Port Stanley Terminal Rail
309 Bridge St N5L 1C5 Port Stanley, ON, Canada

Lest We Forget. Thank you to all the brave men and women who serve and have served, for your service. We enjoy our freedoms because of you!

https://youtu.be/m1QdNzlia7U For anyone missing the rails as much as we are, here's a cab view video of the Volunteers Special from Port Stanley to St. Thomas in 2017. Hunter Holmes video.

ELGIN OPP WARN TRESPASSERS against walking on or beside the Port Stanley Terminal Rail train tracks and bridge over Kettle Creek, Port Stanley. The tracks are private property & dangerous for trespassers when a train comes along. Trespassers subject to arrest & a fine.

Further to our latest update, we have cancelled all trains for the time being. Keeping the safety of our patrons as well as our volunteers is our first priority. Please be safe so we can see each other again in the not to distant future.

It's a Maintenance of Way Monday! In 2018 ties were replaced between Karen Street and Southdale. Pictured here just north of Karen Street, in between one of many trips to the scrap pile.

Whitcomb Wednesday! Pictured here is our 50 ton Whitcomb Donald. Named after Don Broadbear, this Whitcomb was built in 1950, and worked at Consolidated Sand & Gravel in Paris, Ontario before arriving at PSTR in the early 80s.

Its a Maintenance of Way Monday! In 2018 ties were replaced between Karen Street and Southdale. Pictured here just north of Karen Street, in between one of many trips to the scrap pile.

Well...it could be worse. It could be snowing! Here's a photo to cool everyone down. Larry Broadbent photo. Pictured L-R are Bill Turvey, Andrew Poole, Seamus Flynn and Tim Flynn. See Tim, I was at one time taller than Seamus too...

Flashback Friday...to Easter 2013. L2 had a train full of eager Easter Egg hunters.

Well...it could be worse. It could be snowing! Heres a photo to cool everyone down. Larry Broadbent photo. Pictured L-R are Bill Turvey, Andrew Poole, Seamus Flynn and Tim Flynn. See Tim, I was at one time taller than Seamus too...

Dave Merkley and Carrie Riddell put finishing touches on scrap cleanup.

Happy Canada Day!

PSTR still stands silent from quarantine. June 23 2020

A reminder that all railway land in Port Stanley is Private Property & is not to be used as a shortcut.

The PSTR Board would like to thank all our supporters & fans for their queries and kudos. After consultation with our volunteers, other tourist railways & similar venues and weighing this against the procedures we would have to put in place, the Board has come to a difficult decision. We have assessed that the risks to our personnel and our passengers are too high to operate the railway at this time.... PSTR hopes to operate this year in some form but as always safety is our primary concern and overriding criteria for restart. We will re assess both the tourist train and the Murder Mystery trains as the Province and the local public health unit restrictions and advice evolve Again, Thank you for your understanding & support.

PSTR volunteers hard at work.

Once in awhile, some sprucing up of maintenance equipment is a necessity. Repainted M1 October 8-9, 2016.

Tie replacement is part of routine maintenance on the railway, as is pictures here Nov 9, 2013.

Happy Mothers Day from everyone at PSTR! Thank you for all that you do!

You dont see this too often! A rare meet occurred at Whytes this day, between the Pumpkin Train and a chartered E-Train.

For those of you itching to get back on the rails, heres a 2014 video from Phil Vanderpost. https://youtu.be/MD8CLlD0Mao

Anyone who knew him, thought the world of him. Rest in peace Bill. Gone but never forgotten.

Thank you Ian OMeara for helping to keep our ROW trimmed up.

Side view Saturday featuring our 50 ton Whitcomb, Donald. Named after Don Broadbear, built in 1950 in Kingston Ontario this locomotive has a pair of 220hp Cummins engines under the hoods.

The work never ends at PSTR, my chore this day was to pick up rail at Sunset Drive. Pictured here at Whytes Park headed south for the yard.

Winding the clock brings us back to the Southwold Grad Charter. Students board at Port Stanley, stop at Whytes for a photo op in the Circus Car and arrive in style at Parkside.

May 8, 1992. Heading to St.Thomas for the "golden spike" ceremony marking the purchase of the downtown CN r.o.w. by the Province of Ontario.

A new Condo under construction for our local residents. Thanks to long time Volunteer Glen!

Winding the Time Machine back to June 2 1984. PSTRs official Opening with a Ribbon Cutting at the Port Stanley Station. Stan Broadbent Photo

Since its Flashback Friday, lets turn back the clock to Nostalgia Nights/Days 2019. Love seeing all the classic cars, and downtown St. Thomas bustling with people. Also one of my favorite views, from my favorite locomotive to run

The railway has come along way since the very early days.....

Our Original Train consisted of a Locomotive from a Paris Ont. Gravel Pit and a Freight Car from Newfoundland. Photo taken in Port Stanley Yard. September 1983

Updated - Covid-19 Announcement

1983 just south of Union. I believe Al Howlett took this picture.

Carrying on with Andrew Pooles posts, here is a pic from April 1991. Craig Jolliffe & myself installing the electrical service to the newly installed crossing protection at John Wise Line. Photo by Paul Laurence.

Day 7. The Little Green Engine That Could. August 14, 2016 was an interesting day. It started off with L2 not loading, which meant L1 had to fill in for the day. We also happened to have a charter booked for half of the train on the last trip. So, L1 had to pull double its weight the entire day. Ive never heard that little engine work so hard as it did that day, but, to its credit it marched right up that hill like a champ using all of its 290 turbocharged Cummins ponies.

Day 6. Pop The Hood! Due to a main generator issue, as well as others that required the removal of L1s hood, thats exactly what was done June 24, 2014. Stanley has been hood-less a couple of times since then, but is back together, repainted and ready to pull passengers for many years to come. Fun fact, Stanleys engine or prime mover is actually out of a transport truck! 290hp Cummins, this 25 ton GE can pull 5 of our passenger cars up the hill when necessary. Tomorrow Ill post a photo of when it was necessary ~Andrew~

Day 5. The Inaugural PSTR Rare Mileage Trip sits at the CASO Station in St. Thomas after running around the train at Wellington Street. June 24, 2017.

Railway lands including right of ways, yards & bridges are all private property. Stay safe and only use public roads and sidewalks.

Day 4. Its not always all fun and games on the railway. Theres lots of maintenance that goes on behind the scenes, as is shown in this photo, taken May 3 2015. Stopped at Whytes Park for a break after spreading ballast with M1 and the mini hopper. Had to fill the hopper with the tractor, and if you filled it anywhere past half full, youd notice the frame start to bend. However, M1 always handled the load quite well and motored right on up the hill. Theres always something to do on the railway.

Day 3. Murder Mystery season 2013. Before it was decided to have a moving dinner on the train, dinner was held at the station in Port Stanley while stationary. Wed then move passengers from the diner to the lounge car, separate the diner, then proceed northward. This allowed us to use L1, as we only pulled half the train up the hill. I enjoy the moving dinner better myself, how about you?