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.

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“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.

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We've acquired some classic books that you may want to consider adding to your collection. Here are the latest additions:

• "Great Railroad Photographs U.S.A" by Lucius Beebe & Charles Clegg.
• "The Central Pacific & The Southern Pacific Railroads” by Lucius Beebe.
• “Mansions on Rails – The folklore of the Private Railway Car” by Lucius Beebe.
• “Some Classic Trains” by Arthur D. Dubin

Please click here to see more information.

Check Out Our Other Publications

The current publication listing is available at the link below.

Current Publication Listing