Trillium Railway
Encyclopedia
The Trillium Railway is a Canadian
short-line railroad operating in the province of Ontario
. Much of its right-of-way in the Niagara area was formerly part of the "Welland Canal Railway" (AKA Welland Railway) that followed closely, the route of the second Welland Canal
.
Trillium Railway began operations in 1997 with only eleven kilometres of railway, all of which were located in Port Colborne
.
With an expansion in 1998, Trillium added 55 kilometres of track between Delhi and St. Thomas
. Another expansion in 1999 added another 55 kilometres of track in Welland
, Thorold
and St. Catharines
.
In the Niagara Region
, Trillium's trackage, referred to as Port Colborne Harbour Railway
, is made up of Canadian National
's former secondary and branch lines, including a number of urban spurs, on the west side of the Canal. CN and CP interchange with Trillium at CN/CP Feeder,http://www.trilliumrailway.com/pchr.asp Trillium no longer operates on the south tracks of the Townline Tunnel
under the Welland Canal
. A Trillium line in Welland crosses Highway 406, forming the only at-grade rail crossing
on a 400-Series Highway
.
The St. Thomas and Eastern Railway
operates on a former CN Cayuga Spur, the historical "Canada Air Line".http://www.trilliumrailway.com/ster.asp It reaches the city of St. Thomas by trackage rights
over CN's tracks.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
short-line railroad operating in the province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Much of its right-of-way in the Niagara area was formerly part of the "Welland Canal Railway" (AKA Welland Railway) that followed closely, the route of the second Welland Canal
Welland Canal
The Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada that extends from Port Weller, Ontario, on Lake Ontario, to Port Colborne, Ontario, on Lake Erie. As a part of the St...
.
Trillium Railway began operations in 1997 with only eleven kilometres of railway, all of which were located in Port Colborne
Port Colborne, Ontario
Port Colborne is a city on Lake Erie, at the southern end of the Welland Canal, in the Niagara Region of southern Ontario, Canada...
.
With an expansion in 1998, Trillium added 55 kilometres of track between Delhi and St. Thomas
St. Thomas, Ontario
St. Thomas is a city in southern , Ontario, Canada. It is the seat for Elgin County and gained its city charter on March 4, 1881.-History:...
. Another expansion in 1999 added another 55 kilometres of track in Welland
Welland, Ontario
Welland is a city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Southern Ontario, Canada.The city has been traditionally known as the place where rails and water meet, referring to the railways from Buffalo to Toronto and Southwestern Ontario, and the waterways of Welland Canal and Welland River,...
, Thorold
Thorold, Ontario
Thorold is a city in Ontario, Canada, located on the Niagara Escarpment. It is also the seat of the Regional Municipality of Niagara....
and St. Catharines
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
.
In the Niagara Region
Regional Municipality of Niagara, Ontario
The Regional Municipality of Niagara , also known as the Niagara Region, or, colloquially, "Regional Niagara", is a regional municipality comprising twelve municipalities of Southern Ontario, Canada....
, Trillium's trackage, referred to as Port Colborne Harbour Railway
Port Colborne Harbour Railway
The Port Colborne Harbour Railway , formed in 1997, serves various industries in the Port Colborne area and along the New Welland Canal. The principal commodities transported are wheat, scrap, woodpulp, bauxite, and lumber. The Port Colborne and Harbour Railway connects with CPR in Port Colborne...
, is made up of Canadian National
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
's former secondary and branch lines, including a number of urban spurs, on the west side of the Canal. CN and CP interchange with Trillium at CN/CP Feeder,http://www.trilliumrailway.com/pchr.asp Trillium no longer operates on the south tracks of the Townline Tunnel
Townline Tunnel
The Townline Tunnel, located in Welland, Ontario, Canada, is an underwater tunnel, carrying Highway 58A as well as the Canadian Pacific Railway under the Welland Canal. The "A" suffix is a misnomer since it is more of a connector than an alternative route. Highway 58A is a two-lane freeway in its...
under the Welland Canal
Welland Canal
The Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada that extends from Port Weller, Ontario, on Lake Ontario, to Port Colborne, Ontario, on Lake Erie. As a part of the St...
. A Trillium line in Welland crosses Highway 406, forming the only at-grade rail crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
on a 400-Series Highway
400-series highways (Ontario)
The 400-series highways are a network of controlled-access highways throughout the southern portion of the Canadian province of Ontario, forming a special subset of the provincial highway system. They are analogous to the Interstate Highway System in the United States or the British Motorway...
.
The St. Thomas and Eastern Railway
St. Thomas and Eastern Railway
The St. Thomas and Eastern Railway is a shortline railway division of the Trillium Railway, operating near St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. The main commodities transported on the railway are grain, salt, and chemicals. St. Thomas and Eastern connects to CN in St. Thomas and CPR in Tillsonburg. Total...
operates on a former CN Cayuga Spur, the historical "Canada Air Line".http://www.trilliumrailway.com/ster.asp It reaches the city of St. Thomas by trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over CN's tracks.