This is a list of the inductees of the North America Railway Hall of Fame.The North America Railway Hall of Fame | Inductees
The North America Railway Hall of Fame (NARHF) was founded in 1996 to maintain, preserve and honor railway history with the induction into the Hall of Fame of people, events, structures, railway art forms, rolling stock, technical innovations, railway workers and trains, and inventions all significant to the railway industry. It is housed at the historic Canada Southern Railway Station in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.
To understand the following list:
1. Nominations must fit the criteria of having contributed to the railway industry in a significant way on a: North American level, National level (specific to Canada) or a Local level (specific to St. Thomas, Ontario.)
2. Nominations must also be in the categories of: Railway Workers & Builders, Facilities and Structures, Technical Innovations, Rolling Stock, Railway Art Forms & Events, as well as Communities, Businesses, Governments & Groups
3. Anyone may make a nomination for the railway hall of fame. Nomination may be submitted by mail, email or through the hall of fame online submission form.The North America Railway Hall of Fame | Online Nominations
4. The selection committee makes their choices from all nominations submitted. The inductees are announced at a presentation ceremony at a date decided upon by the hall of fame.
In past years of induction ceremonies have taken place in 1999, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012.
1999 Return to top of page
InducteeCategorySignificanceNotes William Van HorneNARHF Inductee: William Cornelius Van Horne Railway Worker & Builder Nation William Cornelius Van Horne was general manager, president, then chairman of the board of Canadian Pacific Railway, saw the Last Spike driven 1885. He made significant contributions to the railway in Canada. Standard TimeNARHF Inductee: Standard Time Technical Innovations National Invented by Sir Sanford Fleming, Standard Time is a precision time keeping system based on dividing the world into 25 1-hour time zones. The DorchesterNARHF Inductee: The Dorchester Rolling Stock National The first steam locomotive used in Canada. Union Station (Toronto)NARHF Inductee: Union Station Facilities & Structures National Union Station (Toronto) in Toronto, Ontario is a significant transportation centre in Canada; owned and maintained by the Toronto Terminals Railway Company. Cornelius Vanderbilt Railway Workers & Builders North America Cornelius Vanderbilt was an influential railroad magnate of the 1800s. Owner of lines such as the New York Central Railroad & Michigan Central Railway as well as the Grand Central Terminal. Westinghouse Air BrakesNARHF Inductee: Westinghouse Air Brakes Technical Innovations North America Westinghouse Air Brakes proved to be an incredible improvement over previous railway braking systems. They proved to be safer and more efficient. Freight CarsNARHF Inductee: Freight Cars Rolling Stock North America Unpowered railway cars are called "Freight Cars" or "Goods wagons" in England/Europe and are designed to carry all forms of processed and unprocessed resources, goods or foods. Grand Central StationNARHF Inductee: Grand Central Station Facilities & Structures North America Grand Central Stations was built in 1871, the correct name of this New York City transportation centre built by Cornelius Vanderbilt is Grand Central Terminal.
2001 Return to top of page InducteeCategorySignificanceNotes Perce HankinsonNARHF Inductee: Perce Hankinson Railway Workers & Builders Local Perce Hankinson worked in the railway industry for 68 years. He began with Michigan Central Railroad(MCR) and finished as directory of the Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway (TH&B.) Jordan SpreaderNARHF Inductee: The Jordan Spreader Technical Innovation Local The Jordan Spreader is a multi-purpose piece of railway equipment. Canada Southern Railway StationNARHF Inductee: Canada Southern Station Facilities & Structures Local At one time the Canada Southern Station was one of the busiest in Canada. It is unique in its large size an Italianate architectural style. J.A. KillingsworthNARHF Inductee: Poetry of J.A. Killingsworth Railway Art Forms & Events Local Killingsworth was local to St. Thomas, Ontario. where he was a fireman on the Michigan Central Railroad (MCR), manager of the St. Thomas Street Railway and chief clerk at the Pere Marquette Railway (PM), but Killingsworth legacy was with the poetry he wrote. Sir John A. MacdonaldNARHF Inductee: John A. Macdonald Railway Workers & Builders National Sir John A. Macdonald was Canada's first Prime Minister and influential in building the country through the railway. Rotary snowplowNARHF Inductee: Rotary snowplow Technical Innovations Local Develop in the 1860s-80s in Ontario, Canada, the basis of the