List of North America Railway Hall of Fame inductees


This is a list of the inductees of the North America Railway Hall of Fame.
The North America Railway Hall of Fame was founded in 1996 to maintain, preserve and honor railway history with the induction into the Hall of Fame of people, events, structures, railway art forms, rolling stock, technical innovations, railway workers and trains, and inventions all significant to the railway industry. It is housed at the historic Canada Southern Railway Station in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.
To understand the following list:
1. Nominations must fit the criteria of having contributed to the railway industry in a significant way on a:
2. Nominations must also be in the categories of:
3. Anyone may make a nomination for the railway hall of fame. Nomination may be submitted by mail, email or through the hall of fame online submission form.
4. The selection committee makes their choices from all nominations submitted. The inductees are announced at a presentation ceremony at a date decided upon by the hall of fame.
In past years of induction ceremonies have taken place in 1999, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012.

1999

InducteeCategorySignificanceNotes
William Van HorneRailway Worker & BuilderNationWilliam Cornelius Van Horne was General Manager, President, then Chairman of the Board of Canadian Pacific Railway, saw the Last Spike driven 1885. He made significant contributions to the railway in Canada.
Standard TimeTechnical InnovationsNationalInvented by Sir Sanford Fleming, Standard Time is a precision time keeping system based on dividing the world into 25 1-hour time zones.
The DorchesterRolling StockNationalThe first steam locomotive used in Canada.
Union Station Facilities & StructuresNationalUnion Station in Toronto, Ontario is a significant transportation centre in Canada; owned and maintained by the Toronto Terminals Railway Company.
Cornelius VanderbiltRailway Workers & BuildersNorth AmericaCornelius Vanderbilt was an influential railroad magnate of the 1800s. Owner of lines such as the New York Central Railroad & Michigan Central Railway as well as the Grand Central Terminal.
Westinghouse Air BrakesTechnical InnovationsNorth AmericaWestinghouse Air Brakes proved to be an incredible improvement over previous railway braking systems. They proved to be safer and more efficient.
Freight CarsRolling StockNorth AmericaUnpowered railway cars are called "Freight Cars" or "Goods wagons" in England/Europe and are designed to carry all forms of processed and unprocessed resources, goods or foods.
Grand Central StationFacilities & StructuresNorth AmericaGrand Central Stations was built in 1871, the correct name of this New York City transportation centre built by Cornelius Vanderbilt is Grand Central Terminal.

2001

InducteeCategorySignificanceNotes
Perce HankinsonRailway Workers & BuildersLocalPerce Hankinson worked in the railway industry for 68 years. He began with Michigan Central Railroad and finished as directory of the Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway
Jordan SpreaderTechnical InnovationLocalThe Jordan Spreader is a multi-purpose piece of railway equipment.
Canada Southern Railway StationFacilities & StructuresLocalAt one time the Canada Southern Station was one of the busiest in Canada. It is unique in its large size an Italianate architectural style.
J.A. KillingsworthRailway Art Forms & EventsLocalKillingsworth was local to St. Thomas, Ontario. where he was a fireman on the Michigan Central Railroad, manager of the St. Thomas Street Railway and chief clerk at the Pere Marquette Railway, but Killingsworth legacy was with the poetry he wrote.
Sir John A. MacdonaldRailway Workers & BuildersNationalSir John A. Macdonald was Canada's first Prime Minister and influential in building the country through the railway.
Rotary snowplowTechnical InnovationsLocalDevelop in the 1860s-80s in Ontario, Canada, the basis of the Rotary Snowplow is a large fan inside a wheel, mounted to the front of an engine.
The Toronto, No. 2Rolling StockNationThe Toronto, No. 2 was the first steam locomotive engine built in Canada.
Connaught TunnelFacilities & StructuresNationalWhen built at 5.02 miles long, the Connaught Tunnel was the longest tunnel in Canada.
Sir Sanford FlemingRailway Workers & BuildersNorth AmericaSir Sanford Fleming was knighted in 1897. He was a Scottish-born, Canadian engineer and inventor whose remarkable achievements helped advance the Canadian railway industry.
Automatic CouplerTechnical InnovationsNorth AmericaThe automatic coupler was invented by Eli H. Janney in 1873, eventually became a standard among railroads in North America.
The Mail CarTechnical InnovationNorth AmericanAs part of the post office the mail car increased the speed of mail processing/delivery by sorting mail whilst being transported.
Niagara Falls Suspension BridgeFacilities & StructuresNorth AmericaOpened March 8, 1855, the Niagara Suspension Bridge carried the Great Western Railway and the Erie & Ontario Railway trains.
The Last Spike Ceremony Railway Art Forms & EventsNorth AmericaThe Last Spike Ceremony, (also known as the Golden Spike ceremony in the U.S. took place May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory when Leland Stanford drove the last spike to join the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific to make the First Transcontinental Railroad.

