Waterloo-St. Jacobs Railway

The Waterloo-St. Jacobs Railway (WSJR) was a heritage railway in Waterloo, Ontario, west of Toronto. It ran between Waterloo and St. Jacobs, Ontario from 1997 to 1999.

The railway used two diesel locomotives built in the 1950s, originally owned by Canadian National Railways, and repainted them in their original paint scheme. The locomotives were named "Spirit of St. Jacobs" and "Pride of Waterloo". It also had several passenger cars painted in the same paint scheme.

Excursions had three stops, and visitors could board on a later train. The Railway allowed visitors to see farms of the Old Order Mennonites and visit the village of St. Jacobs.

The railway ceased operation in 2000 due to maintenance costs. In late 2006, the two diesels and three passenger cars were purchased by the West Coast Railway Association. However, as of spring 2008 the diesels and one passenger car remain in VIA Rail's Mimico maintenance yard.

Waterloo Central Railway

In May 2007, the Southern Ontario Locomotive Restoration Society received approval from the City of Waterloo to revive the Waterloo-St. Jacobs tourist train. The group plans to call it the Waterloo Central Railway, and run the train three times a day on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday from June until December. ["Tourist train arrives in summer," Tamsin McMahon, "The Record", May 29, 2007.]

Waterloo Central Railway began operations in June 2007 and continued until December 22, 2007. It began its 2008 season with a series of runs to the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival at the end of March 2008.

The 2008 season operates Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays beginning in Waterloo at the station at 10 Father David Bauer Drive departing at 10am, noon and 2pm with stops at the St. Jacob's Farmer's Market (at the back beside the stockyards) and the Village of St. Jacob's (the corner of Cedar and Isabella Street).

ee also

*List of heritage railways in Canada

References

External links

* [http://www.steam-train.org steam-train.org]