Logging and Railway Places to See, and Things to Do

Railway Destinations

Iroquois Falls, Home of the Shay Locomotive – Iroquois Falls, Ontario 
Iroquois Falls has a wide variety of tourist attractions, but from the point of view of the railway buff their well preserved 70 ton three truck Shay locomotive, located in the Anson Memorial Park, is a real treat. This particular Shay was used on the Standard Chemical Company Railway in the early 1940s (see page 34 of The Fossmill Story). For further information call (705) 232-4546. 

The Komoka Railway Museum – near London, Ontario 
This museum is located 8 miles west of London, Ontario and features a restored 1913 Shay locomotive as well as a wide variety of railway artifacts and a model railway. It is open from June through September and the $2 entrance fee is a real bargain. For further information call (519) 657-1912 or visit: http://www.komokarail.ca

The National Museum of Science and Technology – Ottawa, Ontario 
As the name indicates, this Ottawa museum features many fascinating exhibits, including a Shay locomotive and railway equipment. Rides on the Shay are occasionally available under the direction of the Bytown Railway Society. For further information call (613) 991-3044 or visit: 
http://www.nmstc.ca

Cass Scenic Railway State Park – West Virginia 
The premier place to see and ride on Shay locomotives. Nestled in the mountains of West Virginia, the town of Cass has a country store, museum and train station, all of which can be explored before your trip on one of the Shay locomotives along their historic railway. For information write box 107 Cass, West Virginia 24927 or phone 1-800-CALL-WVA or visit: http://www.neumedia.net/~cassrr/

The South Simcoe Railway – Tottenham, Ontario 
This memorable train ride from Tottenham to Beeton features restored 1920s coaches pulled by original CNR steam locomotives. The Tottenham Station has a gift shop and snack caboose. The train operates weekends from May to November, and more often in July and August. For information call 
(905) 936-5815 or visit: http://www.steamtrain.com
 

Logging Destinations

Atikokan Centennial Museum and Historical Park – Atikokan, Ontario 
A Shay locomotive is on display as well as logging and mining equipment. For details call (807) 597-6585 

The Canadian Ecology Centre – near Mattawa, Ontario 
The CEC is located at the Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, east of Mattawa, Ontario. The new centre combines forestry training, educational opportunities and eco-tourism in a natural and architecturally unique environment. For details call (888) 747-7577 or visit: 
http://www.canadian-ecology.com

Centennial Park 1910 Logging Museum – Thunder Bay, Ontario 
The museum features a 1910 bush camp and a collection of artifacts from the 1900s. For information call (807) 625-2313 or fax (807) 625-3258. 

The Hope Sawmill Museum – Peterborough, Ontario 
This historic lumber mill was built in 1836 and restored at the Otonabee Regional Conservation Authority near Peterborough. An interesting collection of carpentry tools is on display at the Peterborough Centennial Museum. The Hope Sawmill museum is found 1km north of Lang, where the Lang Pioneer Village is also located. 

Latchford Heritage Logging Attraction – Latchford, Ontario 
This museum is on the site of the House of Memories Museum in Latchford. It features a Logger’s Hall of Fame which includes a profile of Sydney Staniforth of the Fassett/Staniforth companies. It has an H-style bunkhouse and cookery, a sawmill, ice house and blacksmith shop. For further information visit: http://www.nt.net/latchford/log.htm

Marten River Provincial Park logging camp – Fifty-five Km. north of North Bay on Highway 11. 
The logging camp contains 8 log buildings and various pieces of logging equipment can be seen during camp hours. Tours are available Friday through Sunday in the summer. The camp can be seen without staying at the Park. For further information call (705) 892-2200 or Fax (705) 892-2142. 

Muskoka Pioneer Village – Huntsville, Ontario 
This 55 acre village of the 1860 era has a variety of pioneer exhibits including an old sawmill that saws logs for buildings in the village. Their steam train, the “Portage Flyer,” will connect in the year 2000 with a turn of the century train station which will open on July 1, 1999. For further information call (705) 789-7576 or visit: http://muskokapioneervillage.org

Pennsylvania Lumber Museum – Potter County, Pennsylvania 
This museum has restored the last remaining Barnhart log loader and has it on display along with a 1912 Shay locomotive, working sawmill, and logging camp. For information call (814) 435-2652 or visit: http://www.lumbermuseum.org