Ontario Southland Railway

The Ontario Southland Railway, Inc. is an independently held short line operator. The company was founded in 1992 to purchase of track between Tillsonburg and Ingersoll, Ontario from the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). In 2009, a second line was added, as of CPR track from Woodstock to St. Thomas, Ontario were integrated into the system. In 2015, Ontario Southland began leasing the ex-Canadian National Cayuga Subdivision between St. Thomas and Delhi, Ontario, which had been abandoned by its former shortline operator the St. Thomas and Eastern Railway in 2013.

OSR also operated the Guelph Junction Railway until 28 August 2020 when operations were transferred to the Goderich–Exeter Railway.

Operations

Tillsonburg Operations OSR's Tillsonburg Division operates on the remaining of the ex-CPR Port Burwell Subdivision between Ingersoll and Tillsonburg, Ontario. Customers served include Future Transfer, Cedar Crest Wood Products, Kissner Group, Johnson Controls, International Beams, and Wellmaster. Traffic destined for Growmark, Inc. in Delhi, Ontario, as well as Cargill and Norfolk Co-Op in Courtland, Ontario is also handled.

St. Thomas Operations On 14 December 2009, the OSR began leasing the St. Thomas Subdivision from CPR consisting of of track from Woodstock to St. Thomas, Ontario. Customers served include Ontario Refrigerated Services, Auto Warehousing Company, Agrium, Belmont Farm Supply, Sylvite, Messenger Freight Services, and Factor Gas Liquids. Interchange with CN at St. Thomas and with CP at Woodstock.

CAMI Automotive Operations OSR performs switching at the CAMI Automotive plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. The facility experiences an approximate daily influx and outflow of 100 multis.

Cayuga Subdivision

In November 2015, OSR and Canadian National (CN) Railways made a joint announcement regarding the transfer of operations on CN's disused Cayuga subdivision. The responsibility of managing the St. Thomas–Tillsonburg segment (and extending to Delhi, Ontario) was handed over to OSR. However, this transition would commence after essential track maintenance was carried out, aiming to facilitate the transportation needs of a newly established windmill turbine factory situated east of Tillsonburg. Other customers served include two grain elevators in Courtland, Ontario, an ethanol plant in Aylmer, Ontario and a fertilizer plant in Delhi.

Locomotive Roster

Number Builder Model Serial Build Date Remarks 51 EMD NW2 5703 1947-12 Nee TH&B 51 52 EMD SW9 A151 1951-02 Nee C&O 5242102EMDGP9A20191963Ex-AC 172, Nee ET 102 175 EMD GP9 22576 1956-11 Nee C&O 6193 180 MLW RS-18u 82450 1958-04 Ex-CP 1860, née CP RS18 8769 181 MLW RS-18u 82458 1958-05 Ex-CP 1861, née CP RS18 8777, Sold to Sartigan Railway 182 MLW RS-18u 82258 1958-04 Ex-QGRY 1801, ex-CP 1801, née CP RS18 8764 183 MLW RS-18 M3497-02 1968-05 Nee INCX 208-3 184 MLW RS-18 M3497-03 1968-08 Nee INCX 208-4 378 EMD GP7 14008 1951-03 Nee SOO 378 383 EMD GP7 16481 1952-07 Nee SOO 383 500 ALCO S-6 81819 1956-11 Ex-VWL 29, née SP 1073 501 MLW S-13 82548 1959-01 Ex-GWWD 501, ex-BCOL 501, ex-BCOL 1001, née PGE 1001 502 MLW S-13 82549 1959-01 Ex-VWL 827, ex-BCOL 502, ex-BCOL 1002, née PGE 1002 503 MLW RS-23 82581 1959-09 Nee CP 8029, Sold to Sartigan Railway 504 MLW RS-23 83286 1960-08 Nee CP 8044, Sold to Sartigan Railway 505 MLW RS-23 82573 1959-09 Nee CP 8021, Sold to Sartigan Railway 506 MLW RS-23 82476 1959-08 Nee CP 8013, Sold to Sartigan Railway 507 MLW RS-23 83290 1960-08 Ex-Spruce Falls 109, ex-DEVCO 201, née SL 201 641 MLW M-420W M6068-02 1973-09 Nee BCOL 641 644 MLW M-420W M6068-05 1973-09 Nee BCOL 644, Sold to Sartigan Railway in Quebec. 646 MLW M-420W M6068-07 1973-10 Nee BCOL 646 647 MLW M-420W M6068-08 1973-10 Nee BCOL 647, Sold to Sartigan Railway in Quebec. 1116 MLW RS-18u 81621 1957-06 Ex-CP 1116, ex-CP 1802, née CP RS18 8746 1210 EMD SW1200RSu A1492 1958-08 Ex-CP 1210, née CP SW1200RS 8112 1244 EMD SW1200RSu A1897 1960-07 Ex-CP 1244, née CP SW1200RS 8151 1245 EMD SW1200RSu A1909 1960-09 Ex-CP 1245, née CP SW1200RS 8163 1249 EMD SW1200RSu A1914 1960-09 Ex-CP 1249, née CP SW1200RS 8168 1400 EMD FP9ARM A1399 1958-07 Ex-RLK 1400, ex-VIA 6303, ex-VIA FP9A 6539, née CN 6539. Acquired by the VIA Historical Association in 2024 and repainted into its 1978 VIA livery. 1401 EMD FP9ARM A1195 1957-03 Ex-RLK 1401, ex-VIA 6312, ex-VIA FP9A 6523, née CN 6523 1620 EMD GP9u A1115 1957-02 Ex-CP 1620, née CP GP9 8659 6508 EMD FP9ARM A638 1954-12 Ex-WSJR 6508, ex-TTSL 6305, ex-VIA 6305, ex-VIA FP9A 6508, née CN 6508 8235 EMD GP9u A1474 1958-03 Ex-JLCX 8235, ex-CP 8235, née CP GP9 8822

See also

List of Ontario railways Rail transport in Ontario

References