York Durham Heritage Railway
Encyclopedia
The York–Durham Heritage Railway is a heritage railway
in Uxbridge
, Ontario
, just north of Toronto
.
The railway operates excursion trains over a 20 km (12.4 mi) route between the historic towns of Stouffville, Goodwood and Uxbridge
. The round trip takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Trains are scheduled from June through mid-October, and are pulled by an Alco
RS-11 diesel locomotive
, #3612, which was built for the Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific Railway in 1956 . Coaches include both vintage heavyweights built in the 1910s and 1920s, and lightweight cars from 1954.
. Several railway sheds are on the yard. The most significant is the Uxbridge Station, built in 1904, serves as one of two stops on the railway line. The trains travel along a small section of GO Transit
's Stouffville line, running between Lincolnville and Stouffville GO stations.
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
in Uxbridge
Uxbridge, Ontario
Uxbridge is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, in the Regional Municipality of Durham, in the Greater Toronto Area.The main centre in the township is the namesake community of Uxbridge...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, just north of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
The railway operates excursion trains over a 20 km (12.4 mi) route between the historic towns of Stouffville, Goodwood and Uxbridge
Uxbridge, Ontario
Uxbridge is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, in the Regional Municipality of Durham, in the Greater Toronto Area.The main centre in the township is the namesake community of Uxbridge...
. The round trip takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Trains are scheduled from June through mid-October, and are pulled by an Alco
American Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
RS-11 diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
, #3612, which was built for the Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific Railway in 1956 . Coaches include both vintage heavyweights built in the 1910s and 1920s, and lightweight cars from 1954.
Rolling Stock
- 1951 MLWMontreal Locomotive WorksMontreal Locomotive Works was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883–1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company...
RS-3ALCO RS-3The ALCO RS-3 is a 1,600 hp , B-B road switcher railroad locomotive. It was manufactured by American Locomotive Company and Montreal Locomotive Works from May 1950 to August 1956, and 1,418 were produced — 1,265 for American railroads, 98 for Canadian railroads, 48 for Brazilian and 7...
#1310 - 1955 MLWMontreal Locomotive WorksMontreal Locomotive Works was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883–1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company...
RS-3ALCO RS-3The ALCO RS-3 is a 1,600 hp , B-B road switcher railroad locomotive. It was manufactured by American Locomotive Company and Montreal Locomotive Works from May 1950 to August 1956, and 1,418 were produced — 1,265 for American railroads, 98 for Canadian railroads, 48 for Brazilian and 7...
#22 - 1956 ALCO RS-11ALCO RS-11The ALCO RS-11 is a diesel-electric locomotive of the road switcher type rated at 1,800 hp , that rode on two-axle trucks, having a B-B wheel arrangement.-Development:...
#3612 - 1919 Pullman CompanyPullman CompanyThe Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
Colonist Sleeper #4960 - 1957 National Steel Car Baggage Car #9636
- 1953 CPRCanadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
Caboose #434908 - 1950 CCFCanadian Car and FoundryCanadian Car and Foundry also variously known as "Canadian Car & Foundry," or more familiarly as "Can Car," manufactured buses, railroad rolling stock and later aircraft for the Canadian market...
flat Car #662339 - ex-CNR - 1930 CCFCanadian Car and FoundryCanadian Car and Foundry also variously known as "Canadian Car & Foundry," or more familiarly as "Can Car," manufactured buses, railroad rolling stock and later aircraft for the Canadian market...
Solarium/Lounge Coach #15041 ex-CNR - Green Bay and Western Railway Hopper car #165
- 1919 National Steel Car box car #406308 ex-CNR
- ex-CNR Day Coach #3232 and #3209
- 3 track inspection cars
Line and Yard
The railway cars are stored at an open rail yard on Railway Street/King Street West in Uxbridge, OntarioUxbridge, Ontario
Uxbridge is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, in the Regional Municipality of Durham, in the Greater Toronto Area.The main centre in the township is the namesake community of Uxbridge...
. Several railway sheds are on the yard. The most significant is the Uxbridge Station, built in 1904, serves as one of two stops on the railway line. The trains travel along a small section of GO Transit
GO Transit
GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
's Stouffville line, running between Lincolnville and Stouffville GO stations.
Volunteers
The YDHR is operated entirely by volunteers of the York-Durham Heritage Railway Association. Its membership is made up of men and women from a wide variety of backgrounds; students, families, single men & women, retired teachers, computer specialists, chemical engineers, financial analysts, motor mechanics, and more. All of these people enjoy the challenge of volunteer work and the pleasure of knowing our heritage is being preserved.See also
- List of heritage railways in Canada
- Narrow gauge railways in Ontario