The end of rail service on 'The Rock' came about at approximately the same time as it did on Prince Edward Island, for many of the same reasons.
Canadian railways were deregulated around this time, a bit later than in the U.S. CN was also being prepared for privatization. While CN management had been trying for some time to free themselves of these and many other chronically unprofitable operations, this new attitude from the federal government finally gave the right opportunity.
I think rail service in Newfoundland would have lasted longer had the line been standard gauge, and probably would have had a similar post-1990 history to that of the ex-CP Vancouver Island lines, which were a relatively healthy freight operation until their largest customer (Catalyst Paper in Port Alberni, BC) switched to trucks in 2002.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
BNSFwatcher It was a neat railroad and a shame that "Ottawa" tore it up.
It was indeed a "neat" railroad, and the islanders were proud of it and so were the Newfoundland railway men, even more so. The problem was the Newfoundland Railway never made any money, except during WW2.
As was told to me, in the 1980's the Newfoundlanders were given a choice. They could keep the railway, or get the funds for the portion of the Trans-Canada highway that would run across the province, but they couldn't have both. So the railway had to go. No-one was really happy about it but given an "either-or" choice they went with the highway.
Maybe-possibly had the railway been built to Standard Gauge instead of the 3'6" "Cape Gauge" things might have turned out differently, but we'll never know.
I've got a Newfoundland Railway "Gone But Not Forgotten" sweatshirt I purchased on a visit to "The Rock" in 1992. I don't wear it anymore though, it, ahem, "shrunk" a bit over the last 28 years!
Thank you for that Overmod. That's saves a lot of frustration.. terrific!
egmurphyegmurphy wrote the following post 10 years ago: If no one here has an answer you might want to try asking over on the yahoo group for the Newfoundland Railway.
I have posted some of the "not available" photos on the thread in the Classic Trains Forum.
Some of the equipment I rode and saw on this trip has been preserved, and there is a tourist operation, and nne visitor to Newfundland has posted pictures on the Classic Trains General Forym
The agreement was also made with one and only one USA operator, Merchants Dispatch, a line of refrigerator cars. This private owner was mostly if not completely owned by the New York Central but always operated independently. It was not until after WWII that the Newfoundland Ry became part of the CN system, indeed until after WWII, Newfoundland was a separate Crown Colony governed by a High Commsioner appointed by the British Parlement. After WWII the people voted to become a Canadian province. Then CN took over the rairoad.
On the forum there is a new question about the gauge of Canadian Railways.
In Newfoundland the tracks were Narrow Gauge.
Andrew
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Good question. Dunno, me. I only did one short round-trip from Port-aux-Basques to Tompkins, on a family fishing trip, c.a. 1954. No salmon in the Codroy River! It was a neat railroad and a shame that "Ottawa" tore it up. The island was depressed enough before that act. Only did one more "ocean voyage" after the ferry rides from/to North Sydney: a MSTS military transport from Germany, the "USNS GEN Buckner", April 1962. El barfo, redux!
TH&BOther then CN and also CPRail, did other railroad cars ever run on narrow gauge trucks on the island ? I have seen pics of CPRail 40' box cars in Newfoundland. Any US cars ? Thanks in advance.
Other then CN and also CPRail, did other railroad cars ever run on narrow gauge trucks on the island ? I have seen pics of CPRail 40' box cars in Newfoundland. Any US cars ?
Thanks in advance.
Initially it was just CN cars that were given temporary narrow gauge trucks. Later on an agreement was reached with CPR to do the same for their cars. A car's standard gauge trucks were kept at the ferry terminal at Port-Aux-Basques, and the same ones put back underneath prior to loading it on the ferry back to the mainland.
I am confident there would have been no similar agreements negotiated with any other railway. There was virtually no other interline traffic, and even not that much in CPR cars.
John
If no one here has an answer you might want to try asking over on the yahoo group for the Newfoundland Railway. I'm sure that those guys have the details.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nfld_Rwy/?yguid=177635965
Regards
Ed
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