stone roundhouse and shop at Carleton Place. It remained in operation until 1939. In 1940, the Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers occupied the old roundhouse and are still at this location today.

The Brockville and Ottawa was one of the earliest railways in Canada having been incorporated in 1853 to build to Pembroke in the Ottawa Valley timber lands from Brockville. It was opened to Smiths Falls with a 12 mile branch to Perth, in February 1859 and as far as Sand Point, 12 miles past Renfrew on the Ottawa River, in 1867. It included the first tunnel in Canada; opened December 31, 1860 a 1,730 foot bore under downtown Brockville to reach the harbour and wharves, and where the railway built its shops. The B&O was built to the Provincial gauge of 5 feet, 6 inches.

The Canada Central, incorporated in 1861, built a line between Carleton Junction and Ottawa, opening it in September of 1870. It was controlled by Duncan McIntrye, biography a Montreal capitalist who soon went on to become Vice-president of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. It too was broad gauge.

In 1873 the two railways built a large stone roundhouse and shops in Carleton Junction. The latter substantial structure still remains in existence having been taken over by the CPR and used for some years.

Memories of Days of Wood Piles Water Plugs and Bushwackers – Carleton Place Railroad

The Carleton Place Train Station 1991

Clippings from the Train Stations in Carleton Place

Original Burgess Buildings Burn 1921- Burgess Merrick History Carleton Place

James Fanning– Robert Nolan– Train Accident

Did You Know About These Local Train Wrecks?

Train Accident? Five Bucks and a Free Lunch in Carleton Place Should Settle it

The Men That Road the Rails

The Mystery Streets of Carleton Place– Where was the First Train Station?

Memories of When Rail was King- Carleton Place

Tragedy and Suffering in Lanark County-Trains and Cellar Stairs

I was Born a Boxcar Child- Tales of the Railroad

The Lanark County “Carpetbaggers”–Lanark Electric Railway

The Titanic of a Railway Disaster — Dr. Allan McLellan of Carleton Place

What Happened on the CPR Railway Bridge?

Memories from Carleton Place–Llew Lloyd and Peter Iveson

So Which William Built the Carleton Place Railway Bridge

Perils of the Cows of Carleton Place or Where’s the Beefalo?

Train Accident? Five Bucks and a Free Lunch in Carleton Place Should Settle it

Found in a Wall– Canadian Locomotive Company

Found in a wall — it was used as insulation.. Published 1908

An industrial unit, complete, efficient, prosperous, and of immense constructive potentiality is found in the Canadian Locomotive Company’s plant at Kingston, Ontario. The picture of the plant shown above gives a good idea of its extent. The figures above quoted give a good idea of its prosperity. The names of the directors and executive give guarantee of sound, businesslike management. The company is Canadian from the ground up, and is to-day doing important work in the reconstruction of Canadian industry after the war. Below are given – illustrations of locomotive engines which are the company’s principal product. The first one illustrated represents the latest type of Mikado locomotive constructed for the T Canadian Government Railways. Since 1916 the Canadian Locomotive Company have been building immense engines of this type for the Government, their product having been tested under the most trying conditions of the service, and proved to be beyond doubt the right type of locomotive for their .work. They have been adopted by the Government as the Standard for all general purposes of the National Railways. Rapidity as well as excellence of construction are features of the service rendered in locomotive building by the Canadian Locomotive Company.

Though the first order for these large Mikado engines was received late in 1916, the company was able to begin delivery early in 1917, and by the 1st of May, 1917, had handed over no fewer than fifty (50) complete locomotives in efficient order. Just as soon as these engines had been, tested out the Government placed an order for another fifty to be exactly the same in construction Between November, 1917, and May, 1918, the second consignment of fifty locomotives was completed, and a further order was immediately received for sixty more. These also have been delivered.” v Each of these Mikado engines weighs in working order about 140 tons, and the tender weighs loaded about 84 tons. The cylinders are 27 inches in diameter and 30 inches stroke. Driving wheels are 5 ft;3 in. in .diameter. Boiler pressure is 180 lbs. per sq. inch and tractive power 53,000 lbs. These engines can haul on level track 8,800 tons. The tender carries 9,000 gallons of water and 12 tons of coal. The engines are fully equipped with the very latest labor-saving and efficiency devices, such as Westinghouse American Air Brakes, Electric Headlights and Signal Lamps, Vestibule Cab, Radial Trailing Truck, Commonwealth Steel Cradles, Piston Valve Cylinders, Power Reverse Gear, Walschaert Valve Gear, Automatic Fire Doors and Grate Shakers, all arranged to lighten the burden of the engine crews and promote safety, speed and efficiency of service.

During the war, with its tremendous need of transportation means, the Canadian Locomotive Company sent overseas splendid locomotives of the type illustrated in the lowermost picture. These were built to the order of the Imperial Munitions Board for service in France and performed their work creditably for the Canadian industry concerned with their production. The company can turn out 150 complete locomotives per year and with the requirements of . Canada’s; and other countries’ railroads as they are after the ‘war, looks forward to a period of capacity production. 08 Nov 1919,

CLIPPED FROMNational PostToronto, Ontario, Canada08 Nov 1919, Sat  •  Page 46

CLIPPED FROMThe Daily StandardKingston, Ontario, Canada15 Dec 1917, Sat  •  Page 13

Vintage Kingston added a new photo to the album: Kingston Ads.

