Rail yard, station, looking for proposals

Roger Varley

Uxbridge Township is looking for an organization to take over the railway operations once run by York Durham Heritage Railway.

Engine 1603 leaves the Uxbridge rail yard, headed for North Bay. With York Durham Heritage Railway’s departure from the site, the township is looking for new ideas and operations to occupy both the station and the yard. Photo by John Cavers

In a report presented to council by clerk Debbie Leroux on Monday that discussed the possible future of the railway station and the land around it, Leroux said the township "remains optimistic" that it can attract a short-line rail operator to run a tourist train in place of the YDHR, which declared bankruptcy at the beginning of the year. The report said some interest has already been shown by short-line rail operators, but the township recognizes a new train operation might not be in the cards and is preparing to invite other tourism-related enterprises to come forward with proposals for the station and the land.

YDHR's equipment and property still sitting on the railway lands have been put up for sale by the bankruptcy trustee, B. Riley Farber, but the cut-off date for offers is April 26. Leroux said there is no deadline set for removal of any equipment that remains unsold and the township is working with the trustee. She said any equipment that has been sold must be removed, but purchasers can come to an arrangement with the township on removal dates.

Mayor Dave Barton added: "We'll be flexible."

He noted that volunteers ran YDHR well for years but it "went off the rails" because of a few individuals.

Council passed Leroux' recommendations that staff continue to work with Metrolinx on the continued use of the rail yard and rail line lands by a short-line railway operator and that, if no viable interest is received, a Request for Proposals be prepared to invite other tourism uses for the station and the lands.