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History

Branchline Articles

Dec. 2008

Branchline - December 2008, Volume 47, Number 11

The Courtaulds' Railway

By Chris Granger

I can only assume that at this point you readers are searching through your Canadian Trackside Guides and history books, trying to find "The Courtaulds Railway." Well, stop looking because it was never an incorporated company. In fact, it was just a name that was commonly given to an industrial rail operation by local rail fans in Cornwall. There has only been one publication that gives a brief outline on this subject, but it was a private publication and as I understand from the author that it has sold out.

I first became aware of the full story of Courtaulds' Railway through Maurice Lafontaine, whom had the opportunity to visit the rail crews often and was able to get great stories of the various operations through the years. More recently my colleague, Colin Churcher, whom had put together a history of industrial locomotives, sent me a list of the engines that the Courtaulds plant had used. Speaking with both of them as well as with Ramson Ledoux, a gentleman whom took it upon himself to start a Courtaulds museum, it seemed like an ideal thing to write about this operation that was in itself unique.

In the beginning an English chemical company decided to build a new plant in Canada and had chosen an ideal location in Cornwall's east end. East Cornwall, as it was popularly known, had a centre of population radiating from the intersection of Montreal Road and McConnell Avenue. This community eventually ended at Belmont Street, which left a large area just east of it, the French Farm. This was the spot where Courtaulds Canada Incorporated established their operations in 1923, buying up what today encompassed St. Felix Street to Danis Avenue, Montreal Road to the original Canadian National Railways (CNR) main line. Once in operation, the company was doing very well and expansion occurred almost immediately, continuing on until there were a large number of buildings built in a few groupings using subsidiary company names, all linked by underground tunnels.

Since its first day of operations, Courtaulds had a link with the Cornwall Street Railway, Light & Power Company (CSR). The street railway extended their Water Street/Montreal Road line from where it swung south to St. Lawrence Park, a popular destination for families, further eastwards to the plant as a means for street cars to bring employees to their workplace. Just as it did for the Howard Smith Paper Mill in the west end, when a shift change occurred, six to seven street cars would arrive with the next shift of workers and wait in front of the plant to take those coming off the work floor back home. As for freight cars, CSR would take them from the yards of Canadian National on Ninth Street East, Canadian Pacific on Sixth Street East and New York Central on Second Street West through the Cornwall streets, down Montreal Road and make a sharp turn onto the property.

The trackage on the Courtaulds property initially was a siding or two, but as the company expanded, more track was laid and when the 1930s began, there was a complicated small system within the plant area itself. This would just add to the already long length of time that was consumed in an effort to switch cars that were empty and full to their appropriate spots. In no time at all, CSR crews would find themselves spending an entire afternoon just at the Courtaulds site, leaving the other businesses they served, such as the paper mill, without rail switching service for a long period of time. Even when all three of their freight motors in the olive green with cream colours were operating (Nos. 11, 12 and 26), CSR would still end up operating later in the day or would start earlier just to ensure all the day's assignments were done. This caused problems and soon the town council was calling upon for a change in rail operations through the city streets before and after daylight hours. A solution had to come about for all parties concerned.

Courtaulds' Railway

#26 was a wood box motor car that was originally built by Baldwin-Westinghouse in 1899 and was purchased new in 1900 by CSR, their second such purchase. It was said to be about 12 tons and was quite different compared to the usual steeple cabs that CSR had in operation. It was longer and looked more like a self moving baggage car with a big door on the side. CSR replaced this motor with a third-hand freight motor dubbed #7, which comes into Courtaulds history at a later date. Courtaulds had #26 painted dark green, maintained the number and slapped on the company's logo on each side of the body. The plant had a few men that were trained by the street railway on how to operate the motor as well as railway procedures. Thus began the operations on the "Courtaulds Railway".

Stories had been handed down through the years about how #26 operated for the company after it was retired. Unfortunately no documentation has been uncovered to date concerning the time it was used for switching, except for a notation that maintenance work was done by the CSR throughout the time the electrical motors were in use. When one looks at pictures of #26, it must have had a very busy life at Courtaulds. It was the only motor that was in the plant's possession for 14 years, after which it was retired from shunting use in 1946. That was when Courtaulds had purchased a freight motor that was much easier to manoeuvre with as well as being more powerful. A former engineer, Art Wharton, was quoted in Lafontaine's book saying that #26 "wasn't very strong."

