View additional photographs of the journey from l'Orignal to Ottawa.
In 1909, the Canadian Northern built a railway from Ottawa to Hawkesbury along the south shore of the Ottawa River. During the Second World War this route was abandoned. Much of the right-of-way now lies under the Trans-Canada Highway (formerly Ontario provinical highway #17).
Portions of the route through the city of Ottawa can still be identified. From the yards at Mann Avenue, the tracks crossed a bridge across the Rideau River. The first grade-crossing was at River Road, then part of Russell Road. East of River Road, the right-of-way is marked by a grove of trees which now stand between the properties of the Saints Peter and Paul Melkite Church (on the south) and Notre-Dame-de-Presentation Roman Catholic Church (on the north). From River Road, the metal fencing curving to the south-east marks the curve of the CPR connection with the Prescott subdivision. In 2005, this curving fence line marks the northern property limits of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police compound.
Further east, after 1999 Arcona Private was built on the former right-of-way.
Years ago, Presland Park, east of Naughton Avenue, was built in to the railway embankment. The embankment can still be traced east to the fenced-off Ottawa-Overbrook hydroelectric transformer station.
From the eastern entrance to the power station, a gravel road continues straight through to St-Laurent Boulevard. North of Coventry Road, this road (and the former right-of-way) mark the northern property line of the St-Laurent Shopping Centre and its parking lot.
This road also hosts large hydroelectric towers and their power lines. These power lines mark the route of l'Orignal subdivision all the way to their crossing of Ottawa highway #174.
Upon leaving the former city of Ottawa, in quick succession the railway crosses four roads at grade. The four roads are now known as St-Laurent Boulevard, Cyrville Road, Ogilvie Road and Cummings Avenue.
From Blair Road in Gloucester to the town of Rockland, the right-of-way runs parallel to and within 500 metres south of Ottawa highway #174. The valley of a creek feeding into Green's Creek once contained a trestle carrying the railway. This cut in the embankment is easily seen from the south window of your vehicle speeding down highway #174. Pieces of rail now lie in the creek far below their former location (mile 52.5).
Further east (mile 53.1), culverts have survived at the base of the embankment.
The foundations of the bridge (mile 52) over Green's Creek in Gloucester township survive long after the abandonment of the l'Orignal subdivision.
Built like a subway, a very large culvert directs Cardinal Creek (Leonard Creek) toward the Ottawa River under the railroad embankment just east of the community of Orl�ans.
The only surviving station on the subdivision is found in-situ at Cumberland. This photograph is taken from the track side of the building. The Trans-Canada Highway lies behind the building.
From the outskirts of Rockland through to Hawkesbury, the right-of-way lies north of the highway (Prescott & Russell highway #17). The embankments leading up to the bridge over Clarence Creek north east of the town of Rockland are clearly visible.
Further east in Clarence township, from the site of the bridge across Clarence Creek (and Pago Road), snowmobiles follow the former right-of-way less than a mile before joining Wilson Road. The following photograph of the right-of-way was taken at meeting of the snowmobile trail and Wilson Road.
For about 700 metres Wilson Road follows the former rail bed, then the road abruptly ends, hugging the cliff side of the Ottawa River escarpment. This location provides a good vista from which to view and to smell the mills across the river in Thurso, Quebec.
More than sixty summers of earth shaping for more than sixty winters of ice fishing have removed the next portion of the rail bed.
From Prescott & Russell road #8 to Clarence Cemetery, the right-of-way hosts a short portion of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs trail #E213Q.
By 2005, little is left of the embankment which carried a bridge across creek. Farmers have cut into the embankment, providing an interesting cross section of embankment construction in the years before the First World War.
Two hundred meters before crossing Old Highway 17, the right-of-way carries the driveway for the residents 2833 Old Highway 17. Following the right-of-way east across the old Montreal road is not possible. Land owners have fenced their property.
