Atlantic and North West Railway
The Atlantic and Northwest Railway (A & NW) is a former railway company in Quebec and Ontario ( Canada ). It was founded on May 15, 1879 with the aim of connecting the two networks of the Canadian railways, namely the main network in Québec and the New Brunswick area, by a more direct line than would be possible through Canadian territory.
The 294-kilometer standard-gauge line was soon built and ran from Montreal (south end of the Lachine Bridge ) via Sherbrooke , Mégantic to the US state border at Lowellton . There the line of the International Railway of Maine to Mattawamkeag (Maine) joined, which the A&NW bought on November 2, 1886. The existing route of the South Eastern Railway between Farnham and Brookport (10 km) could also be used. In addition, a 30-kilometer branch line from the A&NW Railway Junction (later Payne) to Eganville (Ontario) west of Ottawa , which was connected to the main line of the Canada Central Railway , was built independent of the main line Montréal – Mattawamkeag .
As early as August 1, 1883, the company had been leased by the Ontario and Quebec Railway for 999 years, which acquired about 25 kilometers of the main line on December 3, 1883. This lease went to the Canadian Pacific Railway with effect from December 6, 1886 , but only for the main line Montréal – Mattawamkeag. The contract for the branch line to Eganville was not rewritten to the CPR until April 1, 1894.
The main line still exists today and is used by the Central Maine and Quebec Railway . The branch line to Eganville is closed.
stretch
- Montréal – Farnham railway line
- Brookport – Mattawamkeag railway line
- Payne – Eganville railway line
literature
- George H. Drury: The Historical Guide to North American Railroads. 2nd edition. Kalmbach Publishing Co., Waukesha, WI 2000, ISBN 0-89024-356-5