Kingston: Rediscovering the K&P Railway Line

Wed. 17 June:  Kingston:  Rediscovering the K&P Railway Line

The other week, I found a fairly recent AMA/CAA street map of Kingston, which showed the K&P Trail all the way through to the City Hall, as a series of tiny green dots.  This trail doesn’t actually exist.  But perhaps it is a dream of a group of citizens one day to have a walking/biking trail all the way down the long-ago abandoned Kingston and Pembroke railway line (or as much of it as possible) from Binnington Court to the City Hall. 

Today I set out to explore that route.  First, I discovered some fascinating old air photo maps of Kingston, dating back to the 1950’s.  From these maps I was able to follow the route of the K&P line as it headed out of town.  I then captured that information onto my own chart.  The route shown on the AMA street map proved to be quite accurate, for the most part.  Here is the website for these maps of old Kingston:

https://www.cityofkingston.ca/explore/maps/historical

If you follow the route of the railway line, it is between seven and eight kilometres from Kingston Station, in front of City Hall, to the official start of the K&P Trail at Binnington Court.  I was able to bike along the rail-bed for at least half of this distance, and could trace the route the entire way.  There were sections which have disappeared altogether, but you could still figure out where the line had run.

It surprises me, looking back, that the City Fathers had allowed a railway terminus to be built directly in front of City Hall, beside Lake Ontario.  Granted, the small station building, which survives today as the Tourist Information Centre, is quite attractive.  However, perhaps the legislators found it such a convenience to be able to walk down the steps of City Hall, and directly onto a waiting train, that they overlooked the less attractive side of it. 

A brightly polished old steam engine sits beside the station building, as far as I can tell in exactly the position it would have stood at the end of the line.  Today, the area is now Confederation Park, a beautiful waterfront park (where our own kids played a quarter century ago).  This whole section of waterfront has been redeveloped, with hotels and car parks.  But I was able to follow the route of the line as it left the station and headed first east, then north beside Kingston Inner Harbour, paralleling today’s Rideau Street. 

The line then curved northwest then north, crossing the CN rail tracks before bending northwest again on its way out of town.  When they built John Counter Boulevard, that section of line, where it crossed over the top of the CN tracks, was lost.  But a short distance to the west, the high bridge carrying Division Street over the railway tracks, built in the 1960’s I guess, also bridges the route of the K&P line, which paralleled the CN route at that point. 

Approaching Binnington Court, the line paralleled the route of the “new” Toronto-Montreal Highway 401.  When the John A. MacDonald Boulevard intersection and also the French High School were built, that section of K&P line was lost. But overall, I found no difficulty in following the line, arriving safely at the official start of the K&P Trail, and wondering if there are any plans to extend the trail into the heart of Kingston.  These pictures might be of interest.

Note:  single-click on the first picture above to scroll through the photos separately

The route of the K&P is shown as a dotted black line

Kingston Station scene as it may have looked in the days of steam

The station building as seen from the tracks

End of line, looking east

The tracks left the station beside Lake Ontario, curving slightly left

Waterfront, east of Princess Street - note curving line of buildings

Same scene (reverse view) from the age of steam

View North from Ontario Street.  The line curved to the left, 
between where the K-Rock Centre and modern houses now sit.

Kingston Marina parking lot.  This was once a marshalling yard for trains.
The line crosses the area directly ahead.

Route of the line along Wellington Street

Continuation of what is now Wellington Street - river park to the right

Heading north through park beside Kingston Inner Harbour - graffiti to the left.

Some more examples of the graffiti

Route blocked at Cataraqui Street, but visible (view north)

Route is clear north of River Street, running parallel to Rideau Street

Line curves NW at the junction of Montreal/Rideau/Railway streets

Hidden section of  line north of Railway Street, heading WNW

Route runs straight through what is now the back lot of a trucking company

At Elliott Ave. and Day Street, line is not accessible.
Just north of here it crossed the CN tracks (now also John Counter Blvd)
then swung to the NW under the Division St. bridge

Division Street bridge at the rail tracks, looking west.
This is the route of the K&P.  CN tracks to the left.

View from top of Division St. bridge looking NW.
CN tracks on left, and the K&P heading to NW.

From Division St.bridge looking west.  K&P route is clear.

West of Division St.  New surface.  K&P heading NW

Route still bikeable - just east of St. Remy Place

At St. Remy Place/Dalton Ave. looking NW

Beside the 401  west  of  Sir John A MacDonald Blvd.
Line paralleled the highway here - seems to have disappeared. 

Official start of K&P Trail.  Path runs north
a short distance to intersect with the rail line

Cataraqui Creek:  New bridge uses the old rail parapets...

...which were built in 1929

On the K&P at Cataraqui Creek, looking west (see previous blog)