 

Canadian Locomotive Company ad, 1952

Ron Jackson

My dad worked there for many many years. He was one of many who worked on first diesel engine. They all were presented with medals of recognition for their efforts by Governor General Vincent Massey across from city hall

The other side of the railroad page

Memories of Days of Wood Piles Water Plugs and Bushwackers – Carleton Place Railroad

The Carleton Place Train Station 1991

Clippings from the Train Stations in Carleton Place

James Fanning– Robert Nolan– Train Accident

Did You Know About These Local Train Wrecks?

Train Accident? Five Bucks and a Free Lunch in Carleton Place Should Settle it

The Men That Road the Rails

The Mystery Streets of Carleton Place– Where was the First Train Station?

Memories of When Rail was King- Carleton Place

Tragedy and Suffering in Lanark County-Trains and Cellar Stairs

I was Born a Boxcar Child- Tales of the Railroad

The Lanark County “Carpetbaggers”–Lanark Electric Railway

The Titanic of a Railway Disaster — Dr. Allan McLellan of Carleton Place

What Happened on the CPR Railway Bridge?

Memories from Carleton Place–Llew Lloyd and Peter Iveson

So Which William Built the Carleton Place Railway Bridge

Perils of the Cows of Carleton Place or

Lost History — Snakes on the Wall — William Merrick Home Where’s the Beefalo?

Train Accident? Five Bucks and a Free Lunch in Carleton Place Should Settle it

Did You Ever Hear About the Hole in the Wall? Prohibition 1920s

Lost History — Snakes on the Wall — William Merrick Home

Stories of Skeletons Found in Cornwall

What’s in Your Walls? A Concealed Shoe?

The C.P.R “Dominion” Accident 1945 Carleton Place

March 1945

Six passengers received minor injuries on the first section of the Ottawa-bound C. P. R. “Dominion” passenger train went through an open switch at the Lake Avenue crossing and collided with the detached engine of a westbound freight.

No crew member was injured, but two cooks in the diner were scalded by hot coffee when the jar of the collision stalled the contents of the urns. A number of passengers received a shaking up but all proceeded on to their destination.

The collision might have been more serious but for the fact that the freight engine was separated from the buffer. It is understood the engine had been taken up to the tank when it backed on again off the main line the switch was not closed. As a result of the accident the second section of the “Dominion” was held at Almonte and was delayed about an hour. The freight engine was so badly damaged that it had to be replaced.

Dr. J. A. McEwen of Carleton Place, C. P. R. doctor at that point, gave medical attention to those passengers who suffered cuts and bruises. Assistant Divisional Superintendent F. J. Liston of Smiths Falls went to the scene and took charge.

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada12 Mar 1945, Mon  •  Page 1

On May 10th, 1946 Canadian Pacific passenger train #7, ‘The Dominion’, westbound, hit an open vandalized switch just west of Renfrew station and the locomotive, Royal Hudson 2858 and a baggage car rolled onto their sides.  There were no injuries. Auxiliary cranes from Smiths Falls and Chalk River rerailed them. 2858 is currently sitting in the locomotive bay at the Canada Science and Technology Museum, Ottawa. Colin Churcher

The Dominion

The Dominion was the CPR’s premier cross-Canada passenger train beginning year round June 25, 1933 until superseded by The Canadian an all-stainless steel diesel hauled train effective August 24, 1955. The Dominion continued in operation until February 1966.The Dominion operated as two separate complete trains.
Number 7 ran between Montreat and Vancouver. Number 8 in opposite direction.
Number 3 ran between Toronto and Vancouver. Number 4 in opposite direction.

Headend traffic was handled on a separate un-named train not in the public time table.
Number 5 ran between Toronto and Vancouver. Number 6 in opposite direction.
Number 9 ran between Montreal and Sudbury and Number 10 in opposite direction.

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada06 Oct 1945, Sat  •  Page 19

Canadian Pacific Railway Co., Wreck. Part of a wreck scene in the vicinity of the shops in Carleton Place. Negative envelope shows 1900-1910
ID #: MAT-04600
Subject: Canadian Pacific Railway Co.,Wreck,Déraillement
Collection Name: Aubrey Mattingly Transportation Collection

Carleton Place Railroad Notations

Train Accident? Five Bucks and a Free Lunch in Carleton Place Should Settle it

The Titanic of a Railway Disaster — Dr. Allan McLellan of Carleton Place

The Grand Trunk Railway Station –Photos

Adin Daigle
Yesterday at 8:13 AM  · 

A cool old Ottawa plate I recently acquired. I imagine it’s between 1912-1920 as The Grand Trunk station opened in 1912 and in 1920 became the Union station.

