A history of the Kingston & Pembroke Railway both as an independent entity and as a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway is, as of early 2016, the primary focus of my next book project. Initial text and image research has commenced but there is not time line for publishing. Further research and writing will involve time and trips to Kingston and elsewhere along the line in an attempt to glean information and photographs for the book. For these reason as there is no projected time line for the finishing of this work.
The Kingston & Pembroke Railway was the brainchild of C.F. Gildersleeve a prominent Kingston entrepreneur. With several other local businessmen the K&P received a charter on April 14, 1871 to construct a railway between the two communities in the company’s title. As with most early Ontario railways the K&P was never financially stable and hence construction proceeded intermittently. By the mid 1870s the K&P was in default over bond issues and ownership of much of the stock came into the hands of an American investor. At some point in its history the Kingston & Pembroke acquired a more derogatory public name, the Kick & Push, perhaps a reference to its storied construction history and its aged locomotives.
On June 17, 1875 the first train left Kingston to the end of the line at Glendower Iron Mines near Godfrey. In the spring of 1876 the line reached Sharbot Lake and in 1878 the end of the line had reached the Mississippi River. In following years the line reached Lavant (1881), Clyde Forks (1882), Barryvale (1883) and Calabogie (1884). Major construction work between this point and Renfrew prevented opening of the line until the end of the same year. At Renfrew a junction was made with the Canadian Pacific Railway. Here construction of the K&P ended and Pembroke was never reached by the K&P Railway Company.
The long burden of construction by the K&P sapped the company of most of its financial resources. By the mid 1890s the Company was reorganized and new investors based in Montreal and Toronto were brought to the Board of Directors. By 1904 a majority of the K&P shares were owned by the CPR. The K&P continued to operate as a separate entity but it was certainly by this time under the operational control of its majority shareholder. In December 1912 the K&P was leased to the CPR for a period of 999 years and the following month, January 1913 the K&P officially became part of the CPR.
Under CPR control the line maintained an existence through difficult times over the next half century. The line was abandoned in stages commencing with Snow Road to Calabogie in 1962. The final remnant, Tichborne to Kingston was abandoned in 1986.
If you have any information or images concerning the Kingston & Pembroke Railway and are willing to share such, please contact Ted by e-mail at [email protected] or by post directed to Steampower Publishing, 181 Armour Court, Cobourg, Ontario, K9A 4S6, Canada.
The Kingston & Pembroke Railway was the brainchild of C.F. Gildersleeve a prominent Kingston entrepreneur. With several other local businessmen the K&P received a charter on April 14, 1871 to construct a railway between the two communities in the company’s title. As with most early Ontario railways the K&P was never financially stable and hence construction proceeded intermittently. By the mid 1870s the K&P was in default over bond issues and ownership of much of the stock came into the hands of an American investor. At some point in its history the Kingston & Pembroke acquired a more derogatory public name, the Kick & Push, perhaps a reference to its storied construction history and its aged locomotives.
On June 17, 1875 the first train left Kingston to the end of the line at Glendower Iron Mines near Godfrey. In the spring of 1876 the line reached Sharbot Lake and in 1878 the end of the line had reached the Mississippi River. In following years the line reached Lavant (1881), Clyde Forks (1882), Barryvale (1883) and Calabogie (1884). Major construction work between this point and Renfrew prevented opening of the line until the end of the same year. At Renfrew a junction was made with the Canadian Pacific Railway. Here construction of the K&P ended and Pembroke was never reached by the K&P Railway Company.
The long burden of construction by the K&P sapped the company of most of its financial resources. By the mid 1890s the Company was reorganized and new investors based in Montreal and Toronto were brought to the Board of Directors. By 1904 a majority of the K&P shares were owned by the CPR. The K&P continued to operate as a separate entity but it was certainly by this time under the operational control of its majority shareholder. In December 1912 the K&P was leased to the CPR for a period of 999 years and the following month, January 1913 the K&P officially became part of the CPR.
Under CPR control the line maintained an existence through difficult times over the next half century. The line was abandoned in stages commencing with Snow Road to Calabogie in 1962. The final remnant, Tichborne to Kingston was abandoned in 1986.
If you have any information or images concerning the Kingston & Pembroke Railway and are willing to share such, please contact Ted by e-mail at [email protected] or by post directed to Steampower Publishing, 181 Armour Court, Cobourg, Ontario, K9A 4S6, Canada.
