All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems

by David A. Wyatt

Thunder Bay, Ontario

The City of Thunder Bay was formed 01 January 1970 by the amalgamation of the cities of Port Arthur and Fort William, and the townships Neebing and McIntyre (Wikipedia).

Principal System

Port Arthur Street Railway (02 March 1892 - 01 January 1909)
street railway/light rail Town of Port Arthur authorized to construct and operate street railways 1891 (Ont.) Service extended into Fort William from 01 June 1893. Lines in Fort William sold to the City of Fort William 11 March 1908. Both systems were then operated by a joint commission 11 March 1908 - 30 November 1913 with cars lettered Port Arthur & Fort William Railway. Name changed 1909. (RFC).

Port Arthur Municipal Railway (01 January 1909 - 04 December 1914)
street railway/light rail Joint commission operating Port Arthur and Fort William systems dissolved 30 November 1913. Name changed 1914. (RFC).

Port Arthur PACR ticket (front) Port Arthur Civic Railway (04 December 1914 - 1949)
street railway/light rail trolley bus Municipal operation. Introduced electric trolley buses 1947. Discontinued electric streetcars 1948.

Port Arthur 116 GM new look (William A. Luke) Port Arthur Public Utilities Commission (1949 - 31 December 1969)
trolley bus Also called Port Arthur Transit. The intercity trolley coach line was interlined with FtWTCo (both operators' coaches serving the whole length of the line) from its opening in 1947 to 1955 and again from 01 October 1969 (TBB). The cities of Port Arthur and Fort William merged to form Thunder Bay 1970. (photos William A. Luke, Peter Cox).

Port Arthur PUC 98 (CanCar) (Peter Cox 1956)

Thunder Bay Transit (System) (01 January 1970 - present)
trolley bus Discontinued electric trolley buses 1972. (CUTA 1989, CUTA 1991/2, CUTA 1992)

Service area population112,000 (1991)
Vehicle fleet49 buses (2000)
Employees168 (1991)
Data source:CUTA 1991/2
CTHF/SSG 2000

Fort William System

McDonald and Company (1892 - 01 June 1893?)
omnibus Omnibus operator connecting the PASRy terminus at the Fort William town limits with downtown Fort William. Port Arthur street railway service extended into Fort William 01 June 1893.

Fort William FWERy ticket (front) Fort William Street Railway (11 March 1908 - 1948)
street railway/light rail trolley bus City of Fort William authorized to build street railways and to acquire already operating parts of the PACRy within Ft. William 1908 (Ont.) Fort William and Port Arthur street railways operated by a joint commission 11 March 1908 - 30 November 1913 with cars lettered Port Arthur & Fort William Railway. Independent operation began 01 December 1913. Tickets lettered Fort William Electric Railway. (RFC).

Fort William Utilities #110 (Mack 6CW3S) (Peter Cox circa 1947) Fort William Transit Company (1948 - 31 December 1969)
trolley bus The intercity trolley coach line was interlined with PAPUC (both operators' coaches serving the whole length of the line) from its opening in 1947 to 1955 and again from 01 October 1969 (TBB). Photographs show buses lettered Fort William Utilities (Luke & Metler, p. 38). The cities of Fort William and Port Arthur merged to form Thunder Bay 1970. (photos Peter Cox).

Fort William Transit #47, a CCF/Brill T44 (Peter Cox) Fort William Transit #33 CanCar C36 (Peter Cox 1955 March)

Modes

Omnibus1892 - 1893?
Electric railway02 March 1892 - 15 February 1948 (Port Arthur)
01 June 1893 - 16 October 1948 (Fort William)
Motor bus1937 or before - present
Trolley coach15 December 1947 - 16 July 1972

Mount McKay & Kakabeka Falls Interurban

Mount McKay and Kakabeka Falls Railway Company (1910 - 18 May 1947)
motor tram street railway/light rail Incorporated 26 April 1904 (Ont.) A five mile (8 km) line from connection with the Fort William street railway to Neebing and Paipoonge townships. Initially operated passenger service by gas car. Frequent service from Fort William connection to Neebing cemeteries commenced 03 August 1915, which was electrified June 1917. Through running (including gas car) over Fort William Street Railway trackage to city centre begun 29 June 1918. Whole line leased, operated and electrified 1923 by the municipal FtWStRy. FtWStRy discontinued service and Company abandoned track west of CNR yards 1945. Lease, and operations, of the final 2½ mi. (4 km) ended 1947. (Chochla).

References


Copyright ©1989-2016 David A. Wyatt. All Rights Reserved.
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The author is always interested in comments, corrections and further information. Please email to:

dawwpg@shaw.ca
This page last modified: Monday, 04-Jul-2016 15:32:12 CDT