Lost Ottawa
December 5, 2018  · 

IN honour of the season, we’ve been revisiting all our “snow” pictures of Ottawa. Here’s one of Connaught Plaza circa 1920. You’ve got a person grabbing the streetcar in front of Union Station, the old Russell House Hotel, and the Old Post Office.
Most interesting is the delivery entrance to Chateau Laurier (where the truck is coming out).
The story goes that, when the land for the Chateau was carved out of Major’s Hill Park and given to the Grand Trunk Railway (read greedy capitalists), the citizens refused to let the hotel further ruin their favourite park by taking deliveries, leaving garbage bins etc., in the rear. Hence the road underneath the Chateau’s entrance.
(LAC PA-057587)

Lost Ottawa
October 9, 2016  · 

It will soon be that time in Ottawa again … time for the snow shoveling, that is.
Here is a Grand Trunk Railway snowplow in 1910, facing east at the Bank Street Viaduct.
Today, those gents would be standing in the middle of the Queensway. Nice hats!
(LAC PA-04484)

August 4, 2015  · 


OTTAWA 1917. Railway Station. Post card

Lost Ottawa
March 12, 2019  · 




Small but interesting picture of downtown Ottawa, circa 1900.
In front, a cab, as in cabriolet, meaning a carriage with a folding top pulled by a single horse, plus several gentleman who look like they are up to no good!
Behind them, J. R. Booth’s Canada Atlantic Station, which Union Station would replace. William Howe paint and wall-paper store and factory on the left, and the military stores building on the right. Can you make out the railway cars?
(City of Ottawa Archives CA001763)

The former Union Station building, initially known as Grand Trunk Central Station, was designed by Montreal-based architecture firm Ross & MacFarlane. The firm’s Beaux- Arts concept was praised as “strikingly beautiful” by city council and newspaper reporters of the day.  Hallmarks of the Beaux-Arts style are evident in the building’s theatrical, monumental and self-confident use of classical forms such as the columns, entablatures, pilasters, domes and arches.

Union Station was built to serve as Ottawa’s central railway station.  It was constructed on the site of the old Central Railway Depot, built in 1896 by the Canada Atlantic Railway established some eighteen years earlier by Canadian lumber baron John R. Booth.

Construction of the new station began in July 1909.  After multiple delays the station finally opened to the public in June 1912.

The Château Laurier Hotel, constructed during the same time frame and located across the street, opened on the same day. The Hotel and Station were connected by a tunnel.

The threat to the Union Station building began in the late 1940s when “The Greber Plan” recommended removal of the railways from central Ottawa in favour of a scenic driveway. Read more here.. CLICK

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada21 Feb 1911, Tue  •  Page 12

When Trains Crash —Ashton Train Accident 1950

Train Wreck January 21, 1969– Almonte Gazette

The McKellar Train Derailment 1913

Clippings of The Old Perth Train Station

The Glen Tay Train Wrecks of Lanark County

Did You Know About These Local Train Wrecks?

Tragedy and Suffering in Lanark County-Trains and Cellar Stairs

I was Born a Boxcar Child- Tales of the Railroad

The Lanark County “Carpetbaggers”–Lanark Electric Railway

The Titanic of a Railway Disaster — Dr. Allan McLellan of Carleton Place

What Happened on the CPR Railway Bridge?

Memories from Carleton Place–Llew Lloyd and Peter Iveson

So Which William Built the Carleton Place Railway Bridge?

The trial of W. H. S. Simpson the Railway Mail Clerk

55 years ago–One of the Most Tragic Accidents in the History of Almonte

The Kick and Push Town of Folger

Train Accident? Five Bucks and a Free Lunch in Carleton Place Should Settle it

The Men That Road the Rails

The Mystery Streets of Carleton Place– Where was the First Train Station?

Memories of When Rail was King- Carleton Place

Memories of Days of Wood Piles Water Plugs and Bushwackers – Carleton Place Railroad

1898 — Accidents, Moose and Caterpillars

Memories of Days of Wood Piles Water Plugs and Bushwackers – Carleton Place Railroad

The old train station says goodbye.. The plans for a new station at the Junction have been finished- They provide for a beautiful building, with a covered platform. The site arranged for is in the little triangle where the telegraph office is now languishes,though that may be changed.

Almonte Gazette November 11 1901– Photo from the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

Carleton Junction Busy Spot In Days of Old Wood Burners Men Who Cut and Hauled Supplies for “Puffing Billies” (steam locomotives) Suffered Great Hardships. Memories of Days When Wood Piles and Water Plugs Lined the Old Brockville and Ottawa Railway. Were Some Fierce Encounters Between the Bush Whackers. ( bandits)

In one of his interesting and colorful series of stories relating to the old days in the neighborhood of Carleton Place, Mr. J. Sid Annable tells about the time in the early eighties when the district around the Junction Town was the center of operations for harvesting fuel to feed the little wood-burning engines that operated on the old Brockville and Ottawa Railway.

“Carleton Junction,” Mr. Annable writes, “was made the working center for the wood gathering operations for the Chalk River and Havelock divisions. The large round house located at the Junction housed the old wood-burners which were equipped with four driving wheels, two on each side. The fender, coupled to the engine, was constructed in much the same fashion as fenders are today. Built of steel with a capacity of up to ten thousand gallons of water, the center was made In a large U to hold the wood about fifteen cords ot four-foot sticks, mostly from the swamps and rough timber lands between Perth and Havelock.”

Every station on the line had Its water tower and wood yard for refuelling purposes. Those water plugs were all under the supervision of Road Master Tom Burgess and he was very proud of the pretty flower beds and shrubs around each station, for which he was personally responsible. Like the Shanties. It was Burgess job to see that the wood was harvested. In winter time he had hundreds of choppers cutting down the tamarack and hemlock trees which were under ten inches at the butt, trimming off the branches and cutting the wood into proper lengths.

