The Northern and Pacific Junction Railway The Grand Trunk Railway "A quotation from Tatley's book, Pg. 135 Volume I, Steamboat Era in the Muskokas." In the autumn of 1884 after many disputes, work was started on the Northern and Pacific Junction Railway which was to be built from Gravenhurst to Callander. Within a year a roadbed of 111 miles was graded and about 55 miles of rail was laid. There was no heavy equipment available, only men, using picks and shovels, horses and graders. The new railway passed through Bracebridge, Huntsville and then swung northeast to the Magnetawan crossing at the village of Burks Palls and continuing north past the west side of Stoney Lake (Lake Bernard) to Sundridge across the South River and finally to Callander. Expensive bridges were required at Bracebridge, Burks Palls and South River, but on January 27th, 1886, the first train pulled into Callander. The Grand Trunk - Sundridge "Narrated by Colin Cudmore with additional information from Mary S . Edgar" The railway station was the hub for the village of Sundridge and the surrounding settlements. Everyone collected freight there and shipped out farm and forest produce. As for dairy products, I remember shipping 600 pounds of butter as well as eggs weekly to the Porcupine area after the disastrous fire in 19X1. We shipped about 20 crates of eggs per week to southern Ontario. The crates were similar to those used today, thirty dozen to a large crate; a smaller crate held twelve dozen. We shipped 15 to 20, eight gallon cans of cream daily. These went to a creamery in Toronto, or to the Lindsay Creamery. The numbered cream cans were sent back, then picked up by the owners at the station for refilling. Maple Syrup season was a busy time at the railway station. About 3000 gallons were sent out each spring. Everybody in the community seemed to be involved. About six cans were placed in a crate. That would be approximately 100 pounds. Much of the syrup went to the north as little maple syrup was produced north of Nipissing. Edgars and Johnstones handled some for local use and shipped some. But often, the local producers had their own customers and shipped directly to them. In late August, spring lambs were ready for shipping. At least two carloads per week would travel south. About one hundred stock cars of cattle were shipped in September. Probably thirty big cattle were loaded into one cattle car. Willard Lang and Billy Lowe shipped to the Harris Abbatoir or Gunns in Toronto.