CSR sold to Courtaulds in 1946 their freight motor #7. It too was painted in the company's green paint scheme and maintained its roster number. #7 was originally built by the Montreal Street Railway in 1900 and was sold to the Shawinigan Falls Terminal Railway in 1902 as their #1. In 1912, it went to the Niagara, St. Catharines & Toronto Railway as #7, but was renumbered to 600 afterwards and CSR purchased it in 1932. It was a steeple cab type (double truck/double ended) that was much smaller than the equipment CSR had used in their last years of operation. By the time they sold it to Courtaulds, they still had their original #11, but added to the roster Nos. 6, 8, 9 and 10.

According to Wharton's statements, #7 was a much better freight motor for operators. Its smaller stature was much easier for engineers to have a panoramic view of the property and right-of-ways. It was very reliable and seemed like the type of engine that an industry like Courtaulds should have. He did recount of how #7 and the retired #26 would be coupled together during the winter months, the latter was used as a plow to clear out the rails. Apparently this practice continued until #26 was sold in 1971. In August of 1947, a CSR strike had occurred, lasting longer than previous ones. During this strike, no electric railway equipment was in operation except on Courtaulds property, but as the days went on the need to move cars dwindled. The plant was nearly out of raw material to make their products and desperately needed a means to transport more from the C-I-L plant in the city’s west end. Representatives from the industry and the striking CSR employees, along with their union reps, had a meeting concerning the situation and an agreement was reached. Courtaulds would be allowed to move freight by any means other than by electric power from C-I-L to their property as well as to the CNR switchyard. Courtaulds hired a 0-4-0T from Fraser Brace, a contractor in Dorval, and the engine was their #3. It was trucked to Cornwall and used for only two days, being the only steam engine to have operated on electric street tracks between C-I-L, Courtaulds and the exchange point with CNR. With the strike over, CSR returned to full operations.

#7 continued to operate over Courtaulds lines for several years then retired in November of 1959 after it had caught fire and was too damaged for conventional repairs. Ledoux had shown me a page from the Rayon Reel, a Courtaulds magazine that employees received, that explain Courtaulds had donated #7 to the Canadian Railroad Historical Society. With the motor car, the Society was given the blueprints of the motor and operating procedures that was involved on Courtaulds property.

CSR Returns to the Plant

In 1946, a new entrance for the street railway was built into Courtaulds via the north end of their property. Complaints from Cornwall citizens about the large length of freight trains running on Cornwall streets from downtown to Courtaulds buried any space that was available on the desks at city hall and CSR offices. Automobiles had already taken over the roadways and drivers were tired of being stuck behind the slow moving trains or waiting for them to pass at corners. The new Courtaulds Line that was opened ran from the CNR station grounds beside the south track going eastwards. It crossed Canadian Pacific's line just east of McConnell Avenue and continued east for about a kilometre. It then took a gradual turn southwards and entered Courtaulds from the north. At a point on the line, behind where St-Felix Church presently stands, was a passing siding that was the exchange point between the CSR and Courtaulds switching crews. The old line along Montreal Road remained in place for three more years to allow street cars to reach the industry. After the streetcars were decommissioned in favour of electrically operated busses, the original Courtaulds Line was removed from the corner of Montreal Road and Marlborough Street right to the plant.A number of meetings were held that involved town officials and the management from both CSR and Courtaulds. On the agenda was how improvements could be made for the safety and noise levels resulting from the electric trains running back and forth from the plant. The solution, although temporary for now, was quite simple and it was a winning situation all around the table. The result of so much trackage being laid within Courtaulds had created a railway system throughout the property, but they did not have their own equipment. It just so happened that CSR was looking to replace one of their outdated freight motors at the same time. It came about that one day in 1932 CSR had sold motor car #26 to Courtaulds for the purpose of inner switching for their own track. The motor was brought to the property and the plant began their own switching operations while CSR provided the electric power to operate the motor and continued delivering freight cars to the property and removed those that were to be shipped out.

After #7's fire, Courtaulds was without a motor car of their own. #26 was unqualified to handle the heavier freight cars that needed to be moved so a solution needed to be found with the CSR. By this time, the street railway had eight freight motor cars on its roster, so they were able to spare a couple that could be used solely on Courtaulds property. They decided upon using their second motor numbered 7 and #14. CSR still did not perform the switching but did continue the transportation of the cars to and from the property. Instead, the street railway rented out these two locomotives to Courtaulds, who continued to have their own crews operate them. So aside from the equipment change that occurred, the status quo for shunting remained the same.

