The “History” section of our website covers many historical topics pertaining to railway history in the Toronto area. We’ve compiled a list of railway stations that once existed (or still currently exist) in the GTA with photos and information on each. Additionally, we have histories of the railways that operated or still operate in Toronto. A handful of selected articles on individual historical topics that don’t fall into those other two categories can make for an interesting read as well.
If you haven’t found what you’re looking for here, there are plenty of other online resources that cover Canadian railroad history. Check with the list of links below for more:
Union Station
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/union_station/#key
This city owned website contains extensive information about the history of Union Station and the plans for its redevelopment.
CNR in Ontario
http://www.cnr-in-ontario.com
This site maintained by TRHA member Jeffrey Smith is intended to aid fellow researchers and modelers looking for information on Canadian National Railway’s stations in Ontario.
Electric Lines in Southern Ontario
http://www.trainweb.org/elso/
Ontario had more interurban and streetcar operations than all other Canadian provinces combined, with the majority located in Southern Ontario. This website covers them.
Old Time Trains
http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/index.html
Historian Raymond Kennedy’s site with a lot of detailed information, photos and maps of Toronto’s CPR railway heritage.
Charles Cooper’s Railway Pages
https://www.railwaypages.com/
Historian Charles Cooper’s site with information and photographs on railway history in Ontario.
Tracking Down the Toronto Suburban Railway
http://webhome.idirect.com/~chessie/tsr/pg%201.htm
This site chronicles the history and route of this interurban railway.
Ontario Railway History Page
https://ontariorailwaystations.wordpress.com/
This site provides a detailed corporate history of early railway companies.
Rails in Toronto
http://www.trainweb.org/railsintoronto/index.html
Website maintained by TRHA member Paul Cordingley showing contemporary railway activity in the GTA. NOTE: This site was last updated in 2005 and may be inaccurate to the current year.
Colin Churcher’s Railway Pages
https://churcher.crcml.org/
This is Colin Churcher’s website focusing mostly on railway history in the Ottawa area, but with more general information that applies to other parts of Canada as well.
Ingenium Digital Archives
https://ingeniumcanada.org/archives/
The Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa has acquired the Canadian National Railways (CNR) photo collection archive, much of which can be accessed at this site.
Library and Archives Canada
CN Photographs Series
Canadian National Railway Company Fonds
CN Department of Engineering Series
Library and Archives Canada is a federal institution tasked with acquiring, preserving and making Canada’s documentary heritage accessible. This includes many official photographs and documents from Canada’s railways past and present.
Transit Toronto
http://transit.toronto.on.ca/
This site is devoted to transit operations in and around Toronto.
City of Toronto Archives
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/archives/photographs/index.htm
This is a rich source of historical photographs, many of them railway related, for the city of Toronto.
The Ontario Northland Railway Gallery
http://www.onrgallery.com/
A website dedicated to capturing the operations of the ONR with a special focus on showcasing the power of the people behind their success.
Transportation History: The Trolley, Tram and Streetcar
https://www.partsgeek.com/mmparts/transportation_history_the_trolley_tram_and_streetcar.html
A website with a brief history on the topic as well as 30 links to other websites on this topic.