Heritage Railway Company Mini-Train
When visiting the North Bay Waterfront, be sure to wander over to the Heritage Railway Company. This is a miniature railway which runs on 2700 feet of 15" guage track. We run both an actual steam engine and a diesel engine. You experience travel in an old fashioned way as you buy your ticket at the station and once on the train, the conductor punches your ticket just like the old days.
The railway is completely run by volunteers, many of whom were old railroaders. Also be sure to take a ride on the Heritage Carousel, located directly beside the Mini-Train.
Come out and experience a great ride in the good old days of train travel!
Hours of Operation (Weather Permitting)
Mid-May: Weekends - 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.End of June to Labour Day: Daily 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Labour Day to Thanksgiving: Weekends Only 10:00 a.m. to Dusk
Cost: $1.00 per Ride, $5.00 for 6 Rides (Train or Carousel)
Location: Click here for a map to the Heritage Railway.
Heritage Railway History
The dream of two men, Stan Lawlor and Rod Johnston, to create a "Miniature" Railway and preserve the heritage of rail in North Bay, became a reality July 29th, 1994 with the official opening of the Heritage Railway Company.
A steam and diesel engine and two coaches were purhchased in October of 1993 in Cleveland, Ohio. They arrived in North Bay in February of 1994. The engines and coaches were totally refurbished, sandblasted and painted. During this period a large contingent of retired railway workers from the CNR, CPR and ONR were enlisted (some 50 in total) to do this work and build a rail line. The actual line, a half-mile, was completed in one week.
In 1996 we erected a station - a van (caboose), a gift from the CPR. Rolling Stock includes 2 steam engines, 2 diesels, 8 passenger cars and caboose and a car barn was built in 1998.
Ask the volunteer workers to explain the history and legend of rail in North Bay. They have, in total, in excess of 900 years of rail experience. We believe "Our Heritage" is important. The "Charter" volunteers are acknowledged, by the "Mileage Posts" along the line.
Rail in North Bay
Rail began in North Bay with the arrival of the CPR's "Lucy Dalton", the first passenger steam train, on November 9th, 1882. Lott Britton, the grandfather of Britt Jessup, editor of the North Bay Nugget, was its fireman.
The Northern Pacific, from the south, later the Grand Truck, becoming the CNR in 1922, met the east-west CPR at Callandar in 1887 at Nipissing Junction. The Canadian Northern, operating east-west from Pembroke to Capereol, passed through North Bay in 1915. It also became part of the CNR in 1922.
The T&NO (Temiskaming and Northern Ontario) was a provincial government railway started in 1902 with head offices in North Bay.
Its purpose was to "open the north" to settlement, never knowing the mineral finds of Cobalt in 1904, Timmins in 1910, Kirkland Lake in 1912, and Noranda in 1918, would create development beyond their wildest dreams.
The final leg from Cochrane to Moosenee was completed in 1932. In 1946 the T&NO was renamed the ONR (Ontario Northland Railway). Thus, due to its strategic location, North Bay bacame a divisional terminus for three major railways unique in Canada, the CNR, CPR, and ONR.