All Aboard: 5 Ontario Attractions for Railway Enthusiasts

Are you a secret railfan at heart? A fascination with the railway is one most of us will have experienced as a child – what’s not to love about these loud and exciting vehicles that have such a long history and so much to learn about? 

Many of the small towns in Ontario’s Highlands were founded in great part due to proximity to the railway, and its history remains strong throughout the region to this day. 

 If you are looking for a place to indulge in your railway passion, you will find it here. 

On the Rails & Trails - Sharbot Lake

Railway buffs will appreciate a stop at the open-air Railway Heritage Park along the K&P Trail in Sharbot Lake. You can take some shots of a CN Caboose, or have your photo taken in the cut-out to make yourself look like a train conductor, complete with a spiffy hat. 

All Aboard in a Railway Town - Smiths Falls

Smiths Falls was once the epicentre for travel from Kingston to Ottawa by boat on the Rideau Canal or by rail on the Canadian Pacific Railway. The railyard was constructed in 1884 here and was instrumental in attracting major industries like Frost & Wood Co., Coca-Cola, RCA Victor Ltd., and Hershey’s Canada to Smiths Falls.

Today Smiths Falls is home to the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario, of the only museums of its kind in the province. Take a ride on a railcar here, chat with other train enthusiast, see an original dental car or find out what a dining car was like. You can even spend the night at the museum in one of their restored cabooses. 

Planes, Trains & Automobiles - Haliburton

In Haliburton, you’ll see a restored Canadian National Railway engine from the early 1900s which was presented to the local Rotary Club in 1960 and currently located in Gary Broham Sports Field, adjacent to the Haliburton Rail Trail. In the same park is a historic Avro aircraft, the CF-100 Canuck, is on display in a park just beyond the main strip. Known as “The Clunk”, this model was the first fully Canadian-designed and built plane.   

Last Train to Carleton Place

In downtown Carleton Place, you won’t want to miss a visit to the large mural of a train titled, ‘”Last Train to Carleton Place”, located at the corner of Coleman and Franktown Roads, and depicting the last steam train to Carleton Place (train #1226). Nearby, Carleton Junction is a popular community space that pays homage to the town’s railway heritage, with a train-themed play structure for children, access to the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail, a 292-kilometre, multi-use corridor located on a former Canadian Pacific Railway line. 

Celebrities on the Railway - Barry's Bay

Instead of trainspotting, how about celebrity spotting? The Railway Station Visitor Information Centre & Museum in Barry’s Bay has a cool history – back in the day trains brought British royalty and celebrities to the area for hunting and fishing. Opened in 1894, the station is the last one standing of over 30 similar stations on the 425-kilometre OA and PS Railway line, what was once the longest private railroad in the world.