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Expansion of the Dunnville Subdivision into Port Maitland allowed the TH&B to
begin operation of a car ferry service to Ashtabula, Ohio, a distance of 91
miles across Lake Erie. Connections
to the New York Central, Pittsburgh and Lake Erie and the Akron, Canton &
Youngstown railroads could be made from Ashtabula and thereby allow
international traffic to avoid the increasingly congested Buffalo Gateway.
The Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Navigation Co. was incorporated in 1916 under
the laws of the State of Ohio.
Incorporation under U.S. law eliminated the risk of having the Navigation
Company’s ships conscripted by the Canadian Government for war service as Canada
was actively participating in the First World War at the time.
The TH&B Railway held the entire $400,000.00 capital stock of the
Navigation Co.
Construction of the new dock facilities at Port Maitland was completed in 1916
and the inaugural sailing of the Navigation Co. occurred on October 21st.
Service was provided by the “Maitland
No. 1” a modern, four-track, 32-car capacity twin-screw car ferry
constructed by the Great Lakes Engineering Works of Detroit, Michigan.
Constructed at a cost of nearly $400,000.00, the
Maitland No.1 could make the voyage
across Lake Erie in as little as seven hours. Southbound traffic from Canada was
comprised mainly of newsprint while coal dominated the northbound crossings.
Traffic levels dropped dramatically as the combined effects of the Great
Depression and the opening of the new Welland Canal in 1931 diverted much
traffic away from the car ferry route resulting in the discontinuance of
operations in June 1932.
During its 16 years of operation, the TH&B Navigation returned dividends in
excess of $660,000.00 to the railway. |
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