The following railways operate in the Canadian province of Ontario.

Common freight carriers

Passenger carriers

Light Rail Transit

Defunct railways

This transport-related list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2021)
Name Mark System[nb 1] From To Successor Notes
Algoma Central Railway 1899 1901 Algoma Central and Hudson Bay Railway
Algoma Central and Hudson Bay Railway AC 1901 1965 Algoma Central Railway
Algoma Eastern Railway AER CP 1911 1958 Canadian Pacific Railway
Amherstburg, Lake Shore and Blenheim Railway C&O 1889 1890 Lake Erie and Detroit River Railway
Bay of Quinte Railway BQ CNor 1897 1954 Canadian Northern Consolidated Railways
Bay of Quinte Railway and Navigation Company CNor 1881 1897 Bay of Quinte Railway
Belleville and North Hastings Railway GT 1874 1881 Grand Junction Railway Purchased by the Grand Junction Railway shortly after completion, became a spur shortly after.
Bessemer and Barry's Bay Railway CNor 1904 Wholly owned branch of the Central Ontario Railway, ultimately part of CNoR and CN.
Brantford and Buffalo Joint Stock Railroad GT 1851 1852 Buffalo, Brantford and Goderich Railway
Brantford and Harrisburg Railway GWR 1871 A short line connecting Brantford with the Great Western junction at Harrisburg. Folded into the Great Western system, then inherited by the Grand Trunk. The line has been abandoned.[1]
Brantford, Norfolk and Port Burwell Railway GT 1874 1893 Grand Trunk Railway
Brantford, Waterloo and Lake Erie Railway CP/ NYC 1885 1892 Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway
Brockville and Ottawa Railway CP 1853 1878 Canada Central Railway
Brockville and Westport Railway CNor 1871 1884 Brockville, Westport and Sault Ste. Marie Railway
Brockville, Westport and North-Western Railway CNor 1903 1914 Canadian Northern Railway
Brockville, Westport and Sault Ste. Marie Railway CNor 1884 1903 Brockville, Westport and North-Western Railway
Bruce Mines and Algoma Railway 1899 1913 Lake Huron and Northern Ontario Railway
Buffalo, Brantford and Goderich Railway GT 1852 1856 Buffalo and Lake Huron Railway
Buffalo and Lake Huron Railway GT 1856 1958 Canadian National Railway
Bytown and Prescott Railway CP 1850 1855 Ottawa and Prescott Railway
Campbellford, Lake Ontario and Western Railway CP 1904 1956 Canadian Pacific Railway
Canada Atlantic Railway GT 1879 1914 Grand Trunk Railway Part of J.R. Booth's railway network, also including the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway. Was, for a time, the busiest railway in Canada, carrying 40% of the grain trade.
Canada Central Railway CP 1861 1881 Canadian Pacific Railway
Canada and Michigan Bridge and Tunnel Company NYC 1895 1905 Detroit River Tunnel Company
Canada and Michigan Tunnel Company NYC 1888 1895 Canada and Michigan Bridge and Tunnel Company
Canada Southern Railway CASO NYC 1869 Still exists as a subsidiary of CNCP Niagara–Windsor Partnership, a nonoperating joint subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Government Railways CGR CGR 1915 1993 Canadian National Railway
Canadian Northern Railway CN CNor 1900 1956 Canadian National Railway
Canadian Northern Consolidated Railways CNor 1954 1956 Canadian National Railway
Canadian Northern Ontario Railway CNO CNor 1906 1956 Canadian National Railway
Canadian Northern Quebec Railway CNQ CNor 1906 Still exists as a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway
Central Counties Railway GT 1889
Central Ontario Railway COR CNor 1882 1954 Canadian Northern Consolidated Railways Mainline runs from Picton to Trenton, then turns north through Hastings County to Bancroft and beyond.
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway C&O, CO C&O 1947 1987 CSX Transportation
Cleveland, Port Stanley and London Transportation and Railway Company 1893 1894 Lake Erie and Detroit River Railway
Cobourg, Blairton and Marmora Railway and Mining Company GT 1887 1893 Grand Trunk Railway
Cobourg and Peterborough Railway GT 1852 1866 Cobourg, Peterborough and Marmora Railway and Mining Company
Cobourg, Peterborough and Marmora Railway and Mining Company GT 1866 1887 Cobourg, Blairton and Marmora Railway and Mining Company, Peterborough and Chemong Lake Railway
