Trenton Division

Nephton Branch

R.L.Kennedy

This scene shows the rugged beauty of the area around the mine and crusher at Nephton.
This day, April 21, 2005, switching is being carried out by the Havelock-Nephton job
using typical power, two GP38-2's with a pair of GP9's between them. Jim Moloney

In 1901, an Ontario incorporation was for the Norwood & Apsley, which included powers to construct elevators and wharves, also to operate vessels on Stoney Lake and other lakes reached, along with the right to lease or sell to the CPR. It would have connected with the old O&Q mainline at Norwood, 6 miles west of Havelock, and build 25 miles north to Apsley. In 1901, a CPR surveyor carried out of a survey of the line, however nothing was built. That is until a half of a Century later!

The 20 mile long line Nephton Subdivision from Havelock to Blue Mountain was the last built on the Ontario District. It was built between May and December 1954 to serve the American Nepheline Ltd.open-pit mine (2200 acres) and crusher located at Nephton (Mile 16.3) and later extended to another mine at Blue Mountain (Mile 20.0). The mine was originally opened in 1935 and is the source of one the purest deposits of nepheline syenite in North America, which is used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics and paint. Output had grown more than 30 times since it opened. Originally, the syenite was barged, until about 1949 when it was hauled by truck 24 miles to the CNR at Lakefield, which distance was only slightly farther than the CPR had to build. (Did the CNR ever consider building a branch?)

Construction was carried out quickly through some rugged limestone cuts, swamp and across the 38' deep Long Lake where heavy blasting and filling put down a rock fill. The scenery wasn't to be enjoyed by many people since there was never any regular passenger service. There was only one short passing track at South Lake (Mile 8.8) and a wye at Nephton. It opened December 20,1954 at a cost of $1,500,000 for the 16.5 miles to Nephton.

At some time in the 1970's or 80's the CPR considered closing this branch along with the entire line to Agincourt on account of low traffic volumes. Much of the tonnage from the mines moved west to Toronto then returned east to Montreal, since the line east from Havelock had been abandoned. It was proposed to truck it from the mines to Trenton and load it there. This idea was dropped, possibly because the mine owner, IMC (International Mineral and Chemical), didn't like the idea and they were a major customer on western lines. Otherwise, it might well have happened since the line remains marginal.

Spanner February-March 1955

On to: Passenger Service

Back to: Georgian Bay & Seaboard

Back to: CPR Trenton Index