After that the wood was hauled on sloops or bobsleighs out to the railway tracks where sidings were provided to hold hundreds of cars. These sidings were also used by trains passing in opposite directions. “The wood was piled as close to the rails as safety would permit. The bush whackers were paid so much a cord, after the wood was measured by the road master’s foreman. When the snow was gone and the winter cutting was finished, there were wood piles everywhere you looked along the main line.

“Then came the wood trains operating out of Carleton Junc tion. About ten crews were en gaged in this work five or six weeks every spring. Among the old time engineers who were at the throttles on the wood trains were Jack Carey, Joe Durecott and Jack Gallagher, all of whom have long since passed to the great beyond.

Some of the conductors I recall were Bill Flagg, Abe Chapman, Pat Caddington, Jack McDonald. Oake Brushe and Jack Laval. “These wood trains would pull twenty flat or box cars to the wood piles and the crew, working for ninety cents a day. would load the cars and ride them to their des tination where they would then engage in the task of unloading These men, with hands cut and bleeding and clothes torn to shreds, worked anywhere from ten to fifteen hours a day.

Today’s photo is of workers taking a break at the CPR Engine Repair Shops. Built in 1890 as a round house and repair shop for the Canadian Pacific Railway, it employed about 200 workers. After operations were moved to Smiths Falls, the building was purchased by the Canadian Cooperative Woolgrowers. Iron tracks from the turntable in the roundhouse were sold as scrap to help the war effort in 1940. Can you help us identify any of these men?–Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

Real Hardships. “The hardships these nomads of the bush endured to eke out a bare existence was little short of terrible. When they returned home each night they and their families would face mitts with leather of all kinds to protect their hands. Old Dan Tucker and Jim Miller, (read-Remembering a Shoemaker in Lanark Village–Thomas Wilson) the village shoemakers, often cut up calf skins in the shape of mitt fronts and sold them to the workers at twenty cents a pair. “Many fights and wrestling matches were staged at the wood yards and camps while the men were waiting for the trains to pick them up after the day’s work was done. Many a battle royal was started by bullies who always went around with chips on their shoulders. “The genial assistant superintendent, H. B. Spencer, earned for himself the international reputation of being the greatest authority on snow filling on the railways in winter time.

In his capacity as chief train despatches J. E. A. Robillard also was instrumental in preventing many a pile up of trains by his method of mapping out suitable meeting points. His able assistant. John Cole, was always on the Job at night. “Mr. Spencer left the employ of the C.P.R. in later years and assumed the management of the Hull Electric Railway. But his connection with that enterprise was of short duration; lt was not long before he was back on the old Job with the CP.R. “It was in 1885, I believe, that the railways turned to the use of soft coal as a fuel, and that was the finish of wood burning locomotives In this part ot Canada.”

1901– train station where Tim Horton’s is now on Coleman–Photo from the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

February 21 1908–The Canadian Pacific railway has taken out a writ asking for an injunction to restrain the town of Carleton Place from collecting $500 taxes from the company. The taxes are on the property occupied by the machine and repair shops of the company. In 1897, on January 1st, an arrangement was made exempting this property from taxation for ten years, and, if the council had power, for a period of fifteen years. The ten ten years are up and the town claims that it had no power to grant exemption for more than ten. years and accordingly now taxes should be collected. The railway company hold to the exemption for fifteen years. The writ was filed by Scott & ’Curie for the railway company. It will be entirely a friendly suit. Photo- Carleton Place Chamber of Commerce

Today’s Carleton Place historical fact
For anyone that does not think there was a water tower at Carleton Junction and the new water tower is out of place next to the new pavilion — here is proof there was.. This was by the old CPR Roundhouse/ Woolgrowers
Hi Linda,
The attached photo was taken in the back garden of my grandparents home on Moore Street and shows what I believe to be the original railway water tower to the right of of the CPR shops (now the Wool Growers warehouse). The round house and the turntable, would have been behind the water tower.
A standard CPR steel tower was subsequently located between the two diverging railway tracks, just south of the Franktown Road – one to Smiths Falls and the other to Almonte and points west. This tower I recall was painted black and provided water, via underground pipes to the standpipes which in turn provided water to the steam locomotives.
Going further back, I would assume that around 1863 when either the Brockville and Ottawa or the Canada Central railway’s station was near the town line, that some form of a water tower would have been there as well.
The children in the image were the then five children of William and Elizabeth Hawkins, my grandparents. Two more were to follow.
Hope this is helpful.
Cheers,
Bob Robert Hawkins-FeDuke

These tulips have been growing at 20 Emily St for about 50 years. They were planted by Willard Hawthorne when he lived there in the 1970’s. Willard lived to be over 100 with a good mind. He worked for the CPR in the Carleton Place roundhouse, repairing steam locomotives until he and that work moved to Montreal until his retirement. Mayor Brian Costello and councillor Bruce Sadler had lots of good stories about Willard. For many years Willard was the towns best pool player. He was one of my great tenants in that apartment. Bill Flint–Carole Flint

Photo of some unknown gentlemen at the CP train station from the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum– about the same time… or early 1900s 

The Carleton Place Train Station 1991

Clippings from the Train Stations in Carleton Place

James Fanning– Robert Nolan– Train Accident

Did You Know About These Local Train Wrecks?

