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  • Canada - PEI Rail Trails

  • General discussion related to Rail Trails nationwide, including proposed rail trail routes. The official site of the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy can be found here: www.railstotrails.org.
General discussion related to Rail Trails nationwide, including proposed rail trail routes. The official site of the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy can be found here: www.railstotrails.org.

Moderator: railtrailbiker

 #35368  by B&M Minuteman
 
One of the best “Rails to Trails” trips we’ve taken is over the former CN rail lines on Prince Edward Island. Now the “Confederation Trail” with over 200 miles of trails available. Several of the old stations still exist along the trail as antique shops and restaurants. PEI can best be described as a big garden, there are no wilderness areas so you are always within a mile or two of food and accommodations (some nice B&Bs!) If you want to visit the beaches and “Anne Of Green Gables” in the National Park, you will need a bike or car as the railway didn’t reach into these areas.

http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/tou_trailmap.pdf

http://www.gov.pe.ca/visitorsguide/inde ... mber=65343

Getting to PEI was easy: We left Boston after an early Breakfast and were in PEI in time for one of their famous Lobster Suppers that evening. The CN ferry to PEI was replaced by a 9 mile long bridge in 1997. If you are hiking, you can’t walk the bridge but a free shuttle for hikers and bikers is available.

http://www.confederationbridge.com/

Now its off to Newfoundland next week exploring the 550 mile “Newfoundland T’Railway” over the CN narrow gauge line that was abandoned in 1988.

http://www.trailway.ca/

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

August 11, 2004

Just back from my adventures along the "Newfoundland T'Railway" Here's a link to my story in the "Rail Travel & Trip Report" Forum"

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5233
Last edited by B&M Minuteman on Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
 #130368  by CPRTim
 
B&M Minuteman wrote:One of the best “Rails to Trails” trips we’ve taken is over the former CN rail lines on Prince Edward Island. Now the “Confederation Trail” with over 200 miles of trails available. If you want to visit the beaches and “Anne Of Green Gables” in the National Park, you will need a bike or car as the railway didn’t reach into these areas.

http://www.gov.pe.ca/visitorsguide/explore/trail.php3
We would like to take our bikes on the Ferry from Nova Scotia instead of crossing the bridge.

http://www.nfl-bay.com/

But it appears there are gaps along the former CN lines in eastern Prince Edward Island. From the map it looks like there are numerous roads we could take to access the main portion of the Confederation Trail. How is the car traffic in these areas?
 #156892  by NS VIA FAN
 
CPRTim wrote:We would like to take our bikes on the Ferry from Nova Scotia instead of crossing the bridge.

http://www.nfl-bay.com/

But it appears there are gaps along the former CN lines in eastern Prince Edward Island. From the map it looks like there are numerous roads we could take to access the main portion of the Confederation Trail. How is the car traffic in these areas?
We took our bikes over on the ferry from Nova Scotia last weekend and just waited until the 200 or so cars, RV’s etc cleared the terminal area in Wood Islands PEI. Then it was easy biking for 3 kms to the Tourist Info Centre and access point to the Rail-Trail. We took the trail westward to Iona where we picked up some local roads to get us to Montague where another section of the trail begins which follows along some very scenic river valleys . The old CN station here has been completely restored as a Info and Marina Centre. Here's a link to a couple of pictures:

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse. ... id=1430797

There are several B&Bs and motels in the area. We stayed here before making our way back to the NS ferry. Again over back country roads with very little traffic before picking up the rail-trail again.

 #278429  by NS VIA FAN
 
Just back from another great weekend of biking the former CN Lines on Prince Edward Island.

Here's a link to some new photos:

http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse. ... id=1726782

#1 Former CN Ferry "Holiday Island"

#2 Replica station at Wood Islands

#3 Melville Bridge

#4 Former Station site & Wye at Mt. Stewart Jct.

#5 Kensington Station

#6 CN 1762 at Kensingston

#7 Kensington Station

#8 Nine Mile Bridge that replaced the CN Ferries between New Brunswick & PEI

 #278871  by B&M Minuteman
 
NS VIA FAN wrote:Just back from another great weekend of biking the former CN Lines on Prince Edward Island.
Thanks for the up-date NS VIA......

Got to get back and do some more biking on Prince Edward Island! I was in the Maritimes last month for a long awaited ride on VIA’s Ocean but with tight connections, had no time for anything else. Perhaps this fall.....

 #432897  by B&M Minuteman
 
Just back from another week on the Island and covered a lot more of trail. The section from the Nova Scotia Ferry to Iona is complete but I wish they would complete the gap between Iona and Mt. Stewart Jct. (Anyway, this gap can easily be done on country roads with little traffic)
 #572310  by NS VIA FAN
 
I was in PEI last weekend and did some biking along the trail near the former Melville Station. Mixed Train service ended in the mid ‘60s. Station lasted until the '80's and the tracks were removed in 1989.
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 #587547  by atsf sp
 
Yeah I went to this trail and had subs next to CN 1762 on the old freight platform. This is a RSC-18. Its in great shape too.
 #832060  by NS VIA FAN
 
atsf sp wrote:Yeah I went to this trail and had subs next to CN 1762 on the old freight platform. This is a RSC-18. Its in great shape too.
We’ve been in Prince Edward Island the past couple of days and dropped by Kensington yesterday for lunch on the platform next to 1762. A nicely restored station......here’s some shots.

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And Summerside too.......today and in 1978.

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