Home

About Us

BRS Logo The Bytown Railway Society is a volunteer, non-profit organization incorporated under federal government statute whose objective is to facilitate, aid and promote an interest in Canadian railway history and other related transportation and communications media; to own, preserve, acquire, maintain and restore artifacts or relics relating to the history of railways and other related transportation and communication media, and assist companion organizations in any of these.

Our Charitable Registration Number is: 118822261RR0001.

The Society was founded in 1969 and today our activities include monthly meetings, the publication of a magazine for members and subscribers, Branchline and the restoration and operation of a number of pieces of historic railway equipment, The Society's Equipment, located at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa.

The Society has had a long history of active participation in the rail scene in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec from running excursions to providing the service crews for the Canada Science and Technology Museum's operation of ex-CP steam locomotive 1201 and their Shay locomotive.

The Society has produced over 30 publications and continues this activity with some recent highly praised Publications for Sale, plus our annual flagship book Canadian Trackside Guide®.

Find out more about the Society's activities by browsing the information here on our site.

SOLD OUT! Canadian Trackside Guide® 2022

SOLD OUT!

The 2022 edition of the Canadian Trackside Guide® is the Bytown Railway Society’s 40th edition

Edited by Earl Roberts & David Stremes

Thank you for your business in supporting our annual publication!

Please visit our Canadian Trackside Guide page to order previous year copies available at reduced prices or locate dealers that may still have inventory.

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for announcements of the availability of the 2023 Canadian Trackside Guide® in early 2023.

NOW SHIPPING - "OS Don" Recollections of a CPR Telegrapher and Train-Order Operator

Picture of OS Don Book Cover NOW SHIPPING!

“OS Don” is the story of author John F. Mellow’s early years working for the Canadian Pacific Railway in southern Ontario, giving readers a 1960s front row seat as the Canadian railway industry transitioned from traditional Morse-code telegraphy and train-orders to the present age of computer-assisted operations.

Mellow’s career as a train-order operator began at Toronto’s Don station in 1963. Before recalling his own experiences there and elsewhere on the CPR, he presents the history of Don station and its role in the operations of steam and diesel era CPR and CNR trains through Toronto’s scenic Don Valley.

A hardcover book measuring 8-1/2” x 11”, it has 128 pages with more than 160 colour and black and white photographs, as well as maps, steam locomotive assignments and a glossary.

A publication of The Bytown Railway Society.

Click Here to Purchase your Copy