The second #7 was built by Baldwin-Westinghouse in December of 1923 for the Springfield Terminal Railway as their #15. When CSR purchased the motor in 1956, they never repainted it to the CSR scheme, changed by then to maroon with cream, and only renumber it. #14 was also from the Springfield Terminal Railway, formerly their #10. It was also built by Baldwin-Westinghouse but was a more powerful steeple cab, being of the B-1 Class. It was also purchased by CSR in 1956, but unlike its partner from Springfield, #14 was repainted in the CSR scheme.

So from 1956 to the day the electric operations were shut down, Courtaulds operated their rail spurs by using CSR's two engines and when they were in the shops, CSR would loan the plant their #12. This freight motor was another Baldwin-Westinghouse construct that was for the Ogden, Logan & Idaho Railroad as their #904 in 1917. It was a Class B steeple cab that would later go to the Utah-Idaho Central Railroad, maintaining its number. CSR purchased it in 1948 and renumbered it to their second 12. With two CSR rented motors and a third on loan when needed, Courtaulds was the only industry in Cornwall to have their own railway system that operated 24/7.

Switching to Diesel and The End

The CSR by the late 1960s was at a crossroads. The supplying of electricity to the City of Cornwall was a good business, but their rail operations were another matter. The company felt that it was time to get out of railroading and just be a power company. I will avoid all the details of how CSR came to the point of ending their operations and go right to the day CNR took over, which was on April 1, 1971. The Canadian Crown railway company, purchased the electric railway equipment, right of ways and rights to switch within Cornwall on that date. The larger company had no intention of continuing the use of electrically operated motor cars and until a number of S-4s were modified to handle the sharp curves for some of the Cornwall lines, the freight motors were on borrowed time.

The plan initially for the Courtaulds switching was to integrate it with the planned switching jobs that the CNR crew would be handling during their normal shift. The day came when the rented electric motors were left on a siding in the plant to be picked up by CNR and the new diesel came down the Courtaulds line. Many hours later, CNR left without taking the electrics and never again did their locomotives cross Second Street East to enter Courtaulds land. The electric operations would continue until August 7^th and a parade was held on October 9^th for the retired equipment, which included the ones Courtaulds had rented.

The plant may not have had the electric motors anymore, but on August 10^th they were able to maintain their own inner switching operations. The company had purchased a 20-ton Model ML-6 diesel mechanical locomotive, built by Plymouth in 1941, from Paikin Steel Products in Hamilton with no identifying roster number. This engine started its life in Tennessee, USA as #GM2028 for QMC USA at Camp Forest, would be renumbered to USA #7679 and then was up for sale in July of 1946 by WAA. Glen L. Martin & Company in Fort Crook, Nebraska would purchase it the following year in February and would go through two other owners, Cockshutt Plow and Telephone City Sand & Gravel at Brantford, Ontario, before it would wind up in Hamilton. At some point the engine was converted from its original gas mechanical operation to diesel mechanical.

A footnote to add at this point concerning the Plymouth. Churcher’s records show that Courtaulds had a second Plymouth with the serial number of 3461 built in April 1930 as a model ML6-2. It went new to Scottish Canadian Magnesite (Marelan, Quebec) as #2 and then to Telephone City Sand & Gravel in Brantford until purchased by Courtaulds. I asked Ledoux about this as he started to work at the plant a couple of years after the electric motors were retired. He can only confirm that there was one Plymouth engine that operated on Courtaulds property and Lafontaine echoed this statement. Churcher has suggested that the Plymouth that had ended up in Cornwall could be an amalgamation of the two that served in Brantford. If any of the readers are able to solve this mystery, we would certainly love to hear from you.

Unlike the previous locomotives for Courtaulds, the Plymouth arrived not by rail but by truck. According to Lafontaine, former Courtaulds employee Clarence Dupuis recalled how it arrived at the plant and was lifted by a crane to the rails on the industry's property. Another former employee, Adrien Levac, remembered how the Plymouth would derail often on the short curves of the sidings due to the short couplers. He and others found a longer coupler from an old car and installed it on their new locomotive and it stopped the time consuming work of re-railing their engine. Crews had practised the movement of cars by "dead knuckling" which meant that the couplers of the car and engine were left closed and the locomotive would just carefully nudge the cars into their positions at the plant. When Levac retired, he said that some of the boys had played a joke on him by writing his name on both sides of the body, which remained on it for quite a long time.

