Replacement - Grand River Railroad and the Lake Erie and Northern

[Miningman]

Canadian Pacific Electric Lines operated under two entities in SW Ontario, the 'Grand River RR' and also the 'Lake Erie & Northern'. These two served and connected smaller cities, towns and a wide area of rural farming, mostly tobacco. 

My secondary home was in Simcoe, Ont near the Lake Erie & Northern. I have vivid memories of the LE&N especially in the summer months and holidays. In addition the beautiful station in Simcoe was also served by the CNR with 2 seperate main lines, CPR regular steam, the Wabash, the Pere Marquette and a wee bit on the outskirts the NYC CASO. 

It is hard to believe but all of it is gone. Everything, nothing remains. Not a rail from any of them. Zero trace. A CN bridge over the main highway connecting nothing to nothing. 

The LE&N and sometimes equipment from the Grand River RR really stand out for me. They came through every hour on the hour, loading and unloading farm fresh produce, distinctly remember fresh eggs, newspapers, large stainless milk containers, dry goods, parcels and mail and of course people. Sometimes just a passenger car, sometimes just a freight car, sometimes a combine. 

It was our UPS, but more frequent, more interesting and a sight to behold for a kid. Lasted until '58 with passenger, a couple more years freight only but then it was gone. 

Once 'our' generation is gone no one will remember it. Books and Internet but that's not the real deal. It would have a place today, I'm certain it would work had it stayed. We lost too much too fast. The whole thing made sense.

The second picture down, in colour, of a Lake Erie & Northern passenger car is exactly as I recall. Only one car from Canadian Pacific Electric Lines was rescued. Thank God for the American collector from New York State. It now resides at the Halton County Railway Museum.

GRR 842 handling express at Brantford on the way to Port Dover (sign in window) 4/29/1950 Julian Bernard 

LE&N 955 Berner-Maguire/Joseph Testagrose Collection

GRR 622 express car at Brantford. Berner-Maguire/Joseph Testagrose Collection

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Subsequent owner 

LE&B 797 combine length 58' 6" seats 18 Built Preston C&C 12/1915
Donated 8/1955 by CPR to Syracuse Chapter NRHS located at Rail City Museum, Sandy Pond 
(private railroad museum of Dr. Stanley Groman) Sandy Creek, NY. 
Relocated 8/1967 Seashore Trolley Museum, Kennebunkport, Maine.
Acquired 7/1999 by OERHA/Halton County Radial Ry. 

Note: This is the only CPEL piece of equipment preserved except for GRR locomotive 17 in Cornwall and 
LE&N M-6 1934 Ford truck line car at Halton County Radial Ry.

[Miningman]

The second picture, a colour pic of LE&N passenger car, is taken just outside Port Dover, pointed North toward Simcoe, then on to Brantford and enter Grand River RR trackage. 

I know this because of the stack in the background, something uncommon in the fishing town of Port Dover and the surrounding rural landscape, as belonging to Ivey's Greenhouses, a grower of magnificent roses for florists and famous throughout Ontario. It was a large operation. They had their own dam, Ivey's dam, and power plant to heat the many greenhouses. Operations ceased in the early '90's after years of decline and it too is all gone. 

If you remember back in the day when roses were really long stem with huge rose flower heads, those were Ivey's. Not so common today. 

[Miningman]