2006

InducteeCategorySignificanceNotes
Thomas William CottrellRailway Workers & BuildersLocalAs a Master Mechanic, he brought locomotive repairs to St. Thomas, Ontario.
Jack BrumptonRailway Workers & BuildersLocalBrumpton dedicated his life to the London and Port Stanley Railway and Pere Marquette Railway in St Thomas, Ontario.
James A. BellRailway Workers & BuildersLocalJames A. Bell was a land surveyor, mapmaker, county engineer, and city engineer of St Thomas, Ontario. Bell was assistant engineer on the Niagara or MCR Cantilever Bridge.
Manufacture of the New York Central 1290 and 1291Rolling StockLocalSteam locomotives 1290 & 1291 were constructed at the MCR Shops in St. Thomas, Ontario.
Kettle Creek BridgeFacilities & StructuresLocalAn impressive structure, the Kettle Creek Bridge, was built over the Kettle Creek Valley near the western limits of St. Thomas, Ontario. It was built in the 1870s with the first train passing over in mid-1873.
Jumbo StatueRailway Art Forms & EventsLocalThe Jumbo statue in St. Thomas is a magnificent monument to the death of Jumbo the Elephant of the Barnum and Bailey Circus who was killed by a train in St. Thomas, Ontario in 1885.
Donald SmithRailway Workers & BuildersNationalDonald Smith helped found the Canadian Pacific Railway When the railroad was completed in 1885, Smith was given the honour of driving the last spike at a ceremony at Craigellachie, British Columbia.
Computerized Traffic ControlTechnical InnovationsNationalComputerized Traffic Control is the used of machines and electronics/computerized equipment to regulate rail traffic.
Alfred E. PerlmanRailway Workers & BuildersNorth AmericaAlfred E. Perlman was the innovative president of New York Central Railroad and then the Penn Central Transportation Company.
Timken Roller Bearing Axle BoxTechnical InnovationsNorth AmericaThe development of the Timken Roller Bearing Axel Box was responsible for an increase in safety and efficiency.
CabooseRolling StockNorth AmericaThe Caboose is a multi-purpose car always positioned last on trains, and was, in many cases, replaced with sensor boxes called "end-of-train devices" or EOT's.
MCR Cantilever BridgeFacilities & StructuresNorth AmericaUnder the control of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the MCR Niagara Cantilever Bridge was built in 1883 for $700,000.
"I've Been Working on the Railroad"Railway Art Forms & EventsNorth America"I've Been Working on the Railroad", known to adults and children alike, was derived from the "Levee Song," and has become an iconic piece of railway musical culture.