Consolidated Rail Corporation CR 1976 1999 CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway
Credit Valley Railway CP 1871
Detroit River Tunnel Company NYC 1905 Still exists as a nonoperating subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Dresden and Oil Springs Railway NYC 1873 1876 Sarnia, Chatham and Erie Railway
Erie and Huron Railway C&O 1873 1899 Lake Erie and Detroit River Railway
Erie and Niagara Railway NYC 1863 1893 Canada Southern Railway
Erie and Niagara Extension Railway NYC 1868 1869 Canada Southern Railway
Erie and Ontario Railway CP/ NYC 1914 1915 Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway
Erie and Ontario Railway NYC 1835 1863 Erie and Niagara Railway
Fenelon Falls Railway GT 1871 1872 Lindsay, Fenelon Falls and Ottawa River Railway
Fort Erie Railway NYC 1857 1863 Erie and Niagara Railway
Fort William Terminal Railway and Bridge Company CP 1906 1956 Canadian Pacific Railway
Galt and Guelph Railway GT 1852 1893 Grand Trunk Railway
Gananoque, Perth and James Bay Railway GT 1884 1888 Thousand Islands Railway
Gananoque and Rideau Railway GT 1871 1884 Thousand Islands Railway
Georgian Bay and Seaboard Railway CP 1905 1956 Canadian Pacific Railway Wholly owned CPR subsidiary built to avoid shipping grain through the Toronto area, used only briefly until being broken into parts.
Georgian Bay and Wellington Railway GT 1878 1881 Grand Trunk, Georgian Bay and Lake Erie Railway
Grand Junction Railway GT 1852 1882 Midland Railway of Canada
Grand River Railway GRNR CP 1914 Electric until 1961; still exists as a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Grand Trunk Railway GT GT 1852 1923 Canadian National Railway
Grand Trunk, Georgian Bay and Lake Erie Railway GT 1881 1893 Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Pacific Railway GTP 1903 1956 Canadian National Railway
Great Northern Railway of Canada CNor 1892 1906 Canadian Northern Quebec Railway
Great Western Railway GT 1845 1882 Grand Trunk Railway
Guelph and Goderich Railway CP 1904 1956 Canadian Pacific Railway
Guelph Junction Railway CP 1884 Still exists as a lessor of the Ontario Southland Railway
Hamilton and Lake Erie Railway GT 1869 1876 Hamilton and North-Western Railway
Hamilton and North-Western Railway GT 1872 1888 Grand Trunk Railway
Hamilton and Port Dover Railway GT 1853 1873 Hamilton and Lake Erie Railway
Hamilton and Toronto Railway GT 1852 1855 Great Western Railway
Huntsville and Lake of Bays Railway 1900 1960 N/A
Huron and Quebec Railway GT 1874 1877 Toronto and Ottawa Railway
International Bridge Company GT 1857 1956 Canadian National Railway
International Bridge and Terminal Company IBT 1905 Still exists as a nonoperating subsidiary of the Minnesota, Dakota and Western Railway
Interprovincial and James Bay Railway CP 1901 1956 Canadian Pacific Railway
Irondale, Bancroft and Ottawa Railway CNor 1884 1943 Canadian National Railway
James Bay Railway CNor 1895 1906 Canadian Northern Ontario Railway
Kingston, Napanee and Western Railway CNor 1890 1897 Bay of Quinte Railway
Kingston and Pembroke Railway CP 1871 Still exists as a nonoperating subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Lake Erie and Detroit River Railway C&O 1890 Still exists as a subsidiary of CSX Transportation
Lake Erie, Essex and Detroit River Railway C&O 1885 1891 Lake Erie and Detroit River Railway
Lake Erie and Northern Railway LEN CP 1911 Electric until 1961; still exists as a nonoperating subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Lake Huron and Northern Ontario Railway 1913 1921 N/A
Lake Simcoe Junction Railway GT 1873 1893 Grand Trunk Railway
Lake Temiscamingue Colonization Railway CP 1886
Leamington, Comber and Lake St. Clair Railway NYC 1877 1879 Leamington and St. Clair Railway
Leamington and St. Clair Railway NYC 1879 1904 Canada Southern Railway
Lindsay, Bobcaygeon and Pontypool Railway CP 1890 1958 Canadian Pacific Railway
Lindsay, Fenelon Falls and Ottawa River Railway GT 1872 1873 Victoria Railway
London and Gore Railroad GT 1834 1845 Great Western Railway
London, Huron and Bruce Railway GT 1871 1893 Grand Trunk Railway
London and Port Stanley Railway LPS 1853 1965 Canadian National Railway Electric from 1915 to 1957
