The Railways of Ottawa

Findings of the Circle

1.10    Canadian Northern Ontario Railway stations in Ottawa
The Canadian Northern entered Ottawa, from three directions. Ottawa-Hawkesbury opened on 30 November 1909, Ottawa-Napanee on 2 December 1913, and Ottawa-Pembroke in November 1916. The lines used their own bridge over the Rideau River using a deck plate girder bridge consisting of 9 spans of 65' each to a terminal station at Hurdman Road and Mann Avenue, also known as Henderson Avenue. There was a 'Special Cabin' at the northeast quadrant of the crossing of CNOR Hawkesbury-Ottawa Line and CPR Sussex Street Sub. When the Ottawa Hawkesbury line was abandoned in 1939, the Canadian Northern bridge remained in use to connect the Beachburg subdivision southwards from CN Hurdman.  This section of line, known as the Hurdman subdivision, remained in service until June 1966.

1.10.1    Temporary Station near Rideau River

There is a plan showing a temporary structure that was located near the Rideau River just west of the bridge. The track continued straight for about 400', and at an angle of about 45 degrees to Hurdman Road. The station would have been between the railway and the river, close to Hurdman Road.  The station was located about 150' from the end of track on the south side, at Mile 57.40 from Hawkesbury (possibly a drafting error - it should possibly be 56.40.). It is doubtful whether this was ever built bearing in mind that the Henderson Street or Hurdman station (see 1.10.2 below) which was also regarded as a temporary station, was ready for the opening to traffic on 5 December 1909.

1.10.2    Henderson Street or Hurdman Station
The extension towards Mann Avenue began about 100' from the west end of the bridge.  After a short distance as a single track, it split into two tracks that ran together to the end of track at Mile 57.37.  The new station, known as Henderson Street, was sandwiched between the west side of the two tracks and Hurdman Road near Mile 57.28.  A freight shed was opposite the station on the north side of the tracks.  This is the station seen in photos in the Public Archives (C-30310 and PA-165400) which show the first CNOR train into Ottawa on 5 Dec 1909.  It is not known how long this station was used for passenger trains. An interchange between the GTR and the CNOR was in use by April 1916.  This was located where the former CAR Alexandria line and the CNOR crossed at Hurdman.  The connection was in the south west quadrant which would have required a reverse move for CNOR trains to and from Hawkesbury.  A 1916 CNOR condensed plan shows a quadrant in the north west quadrant but no evidence of this can be seen in air photos and it is doubtful that it was ever built. Although the new connection was used by the Ottawa - Toronto trains, mixed trains on the line to Pembroke continued to use Henderson Avenue. Connections were provided at Rideau Junction, (Federal) for Central Station but mixed passenger trains continued to use Henderson Avenue until the early 1920's at least.
1.10.3   Rideau Junction
A station was opened at the point of separation of the Canadian Northern Ontario lines to Toronto and North Bay, just west of the bridge over the Rideau River at Hogs Back.  It appears this was in place for the opening of the Toronto line on 3 December 1913 and was certainly in place by February 1915 (BRC Inspectors report) and before the opening of the North Bay line on 15 October 1915.


Updated February 2008

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