Niagara-on-the-Lake's Railroad

Niagara-on-the-Lake's Railroad. . This pedestrian trail is located on a former rail right of way. In 1854 the Erie and Ontario Railroad, only the third operating steam railroad in Canada West (Ontario) began service from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Chippawa. The line was purchased and renamed in 1853 as the Erie and Niagara Railway and was extended to Fort Erie. In 1873, when the International Bridge in Fort Erie opened, service was extended to Buffalo, NY., Although the line had a variety of operators and names, it eventually became part of the New York Central System empire operated by the Michigan Central Railroad division. Steam locomotives were used on the line for both passenger and freight trains. Passenger trains were a particularly important form of transportation at the time. Up to five passenger trains daily in each direction would traverse the line. The last passenger service on the line was in 1926 but freight service continued until 1959. In 1962 the line was abandoned., Rail travel was the main passenger transportation until the 1920s. There were connections at Niagara Falls over the Suspension Bridge and at Buffalo, NY., to the North American railroad network that served both locals and tourists. At the town dock, there were connections to ships going to Toronto and Kingston among other ports but after the late 1800s the only boat service was to Toronto., In 1864, Paddy Miles became the train's conductor and held this position for 38 years. Such was his charm, wit and attention to customer service, the passenger trains became known as the "Paddy Miles Express.", The line also served fruit farmers in the Niagara area, the local fishing industry, the sand dredging industry and Camp Niagara, the Canadian Army training area formerly located in the Commons., The railway entered town from the south along King Street and proceeded to the town dock., The railway line originally crossed over Delatre Street on a wooden trestle. In the late 1870's, the trestle was replaced by a steel bridge with stone abutments. The line proceeded on an embankment that crossed a stone culvert before arriving at the town dock., Before arriving at the town dock there was a spur to a turntable used for turning the locomotives. The turntable was located at the intersection of Turntable Way and River Beach Drive. To the south of the turntable was an engine house at the intersection of Turntable Way and Lockhart Street. Both River Beach Drive and Turntable Way were originally part of the railroad right-of-way and did not exist as public roads when these facilities were in use. Plaques now mark these locations.