Manitoulin and North Shore Railway CP 1888 1911 Algoma Eastern Railway
Marmora Railway and Mining Company CNor 1900 Wholly owned branch of the Central Ontario Railway, ultimately part of CNoR and CN.
Michigan Central Railroad NYC 1883 1930 New York Central Railroad
Midland Railway of Canada GT 1869 1893 Grand Trunk Railway
Midland Simcoe Railway CP 1912 1956 Canadian Pacific Railway
Midland Terminal Railway CP 1903 1912 Midland Simcoe Railway
Montreal and City of Ottawa Junction Railway GT 1871 1879 Canada Atlantic Railway
Montreal and Ottawa Railway CP 1890 1958 Canadian Pacific Railway
Napanee, Tamworth and Quebec Railway CNor 1879 1890 Kingston, Napanee and Western Railway
National Transcontinental Railway CGR 1903 1993 Canadian National Railway
New York Central Railroad NYC NYC 1916 1968 Penn Central Transportation Company
Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company GT 1846
Niagara Peninsula Bridge Company NYC 1882 1883 Niagara River Bridge Company
Niagara River Bridge Company NYC 1883 2002 N/A Still exists as an abandoned subsidiary of CNCP Niagara–Windsor Partnership, a nonoperating joint subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway
Niagara, St. Catharines and Toronto Railway NS&T CNor 1899 1958 Canadian National Railway Electric until 1960
Norfolk Railway GT 1869 1874 Brantford, Norfolk and Port Burwell Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway N&W, NW 1964 1998 Norfolk Southern Railway
North Grey Railway GT 1871 1871 Northern Extension Railways
North Simcoe Railway GT 1874 1893 Grand Trunk Railway
Northern Railway of Canada GT 1858 1888 Grand Trunk Railway
Northern Extension Railways GT 1871 1875 Northern Railway of Canada
Northern, North-Western and Sault Ste. Marie Railway GT 1881 1883 Northern and Pacific Junction Railway
Northern and Pacific Junction Railway GT 1883 1892 Grand Trunk Railway
Nosbonsing and Nipissing Railway 1886 N/A
Ontario, Belmont and Northern Railway CNor 1891 1900 Marmora Railway and Mining Company Wholly owned branch of the Central Ontario Railway, renamed shortly after construction.
Ontario L'Orignal Railway OLO 1996 2000 Ottawa Central Railway
Ontario and Ottawa Railway CNor 1910 1914 Canadian Northern Railway
Ontario Pacific Railway NYC 1882 1897 Ottawa and New York Railway
Ontario and Quebec Railway CP 1871 1998 St. Lawrence and Hudson Railway
Ontario and Rainy River Railway CNor 1886 1900 Canadian Northern Railway
Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway GT 1851 1858 Northern Railway of Canada
Oshawa Railway GT 1891 1958 Canadian National Railway Electric until 1964
Oshawa Railway and Navigation Company GT 1887 1891 Oshawa Railway
Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway GT 1891 1899 Canada Atlantic Railway The western half of J.R. Booth's Canada Atlantic Railway, formerly merged into the CAR in 1899.
Ottawa, Arnprior and Renfrew Railway GT 1888 1891 Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway
Ottawa and Gatineau Railway CP 1894 1901 Ottawa, Northern and Western Railway
Ottawa and Gatineau Valley Railway CP 1887 1894 Ottawa and Gatineau Railway
Ottawa Interprovincial Bridge Company CP 1898
Ottawa and New York Railway NYC 1897 1957 N/A
Ottawa, Northern and Western Railway CP 1901 1958 Canadian Pacific Railway
Ottawa and Parry Sound Railway GT 1888 1891 Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway
Ottawa and Prescott Railway CP 1855 1867 St. Lawrence and Ottawa Railway
Ottawa Terminals Railway GT 1907
Parry Sound Colonization Railway GT 1885 1896 Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway
Pembroke Southern Railway GT 1893 1956 Canadian National Railway
Penn Central Transportation Company PC 1968 1976 Consolidated Rail Corporation
Pere Marquette Railroad C&O 1904 1917 Pere Marquette Railway
Pere Marquette Railway PM C&O 1917 1947 Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Peterborough and Chemong Lake Railway GT 1888 1893 Grand Trunk Railway Wholly owned subsidiary of the Cobourg and Peterborough, became separate when the rest of the line was sold to the Marmora interests.
Peterborough and Chemong Lake Railway GT 1855 1868 Cobourg, Peterborough and Marmora Railway and Mining Company
Peterborough and Port Hope Railway GT 1846 1854 Port Hope, Lindsay and Beaverton Railway
