Grab an older map of Essex County, and in the area of Walker and Provincial, you will see a dot on the map named “Pelton”. There never was actually a community around the spot on the map, but there was a rail line junction with a control tower, more of a rail junction, there is still a bit of history behind it.
When Bernie was going through his slides, looking for riverfront photos for us, he found a bunch from Pelton that he pulled and had John scan as well.
A Google Earth view of the location of the Pelton Spur.
Photo © Bernie Drouillard
A crop shot of the Pelton tower. This photo was taken January 22, 1989, and at this point you can see the tower is boarded up and no longer in use. The Pelton tower along the Canada Southern Rail Line bit the dust November 29, 1991.
Photo © Bernie Drouillard
Photo Taken June 22, 1980
Photo © Bernie Drouillard
Photo Taken August 21, 1988
Photo © Bernie Drouillard
Photo Taken January 22, 1989
Photo © Bernie Drouillard
Photo Taken May 21, 1989
Photo © Bernie Drouillard
Photo Taken February 25, 1991
Here is a great photo of the Pelton tower. A big thank you to Geoff Elliott for the permission to repost his photos here.
A case of being in the right place, at the right time, Geoff was down at the Pelton spur in November, 1991, the day the tower came down.
Looks to me like the building eater, made very quick work of this old relic.
A few years ago, I paid a visit to Pelton to see if there was anything there. I noticed the Pelton name on the CN machinery boxes in the area.
I’m sure the area used to be much busier than it is today. Today, outlines can be seen where the rails used to run.
I believe that this is near where the tower stood.
A slab of rail laying around on site, reveals that it was forged by Algoma in the 1940’s (the last number is cut off)
A look up at one of the old telephone poles, also speaks volumes about how busy the corridor used to be. Look at all the insulators, each one would have carried a separate, power, phone or telegraph line..
An abandoned hut along the tracks, south of the 401 overpass.
I’m not sure what the site looks like now, since these photos were taken, they did some work on the gas lines in the area after these photos were taken, plus the 401 widening have been staging in there.
I willing to bet the remaining traces of the area, are probably now wiped out.
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Good pics. In the 2nd & 7th photo's is that the screen at the old drive-in theatre in the background ?
Rich B - Famous Four
Years ago I spotted on a relic schedule of the W. E. & L.S. RR the name Pelton as one of the stops. Did their right of way pass close to this rail junction? The abandonned PM rail line south of here makes for a nice trail. It is too bad that they did not find a way to extend it further north into the city to join up with other trails and it is too bad that it ends in Ruthven and does not continue into Leamington and beyond.
I have seen maps that have referred to that 401 interchange as the "Pelton Cloverleaf". I always wondered where the name came from. Thanks.
Maybe Pelton was a landowner in the area where the tracks run. I go by that area all the time, so it's neat to learn something about it. I use 7th Concession as a way to avoid traffic on walker and wondered if that track crossing it is used or not. Too bad about the tower being torn down, but it was probably a vandalism magnet if not being used. That area might be a good location for a passenger terminal to get people downtown (ah, forget it).
Trains? For People? That's crazy talk! ;)
The tracks are still used. That's the same line that runs beside the airport, and crosses Foster Ave. (the newish entrance to the industrial park off Central).
It heads south from the main line that runs east-west behind Memorial Park (crossing Walker/Howard/Tecumseh Rd.). Heading under the expressway, crossing Foster, Airport Rd. & County Rd. 42, 7th concession, and County Rd. 46 into the Pelton area.
I work at the airport, and it's only used a couple of times a day.
The Greenway trail that extends from the county stops at North Talbot Rd. Why didn't it continue to the Pelton area and beyond?? Is it still possible in future?
I'm sure it has to do with the fact that the lines north of there are still active. Probably liability related..
Yes the WE&LS RR map shows a Pelton stop, and I'm not totally convinced there was not some kind of farming enclave, hamlet, or settlement of some sort, however small, in that vicinity, that comprised "Pelton" - not just the tower - if one goes back far enough.
JB - Like you I use the 7th as well... In fact I was just down there on my lunch run, and I saw a motorcycle cop out there for the first time ever. He had someone pulled over as I went by. On my way back, he was hiding again in one of the driveways... Be careful when you head out that way ;)