Another story about the Plymouth that Lafontaine recounted in his book that is worth repeating here is when the engine had been repaired one year. When the crew had to refill the radiator cooling system, someone had said that it needed to be filled with alcohol. After it was filled, the engine was started and flames shot out of the exhaust on the hood of the body ten feet up into the air, scaring a bunch of the workers that ran off to hide. Needless to say, the engine was totally overhauled as a result of that incident. Andy Graham, former C-I-L employee, told Lafontaine that he had to drive C-I-L’s trackmobile (a Whiting Model 9TM) on the rubber tires down Second Street to Courtaulds for the purpose of switching while the Plymouth was being repaired.

Not everything could last forever though. By the beginning of 1984, Courtaulds needed a new locomotive and they were able to acquire an engine that was more reliable and powerful. In February, the company purchased from Merrilees their newly acquired (D) IREX#7096, which was previously owned by Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) under the same number. This locomotive was an S-2 that was built by Alco in August of 1949 for the CPR and remained on their roster up until February of 1984. When it arrived at Courtaulds, the number was kept as well as the CPR paint scheme, which it retained throughout the rest of the life of the Courtaulds operation in Cornwall.

Living in the west end of the city, I rarely ever got to the east side and when I did, it was always to drive by in front of the plant. I never saw the Plymouth but as I grew older and the Eastcourt Mall had more retail stores, my grandparents took more trips out that way and it was at this time that I remember seeing the Courtaulds engine, thinking it was a CPR shunting engine that would move freight from their yard at Sixth and Sydney to Courtaulds. I was used to seeing the Canadian National engine shutting past our home so to me it was a logical assumption. The reality of the situation did not come to me until I began to research the city's street railway operation.

The Closure and Disposition of Equipment

In February of 1993, the Courtaulds plant was decommissioned. It was a shock to Cornwall residents and the debate on why it occurred is still being discussed today, much like the recent closer of Domtar Fine Papers. The plant was quickly razed and today only the front office building remains standing, as well as one of the subsidiary plant buildings just up the street. Evidence of a railway on the property can only be found by walking around and finding the odd spike and tie plate, but north of the property provides more evidence. At the Second Street East crossing, the two crossing light stands were never taken down and the right-of-way can still be used by off-road vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians from that point to the old CSR/CPR exchange yard. The former Courtaulds engines all met different fates, as follows:

#7096 - went to a dealer named George Silcott of Ambridge, Pennsylvania in 1993. From there it was sold to Amber Milling in Kenosha, Wisconsin then to Silcott in Ohio. Today it is used in northwest Ohio somewhere.

The Plymouth - Merrilees received this engine when Courtaulds purchased #7096 and it was scrapped by the dealer.

CSR #7:2, 12 & 14 - all these engines were retired by CNR and sent to different locations. The second #7 was scrapped at St. Lawrence Iron & Metal in Quebec on June 12, 1973 while #12 went to the Shore Line Trolley Museum, East Haven, Connecticut in 1972 and #14 to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois in May of 1972.

Fraser Brace #3 - although only in use for a few days at Courtaulds, it has earned its place in Cornwall rail history. It was built in March of 1920 by the Montreal Locomotive Works in Montreal for Fraser Brace. It was sold to United Shipyards in Montreal sometime after its work in Cornwall and was likely scrapped by them.

#7 - was donated to the Canadian Railroad Historical Society. It was eventually restored as Courtaulds #7 at Delson, Quebec in Exporail and is now on display in their main building.

#26 - only recently has the fate of this box motor been revealed. After years of remaining on Courtaulds property being used as a plow, it went to the Rockhill Trolley Museum in 1971 and then was under private ownership in 1986 in Topton, Pennsylvania. Today it sits at the Electric City Trolley Museum in Pennsylvania, awaiting its next fate as the owners wish to part with it.

Sources:

"The Railways of Cornwall" by Maurice Lafontaine (1999)

Colin Churcher's Railway Pages (web site www.railways.incanada.net)

Ransom Ledoux (former employee/Courtaulds historian)

"100 Years of Service - Cornwall Electric" by Karen Carter-Edwards (1987)

Town/City of Cornwall Council Minute Books (1923 - 1971)

Branchline - December 2008, Volume 47, Number 11