Canadian Railroads > A Place Called, "Nepean".

Inspired by Fred Clark’s great photos of trains on CN’s Beachburg sub in Ottawa’s west end along with the travel restrictions here in Ontario due to Covid, my adventures have been much closer to home.    Another reality in the Ottawa area are the rumors that CN may want out once again from operating trains out of Ottawa.  CN had left Ottawa in 1998 only to reacquire what was left of their former lines a decade later.   

On the west side of Ottawa CN has three regular customers, all of them on former CN lines.  Of these three customers only one requires the use of a short section of the CN Beachburg sub, from Federal 6.0 to Nepean 14.4.   Nepean is where the Renfrew Spur (former CN Renfrew Sub) starts.   The Beachburg sub has been abandoned from this point west.   The Renfrew Spur is owned by the City of Ottawa, operated by the Arnprior-Nepean Railway Co who contracts CN to operate the trains.  Furthermore, the city only owns the ROW while the track infrastructure is owned by Nylene Canada, whose facility the rail line serves.

So what is Nepean, what was Nepean Jct?   Although the two lines involved date back over one hundred years, Nepean Jct was created on September 28, 1952 when a connection opened from the Beachburg Sub (ex-CNoR 1915) to the Renfrew Sub (ex-OA&PS/CAR- GTR 1893).  Prior to this the CNoR line went over the GTR line.  Nepean’s life as a CN junction was relatively short; with the dismantling of the Beachburg sub by the end of 2013, the junction was no more.
Because of its isolated location surrounded by forest I have seen very few photos on Nepean Jct and those that I’ve seen are dark and closed in.  There is also ¾ mile walk-in to the sight.  With better photo opportunities close by, Nepean Jct was often neglected.

Map: 1971 after Ottawa's 1966 big rail relocation which included moving the station out from downtown. At the time it was a horible move but with the building of the transit way and now the LRT access is very good and easy.

Photo A : Westbound CN L589 is now on the old Ottawa, Arnprior & Parry Sound/Canada Atlantic while the last car is just coming off the CNR built 1952 connection.  March 17, 2021 Mile 0.8 Renfrew Spur.

Photo B:   I'm standing on the old OA&PS/CAR/GTR faceing east the live line is heading southeast the connect with the former Candian Northern Rly at the eastend of the CNR 1952 connection.

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON


 
 

---

---

---

Photo C:  Walking eastward along the former OA&PS roadbed we encounter the former CNoR line to Capreol, ON

Photo D: Same view in 1953 after the rail was lifted.  (CS&T Mattingly Collection)

Photo F:  Standing where the CNoR’s bridge once was, I’m looking east down the old OA&PS line heading to Ottawa.  On the map you can point where the ROW is taken over by the Department of Highways for use of an expressway.   The 417 or “the Queensway” as we locals call it, was started on October 15, 1957, when visiting Queen Elizabeth II detonated dynamite charges from the Hurdman Bridge.
 

---

---

---

Photo G: Walking in a southeasterly direction along the former CNoR, I have arrived at the east end of the CNR connecting track.  This was where Nepean Jct was located.

Photo H:  A view of the junction with a shelter for the operator. There never was a station stop at the junction only an operational point on the railway. (CS&T  Mattingly Collection)

Photo I:  How things looked in March of 2021.
 

---

---

---

Photo J & K: Once again CN’s Arnprior Turn coming off the Beachburg sub onto the starting point of the Renfrew Spur. April 14, and April 21, 2021.

Photo :  The end. March 21, 2021.

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON
 

---

---

---

Thanks Gerry.....my kind of post!

Maps along with photos from before and today.

Gary

An excellent and informative post, Gerry! Nicely done.
Fred

Thanks Gerry, this is exactly why I love these discussion boards - interesting and informative!

Magellan