2008

InducteeCategorySignificanceNotes
Alton V. JohnsonRailway Workers & BuildersLocalAlton V. Johnson, born in St. Thomas, Ontario, began working at the Bridge and Building Department of the Canadian National Railway in St. Thomas, Ontario in 1927 and eventually was appointed the Chief Engineer of CNR.
St. Thomas - Railway Capital of CanadaCommunity, Business, Government and GroupsLocalBeginning in the nineteenth century, the city was a hub for a number of prominent railways, linking the American industrial east with the agriculture of the west.
London and Port Stanley RailwayCommunity, Business, Government and GroupsLocalThe London and Port Stanley Railway opened for business on September 25, 1856. The 24 mile line connected London, St. Thomas and Port Stanley, Ontario, and was used to carry goods and people.
MCRR St. Thomas Car ShopsFacility & StructuresLocalThe MCRR Car Shops in St. Thomas built freight & passenger cars, then due to the efforts of Thomas William Cottrell repaired and eventually built locomotives.
Sinking of the SS Marquette and Bessemer No. 2Railway Art Forms & EventsLocalThe rail car ferry SS Marquette and Bessemer No. 2 ran between Conneaut, Ohio and Port Stanley, Ontario. It left Conneaut December 9, 1909 and never to reach its destination.
Robert BandeenRailway Workers & BuildersNationalRobert Bandeen began his career with Canadian National Railway in 1955 as an economist. He served as President and CEO from 1974 to 1982. This and other accomplishments garnered his nomination.
Chinese WorkersRailway Workers & BuildersNationalIn the early 1880s about 17,000 Chinese workers came to Canada to work on the treacherous railroad route between Port Moody and Eagle Pass in British Columbia. They took on many hardships to make the railway a reality.
Intl. Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, Division 70Community, Business, Government and GroupsNationalThe Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, Division 70, formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1865, two years after the group's initial formation in Marshall, Michigan on May 8, 1863.
Oil-Electric LocomotiveTechnical InnovationsNationalThe Oil-Electric Locomotive, the first practical internal combustion electric locomotive, made its historic run from Montreal to Toronto on September 26, 1929.
Banff Springs HotelFacilities & StructuresNationalThe Banff Springs Hotel, in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada was built as part of a series of magnificent railway hotels by the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Gordon Lightfoot's Canadian Railroad TrilogyRailway Art Forms & EventsNationalGordon Lightfoot's Canadian Railroad Trilogy was commissioned in 1967 by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to help celebrate the Canadian Centennial.
Chief CrowfootRailway Workers & BuildersNorth AmericaChief Crowfoot was one of the chiefs of the Blackfoot Confederacy in western Canada, Crowfoot helped facilitate the completion of the railway across the country, while simultaneously helping his people.
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and RedcapsCommunity, Business, Government and GroupsNorth AmericaThe Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and Redcaps was a significant force in the labour and civil rights movements in the U.S.A. In 1935, they became the first labour organization led by African-Americans to receive a charter in the American Federation of Labor.
Tom ThumbTechnical InnovationsNorth AmericaBuilt in 1830, Tom Thumb was the first American built steam locomotive to operate on a common railroad line. It was built, in part, to prove that a steam locomotive was better than horse-drawn rail cars.
St. Clair TunnelFacilities & StructuresNorth AmericaConstruction on the St. Clair Tunnel was completed in 1891 and ran between Sarnia, Ontario, Canada and Port Huron, Michigan, in the United States. It was the first international railway tunnel and the first built under a river.
Wabash Cannonball Railway Art Forms & EventsNorth AmericaThe Wabash Cannonball is a railway song with folk and country music trappings, originating with the hobos who rode the rails. It was at its peak in popularity in the 1930s when Roy Acuff's recording of it sold 1 million copies.

2010

InducteeCategorySignificanceNotes
Peter LaingRailway Workers & BuildersLocalPeter Laing was a railway worker with the Michigan Central Railroad and the New York Central Railroad in St. Thomas, Ontario, as well as a local politician
Thomas CurrahRailway Workers & BuildersLocalA veteran of World War One, Thomas Currah was a railway worker with the Michigan Central Railroad and the New York Central Railroad in St. Thomas, Ontario, as well as a local politician, most notably as Mayor.
Donald BroadbearRailway Workers & BuildersLocalA man of extensive and varied experience, Don Broadbear is known in southwestern Ontario for his accomplishments.
Charity Helpmate Lodge # 37 Community, Business, Government & GroupsLocalThe Ladies’ Society was founded in St. Thomas, Ontario in 1899. The Lodge was organized assist and encourage the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen in its works of charity and elevating our social and intellectual standing.
St. Thomas Railway Themed MuralsRailway Art Forms & EventsLocalRailway themed murals throughout the City of St. Thomas, Ontario celebrate its railway heritage.
Robert ClarkRailway Workers & BuildersNationalLocal to St. Thomas, Ontario, Robert Clark became a figure of national importance to the railway in Canada.
Canada Division Passenger ServiceCommunity, Business, Government & GroupsNationalAt the turn of the 20th century, the Canada Division Passenger Service, the Canada Division main line was the busiest passenger route in Canada.
Ontario, Simcoe and Huron RailwayCommunity, Business, Government & GroupsNationalThe Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Union Railroad Company linked the upper and lower Great Lakes by rail for the first time.
The TurboTrainRolling StockNationalThis early high-speed, gas turbine train operated in Canada between 1968 and 1982. It was one of the first gas turbine powered trains for passenger traffic. Its speed once peaked at 167 mph near Gananoque, Ontario.
Glencoe station RestorationFacilities & StructuresNationalSituated at 151 McRae Street, Glencoe, Ontario, the Glencoe Station was originally built in 1854 as a stop on the Great Western Railway. It has been rebuilt many times since then. The restoration of this station is significant to maintaining our railway heritage.
"New York Central’s Canadian Streamliners"Railway Art Forms & EventsNationalA definitive text: New York Central’s Canadian Streamliners: A History of the New York-Detroit-Chicago Passenger Trains in the 19th and 20th Centuries’ by Douglas N.W. Smith.
Perley A. ThomasRailway Workers & BuildersNorth AmericaFrom Chatham, Ontario Perley Thomas made his unique contribution in the design and construction of street railway cars.
Webb C. Ball & The Railwayman's WatchRailway Workers & BuildersNorth AmericaWebb Ball made "railway time" synonymous with "precision time."
Johnny CashRailway Art Forms & EventsNorth AmericaJohnny Cash was an immensely popular American country singer-songwriter whose music was closely identified with the railroad.

