by R. L. Kennedy

Collection of David Pershick

Thurlow Railway was an electrified line of about 2 ½ miles from Thurlow to Point Anne to serve its owner, Belleville Portland Cement Co. (later, Canada Cement.) Originally built in 1903 to serve the new cement plant, as the Belleville Radial Ry. using iron rails from the defunct Belleville Traction Co. a streetcar line, that had changed over from horses (1877) in 1895.

One of two steam locomotives used in early years by Point Anne Quarries Ltd.
Built in 1889 by Baldwin for the Suburban Rapid Transit Co. which was acquired 6/1891
by the Manhattan (Elevated) Ry. Steam was replaced by electric M.U. cars
Acquired from the Thousand Islands Ry. in 1912 along with a even tinier 0-4-2T Dickson
8-ton compound engine. Shown here on the TIR. E.A.Gardner

Canada Cement Co. unnumbered 40-ton electric locomotive. Ex GE 5 Schenectady NY GE #1643 1902
Point Anne March 12, 1949 William C. Bailey/R.J.Sandusky Collection

It was changed to diesel about 1951, while later still, CNR and CPR engines were allowed to operate over it one at a time. CNR movements were controlled by the switchtender at Belleville Yard entered the line at Mile 217.3 of the Ganonoque Subdivision, just east of Belleville. In later years control of the line was by a unique method. There were two switch locks on the junction switch and when the CPR engine was using the line their lock was applied and CNR crews were thus made aware and were prohibited from using the line! Simple as you can get.

Map

A plant switcher remained in use by Canada Cement La Farge Ltd. until it closed in 1974. The property was sold to Point Anne Quarry Co. Aggregates Division of Standard Industries which also controlled Consolidated Sand & Gravel. They began quarrying operations in April 1975 and resumed operating over the old Thurlow line to the mainline using an old diesel bought from the CPR, an MLW 660 HP S3, 6543, which could handle a maximum of only 7 loads up the grade. Traffic was destined to a CS&G facility at Mile 185, Cherrywood and was expected to reach 50 cars per day. Unit trains of 100 ton rapid discharge hopper cars with a turning loop and units equipped with slow speed control were proposed, all of which was to be leased from CanPac Leasing, a CPR subsidiary. It never happened. (CanPac had briefly leased them the 6543 before it was bought on July 4,1975.) The quarry operation was expected to last 50 years with CS&G closing their Paris, Ont. pit. It didn't last that long, not by a long shot, at least not by rail, which ended after a few years.

Photos wanted! Anything on the Thurlow Railway. PPP