Train Accident? Five Bucks and a Free Lunch in Carleton Place Should Settle it

The Men That Road the Rails

The Mystery Streets of Carleton Place– Where was the First Train Station?

Memories of When Rail was King- Carleton Place

Tragedy and Suffering in Lanark County-Trains and Cellar Stairs

I was Born a Boxcar Child- Tales of the Railroad

The Lanark County “Carpetbaggers”–Lanark Electric Railway

The Titanic of a Railway Disaster — Dr. Allan McLellan of Carleton Place

What Happened on the CPR Railway Bridge?

Memories from Carleton Place–Llew Lloyd and Peter Iveson

So Which William Built the Carleton Place Railway Bridge

Perils of the Cows of Carleton Place or Where’s the Beefalo?

Train Accident? Five Bucks and a Free Lunch in Carleton Place Should Settle it

Clippings of the K & P Railroad Kick and Push –Buchanan Scrapbooks

Snow Road Village got its name from John Snow the man who did the survey for the old Snow Road, which began at Belfours Bridge and went through to Vennacher.

The K&P railroad had the first train into Snow Road in 1883. In 1913 the Canadian Pacific Railroad took over this line and in May 1915 they closed some of the stations making them flag stations, Snow Road being one of these. John A. Geddes was appointed caretaker/agent of the station at that time and continued as such until the station was closed in Feb. 1963. Snow Road was a busy spot during the 1920’s and 30’s, pulp wood was being shipped by farmers from as far away as Watsons Corners. It was common to see as many as 50 or more teams coming in hauling pulp wood and various other types of wood. The wood was loaded and shipped out on the K&P. Maple syrup was another large export, every spring this syrup could be seen piled as high as the ceiling in the freight shed and the balance on the platform outside. There was more syrup shipped from Snow Road then anywhere else in the dominion of Canada. Clarendon and Miller Archives

Bruce Osborne

The Old K&P Railway Jig was composed by Bruce Osborne in January, 2017. When I was a wee lad, my father used to take me over to Sharbot Lake Ontario, get a ticket for me and then put me on the K&P train for a trip to my uncle’s home in Harrowsmith Ontario for a visit there. Here is a link to an article about the K & P Railway by Susanna McLeod writing in The Kingston Whig-Standard. news paper. Link below — http://www.thewhig.com/2013/06/25/mon…

The Kick and Push Railway

HISTORY:

The Kingston and Pembroke Railway (K & P) was a Canadian railway that operated in eastern Ontario. The railway was seen as a business opportunity by business people in Kingston, Pembroke, Montreal and New York. It would support the lumber (especially pine lumber which was in high demand across Canada and the United States) and mining industries, as well as the agricultural economy in eastern Ontario.

Incorporated in 1871, the K&P was intended to run from Kingston to Pembroke. By 1884, approximately 180 km of mainline and sidings had been laid, reaching Renfrew where it ceased after 12 years of construction. The K & P never did reach Pembroke. On January 1, 1913, the K & P Railroad officially became part of the CPR. The line was gradually abandoned beginning in the 1950s, with the last operating section from Kingston to Tichborne closing in 1986. The K & P is affectionately remembered as the Kick and Push railroad.

In the 1880s the Kingston and Pembroke railway completed its last leg. The K & P ran three trains daily but only the day train went as far as Renfrew. Altogether within the 24 hour period there were many passenger trains daily on the mainline, as well as the freight trains.

The K & P coming northward from Robertsville stopped at many of the little villages along the way such as: Mississippi, Clarendon, Snow Road, Wilbur, Lavant etc.

The Kingston and Pembroke railway was nicknamed “The Kick and Push’ because the railway twisted through the rugged Frontenac Hills and the old steam engine had little chance to display its full power.

With files from The Keeper of the Scrapbooks — Christina ‘tina’  Camelon Buchanan — Thanks to Diane Juby— click here.

Ronald HodgsonA lot of history captured here in this photo from 2014.

KandP Kingston and Pembroke train crossing at Calabogie

The K & P Railroad..-From Lanark & District Museum

The K & P Railroad..-From Lanark & District Museum

Flower Station

The K & P Railroad..-From Lanark & District Museum

There is a small engine house at Renfrew that was built to service the K. & P. locomotives. This railway did not manage to build beyond Renfrew, and eventually became part of the Canadian Pacific Railway. In this photograph, taken in August 1953, steam locomotives Nos. 5328 and 1003 are in the yard beside the engine house. Have you read about K & P? The Kick and Push Town of Folger-The Kick and Push Town of Folger

Memories of the old K&P
Once the Kingston and Pembroke Railway
by Robert Curry
All photographs the author’s collection. read more here…click

From Mary Beth Wylie..

Also read-The Kick and Push Town of Folger — Now a Ghost Town

The Grand Trunk Railway Station –Photos

When Trains Crash —Ashton Train Accident 1950

Train Wreck January 21, 1969– Almonte Gazette

The McKellar Train Derailment 1913

The Oldest Building on Ottawa and Opeongo Line

Clippings of The Old Perth Train Station

The Glen Tay Train Wrecks of Lanark County

Did You Know About These Local Train Wrecks?