2012

InducteeCategorySignificanceNotes
Donald F. GrahamRailway Workers & BuildersLocalDonald F. Graham was the last New York Central Railroad executive to work in the Canada Southern Railway Station building.
The Cosens BrothersRailway Workers & BuildersLocalThe three Cosens brothers each had long careers with the railways.
South Western Traction LineCommunity, Business, Government & GroupsLocalThe company used unique as it was the only one in North America to use a three-phase AC electric overhead traction system. The company was, however, relatively short-lived.
Southern Loan & SavingsCommunity, Business, Government & GroupsLocalOriginally incorporated as the Southern Counties Permanent Building, The Southern Loan & Savings Co. in St. Thomas, Ontario was initiated by local businessmen. Their building was designed by noted Canadianl architect Neil Darrach
Canadian Iron & Foundry Co.Community, Business, Government & GroupsLocalBuilt in the 1870s, the Russell Car Wheel, in St. Thomas on Canada Southern Railway property, was bought by Canadian Iron & Foundry after financial difficulties and eventually became Canron.
Port Stanley Terminal RailCommunity, Business, Government & GroupsLocalThe Port Stanley Terminal Railway, between Port Stanley and St. Thomas, Ontario is a tourist line that was built by volunteers and travels over the tracks of one of Ontario's oldest railways - the London and Port Stanley Railway.
Railway Hospital AssociationCommunity, Business, Government & GroupsLocal
Iron Horse FestivalRailway Art Forms & EventsLocalSt. Thomas, Ontario has celebrated its railway heritage with the annual Iron Horse Festival.
MCR Employee BandRailway Art Forms & EventsLocalThe MCR Employee Band was formed by the Michigan Central Railroad employees in St. Thomas, Ontario.
Larry KrupaRailway Workers & BuildersNationalLarry Krupa, at the time brakeman on the Canadian Pacific Railway is considered a national hero when his quick thinking and actions saved a railway accident in 1979 near Mississauga, Ontario from having larger, more devastating consequences.
Restoration of 6167 - City of GuelphCommunity, Business, Government & GroupsNationalThe restoration of the steam locomotive 6167 by the City of Guelph, Ontario.
The Re-Purposing of the Sarnia Bridge - City of St. Mary'sCommunity, Business, Government & GroupsNationalThis historic viaduct was re-purposed as part of the Grand Trunk Trail.
The Ocean LimitedRolling StockNationalOcean Limited operated by Via Rail between Montreal and Halifax, Nova Scotia, is currently the oldest continuously operating named passenger train in North America.
John St. RoundhouseFacilities & StructuresNational
Fred EaglesmithRailway Art Forms & EventsNationalThis entertainer is from near Brantford, Ontario and has entertained for decades with his railway themed music.
American Radiator CompanyCommunity, Business, Government & GroupsNorth AmericaFound in the Canada Southern Railway Station, the American Radiator Company help change the comfort level of North America.
Three-Motor Overhead Bridge CraneTechnical InnovationsNorth AmericaJ.H. Whiting's Three-Motor Overhead Bridge Crane built in 1898, allowed workers to carry large pieces of railroad equipment, including locomotives, inside a car shop.
PRR 4800 - "Old Rivets"Rolling StockNorth AmericaOil-electric locomotive PRR 4800 or "Old Rivets" was built in 1934 by General Electric and was capable of speeds of 100 mph.
Rocky Mountain Express - FilmRailway Art Forms & EventsNorth AmericaIMAX's large format film was the perfect medium for this story of building the Canadian Pacific Railway in Stephen Low's Rocky Mountain Express.