London and Port Stanley Railway

The London & Port Stanley Railway (L&PS or L&PSR) linked the city of London, Ontario with Port Stanley, Ontario on the northern shore of Lake Erie (a distance of approximately 25 miles). The L&PS was one of the first railways to be built in Ontario, with construction starting in 1856. It provided connections between London, St. Thomas, Ontario and Port Stanley (by Lake Erie), primarily to facilitate trade with the United States, particularly of wood and coal. As a result of the rail connection to Southwestern Ontario, substantial investment in port facilities occurred in Port Stanley, which in turn attracted American shipping. Until 1932, coal from Conneaut, Ohio, was transported via railroad car ferries to Port Stanley. The railroad also proved popular with local residents, particularly in the summer when many commuters utilized the system to travel to Port Stanley’s beach and resort facilities. Originally, the railway operated steam locomotives, with the first passenger train arriving in 1856. However, in 1914, the line was electrified by the City of London (the owners of the line). Passenger traffic suffered from the automobile in the 1950s. Passenger operations were suspended in February of 1957, and Canadian National purchased the line in 1965 for some property elsewhere. The portion of the line from London to St. Thomas is now part of the CN Talbot Subdivision, while the St. Thomas to Port Stanley portion is operated by the Port Stanley Terminal Rail. The route was modeled in Microsoft Train Simulator by Wayne Campbell as it was between 1914 (when the line was electrified) and 1932 (when car ferry service was stopped).

External links

• History of the L&PS
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