List of North America Railway Hall of Fame inductees facts for kids

The North America Railway Hall of Fame celebrates the amazing history of railways! It honors people, events, buildings, art, trains, and inventions that have made a big difference to the railway world. You can find the Hall of Fame at the old Canada Southern Railway Station in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.

The Niagara Cantilever Bridge, built around 1895, joined the Hall of Fame in 2006.

To be chosen for the Hall of Fame, a person or thing must have helped the railway industry in a big way. This can be at a:

• North American level (across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico)
• National level (just in Canada)
• Local level (specific to St. Thomas, Ontario)

Things are also chosen based on different groups, like:

• Railway Workers & Builders (people who built or worked on railways)
• Facilities and Structures (buildings and bridges)
• Technical Innovations (new inventions and ideas)
• Rolling Stock (train cars and engines)
• Railway Art Forms & Events (songs, art, or special railway moments)
• Communities, Businesses, Governments & Groups (towns, companies, or groups that helped railways)

Anyone can suggest someone or something for the Hall of Fame. A special committee then picks the new members. New inductees are announced at a special ceremony. Past ceremonies happened in 1999, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012.

Who Joined the Hall of Fame in 1999?

In 1999, some very important railway figures and inventions were honored.

• William Van Horne (Railway Worker & Builder): He was a top leader at the Canadian Pacific Railway. He helped finish the railway across Canada in 1885.
• Standard Time (Technical Innovations): This system helps us keep time the same around the world. It was invented by Sir Sanford Fleming and was very important for train schedules.
• The Dorchester (Rolling Stock): This was the first steam locomotive (train engine) ever used in Canada!
• Union Station (Toronto) (Facilities & Structures): Located in Toronto, Ontario, this is a huge and important train station in Canada.
• Cornelius Vanderbilt (Railway Workers & Builders): He was a powerful businessman in the 1800s. He owned many railway lines, including the New York Central Railroad.
• Westinghouse Air Brakes (Technical Innovations): These brakes made trains much safer and more efficient than older systems.
• Freight Cars (Rolling Stock): These unpowered train cars carry all kinds of goods, from food to resources, across North America.
• Grand Central Station (Facilities & Structures): This famous transportation hub in New York City was built in 1871 by Cornelius Vanderbilt. Its proper name is Grand Central Terminal.

Who Joined the Hall of Fame in 2001?

The 2001 inductees included local heroes and big inventions.

• Perce Hankinson (Railway Workers & Builders): He worked in the railway industry for an amazing 68 years! He started with the Michigan Central Railroad.
• Jordan Spreader (Technical Innovation): This is a special piece of railway equipment that can do many jobs, like clearing snow or leveling tracks.
• Canada Southern Railway Station (Facilities & Structures): This station in St. Thomas was once one of Canada's busiest. It's known for its large size and beautiful Italianate architecture style.
• J.A. Killingsworth (Railway Art Forms & Events): From St. Thomas, Killingsworth was a railway worker, but he is best remembered for the poetry he wrote about trains.
• Sir John A. Macdonald (Railway Workers & Builders): Canada's first Prime Minister played a huge role in building the country through the railway.
• Rotary snowplow (Technical Innovations): Developed in Ontario, Canada, this machine uses a giant fan to clear snow from railway tracks.
• The Toronto, No. 2 (Rolling Stock): This was the first steam locomotive engine ever built in Canada.
• Connaught Tunnel (Facilities & Structures): Built between 1913 and 1916, this was the longest tunnel in Canada at 5.02 miles.
• Sir Sanford Fleming (Railway Workers & Builders): This Scottish-born Canadian engineer was knighted for his amazing work, including inventing Standard Time.
• Automatic Coupler (Technical Innovations): Invented by Eli H. Janney in 1873, this device made it much easier and safer to connect train cars.
• The Mail Car (Technical Innovation): These special train cars were like moving post offices. They helped sort mail while it was being transported, making delivery much faster.
• Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge (Facilities & Structures): Opened in 1855, this bridge allowed trains from the Great Western Railway to cross the Niagara River.
• The Last Spike Ceremony (US) (Railway Art Forms & Events): Also known as the Golden Spike ceremony, this event in 1869 marked the completion of the First transcontinental railroad in the U.S.

Who Joined the Hall of Fame in 2006?

The 2006 class included local railway experts and famous railway structures.

