Trenton Railway Stations

Location: Trenton, Sidney Township, Hastings County and Murray Township, Northumberland County
Name: Community named in 1852 after the River Trent in central England
Former Community Names: Annewood, Trent Port, Port Trent, Trent Town
Railway Companies: COR/CNR, CNoR/CNR, GTR/CNR, CPR

Trenton Railway Map Download

Part A – Central Ontario Railway/Canadian Northern Railway/Canadian National Railway

Original Railway: Prince Edward County Railway 1873 (Central Ontario Railway 1882, Canadian Northern Railway 1909, Canadian National Railway 1919) 1879-1995 (see below for Canadian Northern Railway details)
Current/Final Railway: Canadian National Railway
Location/Address: The station was located on the east side of Division St at Dundas St and Quinte St
Railway Mileage: Picton Subdivision Mile 30.53, Maynooth Subdivision Mile 0.0, Deseronto Subdivision Mile 139.7
Surrounding Building Context: The community was founded as a lake port that provided services to the surrounding agricultural lands. Early on, the dominant industry was lumber, with extensive yards of the Gilmour Co. and other firms concentrated along the Trent River and Bay of Quinte frontage. The first railway to arrive was the Grand Trunk, passing to the north of the commercial centre on its way between Toronto and Montreal. This was followed by the Prince Edward County Railway (later renamed the Central Ontario Railway) which connected the community with productive lumber and agricultural areas both to the north and south of town. Later railway additions included the Canadian Northern Railway in 1911 and the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1913. The Trent-Severn Canal system was completed in the early 1900’s. These transportation connections resulted in Trenton becoming a strong industrial centre that specialized in wartime munitions, chemicals and steel. In addition, the community was an early Canadian centre for film production. To the east, an air force base was constructed during the interwar years that continues to be a main base for Canada. Trenton was the original northern terminus for the resource based Prince Edward County Railway, a line that was reconstituted as the Central Ontario Railway that set out to develop the lumber and mining opportunities within the northern hinterlands of Hastings County. The original terminal facilities of the company were located up where the line crossed the Grand Trunk. In 1909, the firm fell under the ownership of the Canadian Northern Railway which viewed the line as a feeder to its main Toronto to Ottawa and Montreal route. Many of its facilities including a fine railway station were assumed and used by the CNoR. New terminal facilities including an engine house, more convenient for the CNoR, were constructed southwest of the commercial centre on Dufferin St. As well, a new bridge was constructed across the Trent River as part of the Toronto to Ottawa main line works. The COR railway station was located just on the west edge of the commercial centre of the community. Railway facilities included a detached freight shed, ice house, and various lumber and coal sheds. The COR line provided access to a number of industries (see map for detail).

Station Origin: Original station

Construction Date: The station was constructed with the opening of the line in 1879 by the Prince Edward County Railway
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Station Style: To be determined, similar in design with many of the early PECR stations
Exterior Architecture Details: The building was a single storey frame structure with a gable roof and a rectangular operator window
Interior Architectural Details: The station contained a passenger waiting room, ticket/operator office and a freight/express room
Landscaping & Ground Details: Timber platform
Building Costs: Unknown
Destruction Date: The building was removed in 1903, likely as a result of fire
Current Use: Not applicable
Designations: Not applicable

Station Origin: Second station

Construction Date: The new station was constructed in 1903 by the Central Ontario Railway
Architect/Builder: The structure was designed by Central Ontario Railway civil engineer J.D. Evans
Station Style: Designed as a head office building to contain both corporate offices and railway operations, the station was unique to the system
Exterior Architecture Details: The building was a two storey red brick structure with a hip roof broken by front and side gable dormers, and a central two storey bay window which split the roof with a large gable dormer. Front and side platform canopies extended along the tracks to protect passengers from the elements. All dormers featured decorative woodwork
Interior Architectural Details: On the ground floor, the station contained general and ladies passenger waiting rooms, a ticket office, operator office and freight/express rooms. On the second floor were the COR (and later CNoR) corporate and railway offices
Landscaping & Ground Details: Cinder platform
Building Costs: Unknown
Destruction Date: The building was unfortunately demolished in 1964, and replaced by a new A&P (now Metro) food store and associated parking lot
Current Use: Not applicable
Designations: Not applicable

