Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn Subdivision (MP 26.1-29.6) near Kenwell, ON. Features the grade west of Kenwell Siding past the damaged 62-foot trestle over a branch of Dionne Creek with telegraph poles and signage.
Part 2 of 6.
Active, 1914-2005.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn Subdivision (MP 26.1-29.6) at Kenwell, ON. Features the grade at Kenwell Siding as it heads west toward a trestle over a branch of Dionne Creek with telegraph poles and signage. **Apologies for the camera shake/glitch at the start of the video. Not sure what happened.
Part 1 of 6.
Active, 1914-2005.
Then and now photos featuring Geraldton, Ontario. This is community was not an original stop when Canadian Northern Railway opened the line for traffic in 1915. In fact, it did not exist until the 1930s. Gold was discovered in the area at that time and the first railway stop was created in 1933 and a station was constructed two years later. The first photo, courtesy of Bill Magee, shows supplies for the gold mines being unloaded at the future town site.
The next two photos show how the community has grown by 1940. There are a large number of homes and the new station rests on the north side of the tracks. The third photo provides a close up of the station, with passenger coaches halted alongside.
The fourth photo shows the progress by the 1960s, with a new CN logo box car visible on the extreme left. The station, while partially obscured, is still prominent beside the grade, though it no longer saw any passengers after that service was discontinued in 1956.
The final photo shows the railway grade and the station grounds as they were in May 2023. The station is long gone, while the rail line, which became the Canadian National Railways Kinghorn Subdivision in 1924, was decommissioned in 2005. The rails were removed a few years later and all that remains is the ballasted roadbed and a few scattered remnants.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn Subdivision (MP 19.9-21.2) at Geraldton, ON. Features the grade through the community with the remains of the spurs, signage and a culvert over Hardrock Creek.
Part 3 of 3.
Active, 1914-2005.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn Subdivision (MP 19.9-21.2) at Geraldton, ON. Features the grade through the community with the remains of the siding, spur, signage and station.
Part 2 of 3.
Active, 1914-2005.
Video of the former Canadian Northern Railway/CN-Kinghorn Subdivision (MP 19.9-21.2) at Geraldton, ON. Features the grade as it enters the community from the east and includes the remains of the siding, signage and telegraph poles.
Part 1 of 3.
Active, 1914-2005.
Extra Credit is video series that examines topics related to history in the Thunder Bay District and exploring that history.
This episode , the fifth in sub-series on the former Kinghorn Subdivision, takes us to the area north of Nipigon near Hogarth Station and the Cash Creek Trestle. As you will hear me describe in the video, this was an impromptu video as I was not planning on visiting this area until maybe next year. In any case, you will get to see this very scenic stretch of the grade with its very sandy and unique geography. The first part of the hike is dotted with high embankments which later give way to large cuts. You will see a unique sight, which is the remains of a small section house located near Milepost 107. The highlight however is the Cash Creek Trestle, which is the second highest bridge on the entire subdivision and was built back in 1924. Along the way you’ll witness some of the issues that have arisen on the line this year after heavy snowfall has caused the grade to become blocked with vegetation.
Enjoy!
Extra Credit is video series that examines topics related to history in the Thunder Bay District and exploring that history.
This episode, the third in the Hiking n’ Biking sub-series, dives into my latest piece of biking equipment, which is a trailer. I bought this after an incident in July 2022 in which Luna’s paws were badly injured during a hike east of Geraldton (you can hear more about it in the link below). Going forward, I needed a way to take some of the stress off her paws on long hikes and also prevent her from over-exerting herself physically.
You’ll get a close up view of the collapsable trailer as I unfold it and attach it to my bike. I also relay my experiences using it with Luna, particularly the challenges of getting her to stay in it and towing a heavy dog behind my bike. I’ve only used it a half dozen times so far, but so far my impressions are positive and it seems to be working well.
Enjoy!
Extra Credit is video series that examines topics related to history in the Thunder Bay District and exploring that history.
This episode , the fourth in sub-series on the former Kinghorn Subdivision, takes us to the area between Nipigon and Red Rock where the grade parallels the still active Canadian Pacific mainline for several miles (officially the CPKC Nipigon Subdivision). Here, one can witness the immense work that the Canadian Northern Railway (the original constructors of the line) did to build their grade outboard of the Canadian Pacific line. It was obviously very labour intensive and expensive, and as you will hear, not without human cost as well. This area contains some amazing geography and stunning views of the Nipigon River and Bay. In the links below you can see more of the area, including the video on the accident, and the full-length version.
Enjoy!
Extra Credit is video series that examines topics related to history in the Thunder Bay District and exploring that history.
This episode , the third in sub-series on the former Kinghorn Subdivision, takes us to the Geraldton area where follow the grade to the site of Keemle Station. We begin at Wildgoose Beach Road (Milepost 130.4/29.6) travelling west 3 miles to the station at Milepost 133.2/32.4. Along the way we pass milepost markers, a long rock causeway and the remains of the siding at Keemle. This station was once home to a water tank and section house and on this visit I uncovered the concrete base of the tank and located what I believe was the site of the section house. In the links below you can see more of Keemle, including the results of my archaeology work, and the full-length version video.
Enjoy!
Poverty, Agony, Distress & Want! 