Tragedy and Suffering in Lanark County-Trains and Cellar Stairs

I was Born a Boxcar Child- Tales of the Railroad

The Lanark County “Carpetbaggers”–Lanark Electric Railway

The Titanic of a Railway Disaster — Dr. Allan McLellan of Carleton Place

What Happened on the CPR Railway Bridge?

Memories from Carleton Place–Llew Lloyd and Peter Iveson

So Which William Built the Carleton Place Railway Bridge?

The trial of W. H. S. Simpson the Railway Mail Clerk

55 years ago–One of the Most Tragic Accidents in the History of Almonte

The Kick and Push Town of Folger

Train Accident? Five Bucks and a Free Lunch in Carleton Place Should Settle it

The Men That Road the Rails

The Mystery Streets of Carleton Place– Where was the First Train Station?

Memories of When Rail was King- Carleton Place

Memories of Days of Wood Piles Water Plugs and Bushwackers – Carleton Place Railroad

1898 — Accidents, Moose and Caterpillars

Got this comment this morning after our story on the K and P railroad-Steven Manders

those old photos put a big smile on my face. I have visited all the places and photographed them myself for my book titled “The First Spike” but it would have been neat to have those old photos a few years ago for the book. Here is a video with Steve–

https://globalnews.ca/video/3916446/a-new-book-the-first-spike-showcases-historical-railways-tramways-roads-and-bridges-in-eastern-ontario

1898 — Accidents, Moose and Caterpillars

Photo Number:  MAT004600
Photographer:   unknown
Location:   Carleton Place, ON
Railway Name:   CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY CO.
Date:   1898-00-00
Caption:   Part of a wreck scene in the vicinity of the shops in Carleton Place. Negative envelope shows 1900-1910.
Subject:   Wreck
Collection:   Matting

No matter where I searched I could not find a record of this accident… but I did not want to lose the photo.

Local Happenings

The Ottawa Journal Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Fri, Aug 19, 1898 – Page 7

Heading to NY through Carleton Place

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
17 Oct 1898, Mon  •  Page 8

Chesterville Record 1 March 1898

A terrible collision with loss of life occurred three miles east of Smiths Falls between three and four o’clock Tuesday morning.  As near as can be learned it occurred in this way.  A freight was going west, followed by an engine running light, which, in turn, was followed at the normal distance by another freight train.  A number of cars broke loose from the first train, and, after some delay, were picked up by the light engine, and ere warning could be given the rear train came round a curve in the road and dashed at full speed into the light engine and runaway cars doing great damage to both engines and telescoping the cars, which then took fire and several were totally consumed.  The driver, Charlie Sims and the Fireman, William Wilson, both of Carleton Place, and both on the rear train were killed.  An auxiliary train from Smiths Falls with doctor McCallum, CPR surgeon was soon on the spot.  Sims was dead before his arrival, but his body was so caught in the wreck that it could not be got out.  Wilson was taken to Smiths Falls but was so badly hurt that he dies a few minutes after his arrival there.  

It is understood that an inquest will be held at once.  Superintendent Leonard happened to be at Smiths Falls and visited the wreck on the auxilliary train.

The 3.45 train for Montreal proceeded by way of Ottawa.  The local for Montreal was delayed three or four hours while the line was being cleared of the wreck.
Also reported in the Citizen of 1 March 1898.

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
31 May 1898, Tue  •  Page 1

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
29 Aug 1898, Mon  •  Page 7

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
29 Aug 1898, Mon  •  Page 7

Ottawa Daily Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
25 Oct 1893, Wed  •  Page 6

and just because I could.. another 1898 happening….

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
09 Feb 1898, Wed  •  Page 7

Related reading

Train Accident? Five Bucks and a Free Lunch in Carleton Place Should Settle it

The Lanark County “Carpetbaggers”–Lanark Electric Railway

So Which William Built the Carleton Place Railway Bridge?

The Titanic of a Railway Disaster — Dr. Allan McLellan of Carleton Place

Did You Know About These Local Train Wrecks?

Train Wreck January 21, 1969– Almonte Gazette

Almonte Gazette

The remains of five twisted box cars stall lie scattered about at the scene of the spectacular train wreck which occurred at tile half-way crossing between Almonte and Garleton Place on Tuesday. Clean-up crews of the C.P.R. Mechanical Department estimate it will take another week to clear the area of the remaining debris.

They are now in the process of burning out the wooden interiors of the boxcars, following which they will be cut up with torches and hauled away. Meanwhile, another crew is busy replacing, all the rails on the east side of the track from the halfway crossing all the way back to Almonte. A broken wheel apparently spread the track at about eight foot intervals for the entire distance and trains have been on a go-slow order along that stretch since rail traffic was resumed the day following the accident.

A telegraph pole beside the crossing which had the bottom portion sheared off leaving the top dangling on its wares has yet to be replaced. Traffic on Highway 29 was disrupted for several days while heavy cranes removed most of the 30 cars which left the rails during the pileup and had to be rerouted along the 8th line and the Appleton road. Marks are clearly visible where derailed box cars rolled across the highway adjacent to the crossing gouging deep ruts in the asphalt. Some are even evident several feet back of the white line on the south side of the track where vehicle traffic is required to stop. Occupants of a car and a Bell Telephone truck who witnessed the derailment from that location were fortunate they had stopped well short of the crossing.