Part B – Canadian Northern Railway/Canadian National Railway

Original Railway: CNoR Toronto to Ottawa via Smiths Falls Main Line: Canadian Northern Ontario Railway 1906 (Canadian Northern Railway 1914, Canadian National Railway 1919) 1911 – 1932
Current/Final Railway: Canadian National Railway
Location/Address: The Canadian Northern made use of previous Central Ontario Railway station facilities in Trenton (see above for details)
Railway Mileage: Deseronto Subdivision Mile 139.7
Surrounding Building Context: In the early years of the 1900’s, the Canadian Northern Railway was busy constructing links within its system to connect major markets in the east with those in the west. This included a line between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. As noted above, in Trenton the firm purchased and made use of COR railway station facilities while at the same time constructing a new main line through the community along with divisional facilities. This included a new engine house and other associated facilities at the south end of the community off Dufferin Av at Carrying Place Rd, and a bridge across the Trent River. A number of spur lines were constructed to serve industrial development throughout the town (see map for details). In the early 1930’s, the Canadian Northern rail line was abandoned through Trenton given duplication with the Grand Truck Railway.

Part C – Grand Trunk Railway/Canadian National Railway (Trenton Junction)

Original Railway: Grand Trunk Railway 1852 (Canadian National Railway 1923) 1856 – Current
Current/Final Railway: Canadian National Railway
Location/Address: The original Trenton station was located on the east side of Stockdale Rd/Trenton St. The replacement Trenton Junction station was located on the south side of Telephone Rd, west of Stockdale Rd (address 18277 Telephone Rd)
Railway Mileage: Oshawa Subdivision Mile 232.8, Maynooth Subdivision Mile 1.57
Surrounding Building Context: See above for general Trenton information. The Grand Truck Railway was the first line to pass through the community. As noted above, Trenton Junction was created in 1879 with the construction of the Central Ontario Railway. The original crossing was at grade, near to the COR engine house and other servicing facilities. With the construction of the Trent-Severn Canal in the early 1900’s, revised grading and bridge works were required. This resulted in the COR passed beneath the GTR. It is possibly during this time that the original station was removed, and replaced by the second Trenton Junction station in 1901. Access to this station from COR tracks was through stairs and a lift elevator. The GTR station was located well to the northwest of the commercial centre of the community and somewhat inconvenient for passengers and businesses. Railway facilities included a freight shed, stock yard, several dwellings and passing sidings.

Station Origin: Original station

Construction Date: The station was constructed with the opening of the line in 1856 by the Grand Trunk Railway
Architect/Builder: Design details to be determined, it is unknown if the building was one of the standard early GTR stone or brick stations. The building was constructed by the firm of Peto, Brassey, Jackson & Betts, English railway contractors
Station Style: To be determined
Exterior Architecture Details: Single storey structure
Interior Architectural Details: The station would have contained a passenger waiting room, ticket/operator office, and a freight/express room
Landscaping & Ground Details: Timber platform
Building Costs: Unknown
Destruction Date: Unknown, possibly through the construction of grading works associated with the redesign of Trenton Junction and the Trent Canal in the early 1900’s
Current Use: Not applicable
Designations: Not applicable

Station Origin: Second station

Construction Date: The station was constructed in 1901 by the Grand Trunk Railway
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Station Style: To be determined
Exterior Architecture Details: The building was a single storey frame structure with a bellcast hip roof, a central two storey section topped by a hip roof, and a rectangular operator window
Interior Architectural Details: The building contained general and ladies passenger waiting rooms, a ticket/operator office, and a large freight/express room
Landscaping & Ground Details: The station included a timber platform which was later upgraded. Connections were made to adjacent Central Ontario Railway track, which passed below the GTR, through a series of stairs and a lift elevator
Building Costs: Unknown
Destruction Date: The station was removed (possibly in the late 1960’s), and replaced with a small shelter that has been upgraded over time to serve VIA Rail passengers
Current Use: Not applicable
Designations: Not applicable

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