• Thomas William Cottrell (Railway Workers & Builders): As a Master Mechanic, he brought important locomotive repairs to St. Thomas, Ontario.
• Jack Brumpton (Railway Workers & Builders): He dedicated his life to railways in St. Thomas, working for the London and Port Stanley Railway.
• James A. Bell (Railway Workers & Builders): He was a surveyor and engineer in St. Thomas. He also helped with the Niagara Cantilever Bridge.
• Manufacture of the New York Central 1290 and 1291 (Rolling Stock): These steam locomotives were built right in the MCR Shops in St. Thomas, Ontario.
• Kettle Creek Bridge (Facilities & Structures): This impressive bridge was built in the 1870s over the Kettle Creek Valley near St. Thomas.
• Jumbo Statue (Railway Art Forms & Events): The statue in St. Thomas remembers Jumbo the Elephant, a famous circus elephant who died in a train accident there in 1885.
• Donald Smith (Railway Workers & Builders): He helped create the Canadian Pacific Railway. He had the honor of driving the "last spike" when the railway was finished in 1885.
• Computerized Traffic Control (Technical Innovations): This system uses computers and electronics to manage train traffic, making railways safer and more efficient.
• Alfred E. Perlman (Railway Workers & Builders): He was a very creative president of the New York Central Railroad.
• Timken Roller Bearing Axle Box (Technical Innovations): This invention by Timken made train axles safer and helped trains run more smoothly.
• Caboose (Rolling Stock): This special car used to be at the very end of freight trains. It was often replaced by small sensor boxes called "end-of-train devices."
• MCR Cantilever Bridge (Facilities & Structures): Built in 1883 under the control of Cornelius Vanderbilt, this bridge was a major engineering feat.
• "I've Been Working on the Railroad" (Railway Art Forms & Events): This well-known song is a classic piece of railway music culture.

Who Joined the Hall of Fame in 2008?

The 2008 inductees included important people and groups, and even a whole city!

• Alton V. Johnson (Railway Workers & Builders): Born in St. Thomas, he started working for the Canadian National Railway in 1927 and later became its Chief Engineer.
• St. Thomas - Railway Capital of Canada (Community, Business, Government and Groups): St. Thomas was a major railway center in the 1800s, connecting eastern industry with western agriculture.
• London and Port Stanley Railway (L&PS) (Community, Business, Government and Groups): This railway, opened in 1856, connected London, St. Thomas, and Port Stanley, Ontario, moving both goods and people.
• MCRR St. Thomas Car Shops (Facility & Structures): These shops in St. Thomas built and repaired train cars and even locomotives.
• Sinking of the SS Marquette and Bessemer No. 2 (Railway Art Forms & Events): This rail car ferry disappeared in 1909 while traveling between Ohio and Port Stanley, Ontario.
• Robert Bandeen (Railway Workers & Builders): He started as an economist at Canadian National Railway and became its President and CEO from 1974 to 1982.
• Chinese Workers (Railway Workers & Builders): In the early 1880s, about 17,000 Chinese workers faced many challenges to build the difficult railway route in British Columbia.
• Intl. Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, Division 70 (Community, Business, Government and Groups): This important group, formed in Toronto in 1865, helped railway workers.
• Oil-Electric Locomotive (Technical Innovations): This was the first practical train engine that used both oil and electricity. It made its first trip from Montreal to Toronto in 1929.
• Banff Springs Hotel (Facilities & Structures): This grand hotel in Banff National Park was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway as part of a series of beautiful railway hotels.
• Gordon Lightfoot's Canadian Railroad Trilogy (Railway Art Forms & Events): This famous song was written in 1967 to celebrate Canada's 100th birthday and its railway history.
• Chief Crowfoot (Railway Workers & Builders): A chief of the Blackfoot Confederacy, he helped the railway cross the country while also supporting his people.
• Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and Redcaps (Community, Business, Government and Groups): This group was very important in the labor and civil rights movements in the U.S.
• Tom Thumb (Technical Innovations): Built in 1830, this was the first American-built steam locomotive to run on a regular railway line. It proved that steam trains were better than horse-drawn cars.
• St. Clair Tunnel (Facilities & Structures): Completed in 1891, this was the first international railway tunnel and the first built under a river, connecting Canada and the U.S.
• Wabash Cannonball (Song) (Railway Art Forms & Events): This popular folk and country song about railways was very famous in the 1930s.

Who Joined the Hall of Fame in 2010?

The 2010 inductees included local politicians and famous musicians.