Ottawa Citizen 22 January 1969

CARLETON PLACE  Attempts to clear the $500,000 wreckage of 34 freight cars piled up at a level crossing near here Tuesday continued this morning under the threat of an explosion from two overturned propane gas tankers.

Provincial police kept guard over the area, about three miles north of here on Highway 29 at the CPR crossing, as about 50 men and two giant cranes hauled twisted box cars from the clogged line.
The highway remained closed to traffic today while other trains were rerouted.

The two tankers were not ruptured in the massive 3.30 p.m. derailment, but police kept hundreds of curious spectators well back from the scene in the event leaking gas might explode. Both police and railway officials were astonished that there had been no injuries. One of the first cars to derail left the tracks just before the level crossing and sliced across the highway only a few feet in front of a waiting school bus.

Other cars ripped up sections of the highway, railway lines and wooden ties as they piled up, and in some cases, landed on top of one another. One freight car landed with its steel wheels on top of a tanker.
Two hydro poles were sliced through by other cars. The top section of one pole was left dangling over the line supported only by the high-voltage cables. Complete wheel assemblies of many cars were torn off as they piled into one another and lay strewn along the tracks among sections of line, twisted cars and splintered ties.

A crack which caused the leading wheel of either the fourth or fifth car to come off is believed to be to blame for the $500,000 freight train crash near Carleton Place yesterday. It is known that at least eight rails between Almonte and the accident scene were broken.

Photo from the Carleton Place Canadian from the Wanda Lee Morrison and the late Joan Kehoe collection.

This could have been caused by the faulty wheel running out of line and pounding against the rail as the east bound train headed for Carleton Place, said one railway employee. The 60-car freight train left Chalk River several hours before. Its speed at the time of the accident was estimated to be about 45 m.p.h. George G. Sayer, assistant superintendent for the Smiths Falls division of CPR, said work crews were concentrating their efforts to pulling cars away from the tracks and repairing breaks so regular traffic, which had been diverted to other lines, could again travel the main line.

Mr. Sayer said he hoped the two cranes, one brought in from Smiths Falls and the other from Sudbury, could pull the two tankers back on to the tracks and pull them away by sometime this afternoon.

“The line should be open again by about 5 p.m. today,” he said, adding that the general freight being carried by the train could then be hauled away and the other cars righted and moved later this week.

Mr. Sayer said there was, as far as he could tell, little damage to the cargo. One eye-witness, Bill Ritchie, 32, a Bell Telephone employee from Almonte, was driving north toward the level crossing when he saw the red signal lights begin flashing.

“I saw the train swaying so I stopped about 500 feet from the tracks,” he said. “The next thing I saw were freight cars flying through the air like cardboard boxes in a high wind. It was terrifying.”
He said a couple of cars shot across the highway “while the others piled up on the north side like magazines thrown on the floor.”

“There was a hell of a crash and snow flying in the air. A lot landed on my truck so I jumped out and after a minute or two ran up to the tracks. I thought people would be hurt,” said Mr.Ritchie.
He said that by the time he got there, people from the locomotive, that had shot through the crossing pulling three cars and dragging a fourth without wheels, met him.

“One box car just missed the school bus, which luckily didn’t have any children aboard, and another cut into the hydro poles and the warning flashers,” said Mr. Richie.
“There was a ball of fire in the sky when one hydro pole was cut off,” said Mr. Ritchie, who added that he and a work-mate then flagged down cars until police arrived.

Hitching a Ride Cross Town — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers

In The 1940’s

As a child, for some reason the fascination with trains and the tracks was always there.  Maybe it was due to the fact my Dad rode the trains from New Brunswick to Ottawa after he went to find his Mom who had left  him in England.  He had little money in his pocket when he arrived in Canada and this was a way to travel the country and not have to pay.

I spent much time watching the trains, there were side tracks between Montreal Road and McArthur Road.  On certain tracks they would drop of various sections of the train..  There was a place for Oil Tank cars to be emptied into the Permanent oil tanks.  There were cattle cars filled with Cattle to be dropped off at the slaughter house.  Now this was not a nice place one could hear  the cattle and the end result was not a good one.

Across the two lane of tracks was National Grocer and they had a set of tracks to drop off the groceries, to be delivered to the various stores in the area.  Fruits and Vegetables arrived this way, we sometimes would investigate the premises of these box cars and sample the goods.  Now workers from National Grocery would spot us and tell us of the many spiders that could be found in the bananas.  This did not deter us for when the thought of fresh fruit  took over we would once again investigate. I did very well climbing the cars once again I was with the boys.  (A BIT OF A BAD CHILD – MAYBE  – sure no prissy little girl.)  Now one has  to remember FRESH Fruit was a luxury item as money was tight.

I had become at ease with the trains and had little fear.  I would wait for them to stop at the various spots and before long would be climbing on the ladders, hanging on and going to the next stop and jumping off.  Our neighbors and playmates had moved from Gardner Street to Queen Mary Road in Overbrook, I was rather bored and came up with the idea that maybe I should ride the train to see the kids.  I could drop off on Queen Mary Street, as it was a crossing and the train went slower, I was quite confident and though this will be easy.