Pontiac Pacific Junction Railway CP 1880 1903 Ottawa, Northern and Western Railway
Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway CNor 1887 1900 Canadian Northern Railway
Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway GT 1853 1857 Welland Railway
Port Dover and Lake Huron Railway GT 1872 1881 Grand Trunk, Georgian Bay and Lake Erie Railway
Port Hope, Lindsay and Beaverton Railway GT 1854 1869 Midland Railway of Canada
Port Whitby and Port Perry Railway GT 1868 1874 Whitby and Port Perry Extension Railway
Prescott County Railway GT 1887 1889 Central Counties Railway
Prince Edward County Railway CNor 1873 1882 Central Ontario Railway
St. Clair Frontier Tunnel Company GT 1884 1886 St. Clair Tunnel Company
St. Clair Tunnel Company GT 1886 2008 Grand Trunk Western Railroad
St. Lawrence and Hudson Railway STLH CP 1996 2001 Canadian Pacific Railway
St. Lawrence and Ottawa Railway CP 1867 Still exists as a nonoperating subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway
St. Mary's and Western Ontario Railway CP 1905 1958 Canadian Pacific Railway
Sarnia, Chatham and Erie Railway NYC 1876 1904 Canada Southern Railway
South Norfolk Railway GT 1887 1889 Grand Trunk, Georgian Bay and Lake Erie Railway
South Ontario Pacific Railway CP 1887 1956 Canadian Pacific Railway
Stratford and Huron Railway GT 1855 1881 Grand Trunk, Georgian Bay and Lake Erie Railway
Superior and Western Ontario Railway 1909 N/A
Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway TEM 1902 1946 Ontario Northland Railway
Thousand Islands Railway GT 1884 1958 Canadian National Railway
Thunder Bay Colonization Railway CNor 1883 1887 Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway
Tilsonburg, Lake Erie and Pacific Railway CP 1890 1958 Canadian Pacific Railway
Toronto Belt Line Railway GT 1889 1943 Canadian National Railway
Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway CP 1868 1998 St. Lawrence and Hudson Railway
Toronto and Guelph Railway GT 1851 1853 Grand Trunk Railway
Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway TH&B, THB CP/ NYC 1884 Still exists as a nonoperating subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Toronto and Nipissing Railway GT 1868 1882 Midland Railway of Canada
Toronto and Nipissing Eastern Extension Railway CNor 1880 1884 Irondale, Bancroft and Ottawa Railway
Toronto and Ottawa Railway GT 1877 1882 Midland Railway of Canada
Toronto, Simcoe and Lake Huron Railway GT 1849 1851 Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway
Toronto, Simcoe and Muskoka Junction Railway GT 1869 1871 Northern Extension Railways
Toronto Terminals Railway CP/ GT 1906 Still exists as a joint subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway
Trans-Ontario Railway TOR 1996 1997 Ottawa Valley Railway
Vaudreuil and Prescott Railway CP 1884 1890 Montreal and Ottawa Railway
Victoria Railway GT 1873 1882 Midland Railway of Canada
Wabash Railroad WAB 1898 1915 Wabash Railway
Wabash Railroad WAB WAB 1942 1964 Norfolk and Western Railway
Wabash Railway WAB 1915 1942 Wabash Railroad
Walkerton and Lucknow Railway CP 1904 1956 Canadian Pacific Railway
Waterloo Junction Railway GT 1889 1893 Grand Trunk Railway
Welland Railway GT 1857 1884[2] Grand Trunk Railway Line leased to Great Western in 1878 and GT in 1882 and sold 1884.
Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway GT 1864 1893 Grand Trunk Railway
West Ontario Pacific Railway CP 1885 Still exists as a nonoperating subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Whitby and Port Perry Extension Railway GT 1874 1877 Whitby, Port Perry and Lindsay Railway
Whitby, Port Perry and Lindsay Railway GT 1877 1882 Midland Railway of Canada

Electric


Private freight carriers

Passenger carriers

Never completed

See also

Notes

  1. ^ This is one or more of the major systems that the railroad became part of, if any.

References

  1. ^ Brouwer, Joachim (July–August 2018). "Harrisburg: A History of Canada's First Railway Junction and Branch Line Railway". Branchline. p. 6.
  2. ^ https://railwaypages.com/files/305332/26-the-welland-railway-rob-hughes.pdf[bare URL PDF]
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