This website has been archived from TrainWeb.org/ontariorailways to TrainWeb.US/ontariorailways.
The Nipissing Central Railway
Location: The line is located in northeastern Ontario, not too distant from the Province of Quebec.
History: The Nipissing Central Railway (NCR) has the distinction of being both the farthest north and most remote interurban railway on the continent. The project was originally chartered under Dominion statutes in April 1907 by a group of Canadian and American investors. After two years of struggling to raise money, construction finally began in 1909 with fives miles of track being open for service in April 1910 between Cobalt and Haileybury. Unfortunately, the company immediately ran into financial problems, forcing control of the line to pass first to several Toronto investors and then in June 1911 to the rival Temiskaming & Northern Ontario Railway (T&NOR - Ontario Northland). Owned by the Provincial Government, the T&NOR purchased the line to eliminate any competition and to act as a feeder in servicing many of the burgeoning mining communities in the area.
Under T&NOR control, the first expansion of the property took place in November 1912 with the opening of the line north to New Liskeard. This was supplemented by the electrification and assumption of operations of the T&NOR branch line that extended from Cobalt to Kerr Lake. While a number of other opportunities for expansion were being explored, the last usage of the NCR charter was initiated in the 1920's when the T&NOR constructed a branch line that extended east from Swastika to Noranda in the Province of Quebec. The NCR charter was used given it was enacted by the Dominion Government, providing more powers then what the T&NOR was able to accomplish under its Provincially created charter. This branch was never electrified and no connection was ever made with the NCR.
Notwithstanding its isolation from general settlement patterns, the NCR did fairly well from a profitability standpoint. Most of the traffic was made up of passengers who traveled between the various communities to work in the mines and shop. Only limited freight traffic was carried, most of that being on the Kerr Lake branch. As the various mineral properties worked themselves out and the motor vehicle became more prevalent in the north, revenues deteriorated. In 1917, a serious fire destroyed the company's car barn, taking with it most of the rolling stock. It was replaced primarily from used American sources. In 1925, passenger service was suspended on the Kerr Lake Branch while in 1928, trains no longer proceeded to New Liskeard. It was the depression, however, that provided the final nail in the coffin for the line with abandonment coming in February 1935 with a change in the Provincial Government (Mitchell Hepburn). All rails were removed not long after.
Approximate Milage: The railway was a total 20 miles including leased areas and spurs.
Current Status: The line has been abandoned in its entirety. Traces of the right-of-way remain here and there, including the abuttments of the bridge that once crossed the T&NOR.
Principle Stations: Cobalt, Haileybury and New Leskeard.
Remaining Stations: There are no remaining stations.
Last Updated: January 3, 1998
Return to Other Ontario Railways
Return to ORHP Home