Now one gets to know the times of the trains so it was not hard to plan my time. .  You soon realize that the train usually slowed down between the Montreal Road and McArthur Road. Over to the tracks I went and when the train was going by I reached for the rail.  I was so intent on what I was doing I hadn’t noticed my Dad was behind me.  Just as I was reaching he grabbed me by the back of my clothes.  At that moment I was never so frightened for I thought I was going to fall under the train and be run over.

I do not think my feet touched the ground the whole way home. And I did get punished.

YES THE BUTT WAS RED

The Vanier Parkway, specifically the portion between Prince Albert and Beechwood, was constructed along the same route that once carried the tracks of the Bytown and Prescott Railway Company through the commercial, industrial and residential areas of today’s Overbrook, Vanier and New Edinburgh. At the time the railway was constructed, this area of the Ottawa region was known as Junction Gore—the northwestern corner of Gloucester Township located at the junction of the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers.

The area continued to grow and small businesses started to open up along Montreal Road and McArthur. By 1909, the villages of Janeville, Clarkstown and Clandeboye amalgamated to form the new village, and then town, of Eastview. Sizable vacant lots along the railway provided the opportunity for larger industries to set up shop.

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place and The Tales of Almonte

1. Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun  Screamin’ Mamas (USA)  and The Sherbrooke Record

   

My Old Orange Hat –From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

Out of the Old Photo Album — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers

 

Snow Road Ramblings from Richards Castle — From the Pen Of Noreen Tyers

Summer Holidays at Snow Road Cleaning Fish — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

Snow Road Adventures- Hikes in the Old Cave — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

Putting Brian on the Bus– Stories from my Childhood Noreen Tyers

My Childhood Memory of Richard’s Castle –From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

Grandpa’s Dandelion Wine — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

My Wedding Tiara — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

The Art of Learning How to Butter Your Toast the Right Way — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

Smocked Dresses–From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

The Kitchen Stool — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

The Flying Teeth in Church — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

The Writings of Noreen Tyers of Perth

Memories of Grandpa’s Workshop — Noreen Tyers

Cleaning out Grandmas’ Fridge — Noreen Tyers Summer Vacation at Richard’s Castle

My Flower Seeds — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

Clippings from the Train Stations in Carleton Place

 

Photo- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

Did you know that prior to 1923, anyone taking the train in Carleton Place would have left from this station? It was known as the Carleton Junction and was located on Franktown Road, right where Tim Horton’s is today. The stone station across the street that’s now the home of The Ginger Cafe was not built until 1923. The Mystery Streets of Carleton Place– Where was the First Train Station?

I will keep adding to this as I go through my newspaper archives.

 

Photo- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

 

 

Photo- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

 

You could even catch a stagecoach ride to the Mississippi Hotel–Photo- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  19 Feb 1906, Mon,  Page 5

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  09 Dec 1939, Sat,  Page 32

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  29 Aug 1899, Tue,  Page 3

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  17 Dec 1948, Fri,  Page 1

 

The Ottawa Journal Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Fri, Aug 19, 1898 – Page 7

The 2 men on the right were retired CPR Trainmen. Horace St. Germaine and Ted Voyce– Photo Joann Voyce

Photo Ted Hurdis.. 

Carleton Place station

 

June 6 1882–The keeper of the refreshment room of the CPR at Carleton Place has applied for a beer license and -a lucky bidder at a sale of unclaimed goods at the C. P. R. station got 1,100 yards of dress goods for $12 50. Photo–1901-Carleton Place Train Station

 

March 22 1872- J. L. Murphy is selling at Carleton Place, 72 village lots, near Canada Central .Station. .Sale April 2, Tuesday, at Cornell’s Hotel. .J. A. Wright, auctioneer

 

Llew Lloyd—View from Bell Street 1957

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal, 19 Feb 1906, Mon, Page 5

Marge Mitchell —My Aunt lived on Judson Street and the train tracks were about 60 feet from her house…there were so many trains whizzing by everyday. We loved seeing them and ran up to the station and sat on the benches and watched these mighty iron beasts. Such a fabulous memory of old time Carleton Place.

 

 

 

 

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun andScreamin’ Mamas (USA)

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.

James Fanning– Robert Nolan– Train Accident

Did You Know About These Local Train Wrecks?

Train Accident? Five Bucks and a Free Lunch in Carleton Place Should Settle it

The Men That Road the Rails

The Mystery Streets of Carleton Place– Where was the First Train Station?

Memories of When Rail was King- Carleton Place

Tragedy and Suffering in Lanark County-Trains and Cellar Stairs

I was Born a Boxcar Child- Tales of the Railroad

The Lanark County “Carpetbaggers”–Lanark Electric Railway

The Titanic of a Railway Disaster — Dr. Allan McLellan of Carleton Place

What Happened on the CPR Railway Bridge?

Memories from Carleton Place–Llew Lloyd and Peter Iveson

Linda’s Dreadful Dark Tales – When Irish Eyes Aren’t Smiling — Our Haunted Heritage

So Which William Built the Carleton Place Railway Bridge

Perils of the Cows of Carleton Place or Where’s the Beefalo?