Rotary Snowplow is a large fan inside a wheel, mounted to the front of an engine. The Toronto, No. 2 Rolling Stock Nation The Toronto, No. 2 was the first steam locomotive engine built in Canada. Connaught TunnelNARFH Inductee: Connaught Tunnel Facilities & Structures National When built (between 1913 and 1916,) at 5.02 miles long, the Connaught Tunnel was the longest tunnel in Canada. Sir Sanford FlemingNARHF Inductee: Sir Sanford Fleming Railway Workers & Builders North America Sir Sanford Fleming was knighted in 1897. He was a Scottish-born, Canadian engineer and inventor whose remarkable achievements helped advance the Canadian railway industry. Automatic CouplerNARHF Inductee: Automatic Coupler Technical Innovations North America The automatic coupler was invented by Eli H. Janney in 1873, eventually became a standard among railroads in North America. The Mail CarNARHF Inductee: The Mail Car Technical Innovation North American As part of the post office the mail car increased the speed of mail processing/delivery by sorting mail whilst being transported. Niagara Falls Suspension BridgeNARHF Inductee: Niagara Suspension Bridge Facilities & Structures North America Opened March 8, 1855, the Niagara Suspension Bridge carried the Great Western Railway and the Erie & Ontario Railway trains. The Last Spike Ceremony (US)NARHF Inductee: The Last Spike Ceremony (USA) Railway Art Forms & Events North America The Last Spike Ceremony (USA), (also known as the Golden Spike ceremony in the U.S. took place May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory when Leland Stanford drove the last spike to join the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific to make the First transcontinental railroad.
2006 Return to top of page InducteeCategorySignificanceNotes Thomas William CottrellNARHF Inductee: Thomas William Cottrell Railway Workers & Builders Local As a Master Mechanic, he brought locomotive repairs to St. Thomas, Ontario. Jack BrumptonNARHF Inductee: Jack Brumpton Railway Workers & Builders Local Brumpton dedicated his life to the London and Port Stanley Railway (L&PS)and Pere Marquette Railway (PM) in St Thomas, Ontario. James A. BellNARHF Inductee: James A. Bell Railway Workers & Builders Local James A. Bell was a land surveyor, mapmaker, county engineer, and city engineer of St Thomas, Ontario. Bell was assistant engineer on the Niagara or MCR Cantilever Bridge. Manufacture of the New York Central 1290 and 1291NARHF Inductee: Steam locomotives 1290 & 1291 Rolling Stock Local Steam locomotives 1290 & 1291 were constructed at the MCR Shops in St. Thomas, Ontario. Kettle Creek BridgeNARHF Inductee: Kettle Creek Bridge Facilities & Structures Local An impressive structure, the Kettle Creek Bridge, was built over the Kettle Creek Valley near the western limits of St. Thomas, Ontario. It was built in the 1870s with the first train passing over in mid-1873. Jumbo StatueNARHF Inductee: Jumbo Statue Railway Art Forms & Events Local The Jumbo statue in St. Thomas is a magnificent monument to the death of Jumbo the Elephant of the Barnum and Bailey Circus who was killed by a train in St. Thomas, Ontario in 1885. Donald SmithNARHF Inductee: Donald Smith Railway Workers & Builders National Donald Smith helped found the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR.) When the railroad was completed in 1885, Smith was given the honour of driving the last spike at a ceremony at Craigellachie, British Columbia. Computerized Traffic ControlNARHF Inductee: Computerized Traffic Control Technical Innovations National Computerized Traffic Control is the used of machines and electronics/computerized equipment to regulate rail traffic. Alfred E. PerlmanNARHF Inductee: Alfred E. Perlman Railway Workers & Builders North America Alfred E. Perlman was the innovative president of New York Central Railroad and then the Penn Central Transportation Company. Timken Roller Bearing Axle BoxNARHF Inductee: Timken Roller Bearing Axle Box Technical Innovations North America The development of the Timken Roller Bearing Axel Box was responsible for an increase in safety and efficiency. CabooseNARHF Inductee: Caboose Rolling Stock North America The Caboose is a multi-purpose car always positioned last on trains, and was, in many cases, replaced with sensor boxes called "end-of-train devices" or EOT's. MCR Cantilever BridgeNARHF Inductee: MCR Cantilever Bridge Facilities & Structures North America Under the control of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the MCR Niagara Cantilever Bridge was built in 1883 for $700,000."I've Been Working on the Railroad"NARHF Inductee: "I've Been Working on the Railroad" Railway Art Forms & Events North America "I've Been Working on the Railroad", known to adults and children alike, was derived from the "Levee Song," and has become an iconic piece of railway musical culture.
2008 Return to top of page