Mattagami Railroad

R.L.Kennedy

Canada's shortest standard gauge railway was incorporated in Ontario April 5, 1927 to operate 3.3 miles from the National Transcontinental Railway mainline in Northern Ontario to Smooth Rock Falls to serve a large mill of the Abitibi Fibre Company. It provided freight and passenger service for many years as one of Canada's few independant railways. Here is a brief look at this little railway starting with an old article in Railroad Magazine May 1947. new Passenger ticket issued 1928 by CNR with a Mattagami RR coupon.

Unique view taken from outside cab of diesel as train approaches Smooth Rock CNR station, 1955.
J. Norman Lowe

Nice looking little Mogul engine.

100 (acq.c.1927 ex GWWD 9) 2-6-0 MLW 55116 4/1915 . J.Norman Lowe

Combine 5 was acquired 3/25 ex TH&B 35 built as coach 102 at CPR Angus Shops 11/1905

102 (acq. 7/1941 ex T&NO 215) 4-6-0 MLW 44165 1907 J.Norman Lowe

Mixed train hauled by 103 a 50-tonner 300HP diesel acquired new from GE 30790 3/51 J.Norman Lowe
Passenger service ended May 1, 1966..

Ancient wooden snow plow and spare coach. J.Norman Lowe

104 S4 (acq. 3/69 r/b MLW) MLW 76480 9/49
103 was traded-in on this unit which had been traded by QI&T (Romaine River Ry) on a new RS-18

168 acq.1998 (ex ACR 168) GMD GP7 A275 2/52 Mike Robin
Shown here on ONR enroute after its transfer to Tembec in Kapuskasing.

Abitibi Paper Co.Ltd. sold out to Tembec, Inc. and operations were turned over to the ONR in 1998,
more recently the plant switching was contracted to CANAC effective April 1, 2004.