• Peter Laing (Railway Workers & Builders): He worked for the Michigan Central Railroad in St. Thomas and also served as Mayor of the city.
• Thomas Currah (Railway Workers & Builders): A World War I veteran, he worked for the Michigan Central Railroad in St. Thomas and also became Mayor.
• Donald Broadbear (Railway Workers & Builders): Known for his wide experience, Don Broadbear made many achievements in southwestern Ontario.
• Charity Helpmate Lodge # 37 (Lady Fireman) (Community, Business, Government & Groups): This Ladies’ Society was founded in St. Thomas in 1899 to support railway workers and their families.
• St. Thomas Railway Themed Murals (Railway Art Forms & Events): Murals throughout St. Thomas celebrate the city's rich railway history.
• Robert Clark (Railway Workers & Builders): From St. Thomas, Robert Clark became a nationally important figure in Canadian railways.
• Canada Division Passenger Service (Community, Business, Government & Groups): Around 1900, the Canada Division main line was the busiest passenger train route in Canada.
• Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway (Community, Business, Government & Groups): This railway was the first to connect the upper and lower Great Lakes by rail.
• The TurboTrain (Rolling Stock): This early high-speed train, powered by a gas turbine, ran in Canada from 1968 to 1982. It once reached 167 mph!
• Glencoe station Restoration (Facilities & Structures): The restoration of this station in Glencoe, Ontario, first built in 1854, helps preserve railway history.
• "New York Central’s Canadian Streamliners" (Railway Art Forms & Events): This book by Douglas N.W. Smith tells the story of New York Central's passenger trains in Canada.
• Perley A. Thomas (Railway Workers & Builders): From Chatham, Ontario, Perley Thomas was famous for designing and building street railway cars.
• Webb C. Ball & The Railwayman's Watch (Railway Workers & Builders): Webb Ball made sure that "railway time" meant "super accurate time," which was crucial for train safety.
• Johnny Cash (Railway Art Forms & Events): This hugely popular American country singer-songwriter was well-known for his songs about trains and railways.

Who Joined the Hall of Fame in 2012?

The 2012 inductees included railway workers, community groups, and even a famous film.

• Donald F. Graham (Railway Workers & Builders): He was the last executive from the New York Central Railroad to work in the Canada Southern Railway Station building.
• The Cosens Brothers (Railway Workers & Builders): The three Cosens brothers (Dolph, George & Alfred) all had long and successful careers working on the railways.
• South Western Traction Line (Community, Business, Government & Groups): This company was unique because it was the only one in North America to use a special three-phase electric system for its trains.
• Southern Loan & Savings (Community, Business, Government & Groups): Started by local businessmen in St. Thomas, this company's building was designed by a famous Canadian architect.
• Canadian Iron & Foundry Co. (Community, Business, Government & Groups): This company, located on the Canada Southern Railway property in St. Thomas, became a major manufacturer.
• Port Stanley Terminal Rail (Community, Business, Government & Groups): This fun tourist train line, built by volunteers, runs between Port Stanley and St. Thomas, Ontario on old railway tracks.
• Railway Hospital Association (Community, Business, Government & Groups): This group provided important healthcare for railway workers.
• Iron Horse Festival (Railway Art Forms & Events): St. Thomas, Ontario, celebrates its railway history every year with this special festival.
• MCR Employee Band (Railway Art Forms & Events): This band was formed by employees of the Michigan Central Railroad in St. Thomas.
• Larry Krupa (Railway Workers & Builders): As a brakeman on the Canadian Pacific Railway, Larry Krupa is considered a national hero for his quick thinking that prevented a major train accident in 1979.
• Restoration of 6167 - City of Guelph (Community, Business, Government & Groups): The city of Guelph, Ontario, worked to restore the historic steam locomotive 6167.
• The Re-Purposing of the Sarnia Bridge - City of St. Mary's (Community, Business, Government & Groups): This old railway bridge was given a new life as part of the Grand Trunk Trail, a walking and biking path.
• The Ocean Limited (Rolling Stock): Operated by Via Rail, this train runs between Montreal and Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is the oldest continuously running passenger train in North America!
• John St. Roundhouse (Facilities & Structures): Located in Toronto, Ontario, a roundhouse is a building where train engines are stored and repaired.
• Fred Eaglesmith (Railway Art Forms & Events): This entertainer from Ontario has been performing railway-themed music for decades.
• American Radiator Company (Community, Business, Government & Groups): Found in the Canada Southern Railway Station, this company helped make buildings more comfortable across North America.
• Three-Motor Overhead Bridge Crane (Technical Innovations): Built in 1898, this crane allowed workers to lift and move very heavy railway equipment, like locomotives, inside repair shops.
• PRR 4800 - "Old Rivets" (Rolling Stock): This oil-electric locomotive, built in 1934, was very fast, reaching speeds of 100 mph.
• Rocky Mountain Express - Film (Railway Art Forms & Events): This IMAX film by Stephen Low tells the exciting story of building the Canadian Pacific Railway.