December 1904, No. 82 The Railway and Shipping World (Toronto) Page 428, col. 1

Railway development.

Projected lines, surveys, construction, betterments, etc.

...

James Bay Ry.—Track has been laid on the extension of the line from Québec Siding, on the Canada Atlantic Ry. into Parry Sound, Ont., to the waters of Georgian Bay.

The contracts for the construction of the line from Toronto to a junction with the five mile section already completed and in operation, call for the grading, bridging, tracklaying, ballasting, etc. A. R. Mann and Alex. Mackenzie, who have the contract on the section between Toronto and Washago, have commenced work at Wilcox Lake, about 17 miles north of Toronto. Operations at this point have ceased for the winter, and several gangs of men are employed upon the extensive cut and fill work in the Don Valley. The contract for the section from Washago to Parry Sound has been let to Angus Sinclair, C,E,, who has already started operations, having let sub-contracts as follows: Fielding to mileage 13, Kennedy & McDonald, Fielding, Ont.; mileage 13 to mileage 18, F. T. Cote, Gudin Bay, Ont.; mileage 18 to mileage 22, Montgomery & Moffatt, Barnsdale, Ont.; mileage 22 to mileage 29, Giroux & Jamieson, Foote's Bay, Ont.; mileage 32 to mileage 36, Phillips & Jacob, Bala, Ont.; mileage 36 to mileage 41, G. Campbell, Torrance, Ont.; mileage 41 to mileage 49, Geo. McPhail, Leg Lake, Ont. About 300 men are at work and it is intended to increase the number to 1,000 at once. The contracts call for the completion of the line by Sept., 1905. The route, as located, leaves Toronto via the Don valley, which it follows to about 1 1/2 miles east of Thornhill; it then runs northerly to Richmond Hill, thence almost directly to Vandorf, crossing the divide at an elevation of 1,020 ft. above sea level, about the 20th mile; thence east of Pine Orchard to Mt. Albert, where it crosses the Sutton branch of the G.T.R.; thence about 1 1/2 miles from Zephyr, through Pefferlaw, Beaverton, Gamebridge, Brechin and Udney to a crossing of the Northern Division, G.T.R., between Washago and Severn Bridge; thence through Sparrow Lake, across the Severn at Ragged Rapids to Bala; thence along the west shore of Lake Joseph to Gordon Bay; thence as directly as may be to Parry Sound, crossing Seguin River just above the town; thence almost directly to Deer Lake on the Magnetawan River, crossing the latter below Mountain rapids; thence to west end of Wilson Lake. The total length of this line is about 148 miles. The plan shows a junction with the Canada Atlantic Ry., about three miles south-east of Québec Siding, from which point the line into Parry Sound, 4.50 miles, has been in operation since 1902. The Orillia people are desirous of having the line taken through that town, and it is urged in their behalf that by so doing the barren and rough country near Washago would be avoided, and the distance between Toronto and Parry Sound shortened by about four miles.

From Parry Sound northerly to Sudbury the route has not been finally decided upon. The maximum gradient is 0.75 % compensated and the maximum curve 6°. The work generally is light to the Severn with the exception of some eight miles in the Don Valley, some of which is heavy. To the north of the Severn the work is mostly moderate with much rock work. The principal bridges are over the Trent Canal, the Severn, Muskoka Lake outlet, the Magnetawan, French and Wahnapitae rivers. H. K. Wicksteed is Chief Engineer; the divisional engineers are S. H. Sykes and H. A. Creighton; and D. O. Lewis is Locating Engineer.

A section of the old Belt Line, in the Don Valley, has been purchased by the J.B. Ry. and it is reported that the Schomberg and Aurora Ry., which was constructed by interests connected with the Metropolitan Ry., from near Bond Lake to Lloydtown, will be absorbed by the J.B. Ry. (Sept., pg. 313.)

Railways: C.A.Ry., J.B.Ry., S. & A.Ry.

Stations: Washago (CNOR)

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