Железная дорога Алгома Централь: История и перспективы развития

Canadian train company

The Algoma Central Railway is a railway in Northern Ontario, Canada, that operates between Sault Ste. Marie and Hearst. It used to have a branch line to Wawa. The area served by the railway is sparsely populated, with few roads. The railway is well known for its Agawa Canyon tour train. Until 2015, the line also provided passenger train service to canoeists, snowmobilers, cottagers and tourists accessing this wilderness recreation region. The railway connects at its northernmost point with the Ontario Northland Railway and with CN's eastern division to the south. It also intersects with the Canadian Pacific Kansas City at Franz and with the Huron Central Railway at its southernmost point in the Sault.

On February 1, 1995, Wisconsin Central Ltd. purchased Algoma Central Railway Incorporated, operating the railway as a separate subsidiary, Wisconsin Central Canada Holdings. In 1998, Algoma Steel closed its iron ore mine in Wawa and the branch line between Michipicoten Harbour and Hawk Junction was abandoned. In February, a working group attempting to save the line hired BDO Canada LLP, an accounting firm, to assess the financial impact to the region when the service is scheduled to end April 29. The working group, composed of municipalities, first nations, and cottager associations, all had a vested interest in the continuation of the service. According to preliminary findings, BDO determined passenger rail service in the Algoma district generates between $38 million and $48 million in annual economic activity. It supports as many as 220 jobs and delivers more than $5 million in tax revenues. In April 2014, the federal government extended funding for one year so that CN would continue to provide the passenger service. The $2.2 million subsidy was to facilitate the provision of service until 2015. In March 2015, Railmark Canada Ltd assumed the passenger service with the intention to increase services and marketing. In March 2015, the Canadian government guaranteed funding of the service for an additional three years. In June of the same year, Canadian National said it would stop the service on July 15 after it was unable to make a deal with Railmark Canada. The government subsidy still stood, but a new rail operator needed to be sought by the regional stakeholders group. Railmark was unable to secure a line of credit from a lending group, which hindered its ability to take over services. Canadian National announced its intent in July 2020 to sell off non core lines in the Upper Midwest as part of a rationalization programme, all of which were previously part of the Wisconsin Central system. In December 2021, the sale of the former Algoma Central lines along with CN trackage in Wisconsin and Michigan was approved by the Surface Transportation Board.

In March 2021, Watco announced that it would acquire the Algoma Central from Canadian National, along with the Wisconsin lines, sale of the latter being subject to final approval by the United States Surface Transportation Board. Simultaneously, Watco committed to a continuance of the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, as well as signing a memorandum of understanding with the Missanabie Cree First Nation regarding a potential partnership.

In the 1960s, the railway began to promote the natural beauty of the District of Algoma to tourists, especially the Agawa Canyon, a canyon carved by the Agawa River, located 114 rail miles (183 km) north of Sault Ste. Marie, and not accessible by road. The Algoma Central developed a tourist stopover here and it proved to be a great success for the railway. Owing to the popularity of the Agawa Canyon excursions, the Algoma Central ran the longest passenger trains in North America, often up to 20 to 24 cars long. During the 1970s and 1980s, around 100,000 people per year visited Agawa Canyon. The Agawa Canyon Tour Train has continued to operate as a separate entity since 2015.

In 2015, White Pine Pictures released the award winning documentary film Painted Land: in Search of the Group of Seven which was shot along the rail corridor. In 2016 the Moments of Algoma project was launched by the Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association, inviting tourists to follow the Group of Seven's travels, experiences and expressions of the region. The driving tour begins in Bruce Mines and follows the shoreline of Lake Huron and Lake Superior as far as Nipigon. Rail passengers will find more interpretive Installations in Agawa Canyon and at the train station in Sault Ste. Marie.

The railway is the subject of the song "Algoma Central 69" by Stompin' Tom Connors. The Agawa Canyon Tour Train has continued to operate as a separate entity since 2015.

Named railway points and sidings are listed from south to north. +NameLocationCoordinatesElevationSidingNotesOdenaHeydenNorthlandGoulaisWabosArchiganOgidakiMashkodeMekatinaSummitBatchewanaRegentHubertFraterCanyonEtonAgawaTaberPerryLimerHawk JunctionYardAldenGoudreauWandaFranzsidingJunction with the Canadian Pacific Kansas City mainline and connection to the Via Rail Sudbury–White River trainScullyHildaMosherDanaLangdonObasidingJunction with the Canadian National Railway mainline and the connection to the Via Rail The Canadian trainNorrisFranz townshipno sidingFormer railway point. Removed from official named points in 1978. no sidingFormer railway point. Removed from official named points in 1978. Templeton townshipno sidingHorseyBorder between Unorganized North Algoma District and Unorganized North Cochrane DistrictMeadCoppellStavertcommunity of JoguesWybornTown of Hearst