Volunteers were out on Saturday, May 18, 2024 tweaking one of the Crossen iron ore cars at the northwest end of Cobourg Harbour.
George Parker is a historian when it comes to the Cobourg and Peterborough railway which ran from 1852 to 1898.
Parker said that the iron ore cars ran from Marmora to Cobourg where they were shipped to Rochester, New York in lake schooners.
“We discovered an old picture and it looks like when they made the cars, they made them stronger than we thought.”
It appears from the photo the ore box was 10 inches higher then Parker and volunteers thought.
“So we’re adding that 10 inch layer around the ore box.”
The ore boxes would each haul five tons of iron ore.
Back then the Cobourg Harbour was an industrial harbour and looked nothing like it does now.
On hand for the adjustments was Ken Willcocks who was instrumental in putting the team together who actually built the replica iron ore car (though the wheels are original from 1867 and made in Montreal).
Willcocks said he went to the former owner of what used to be the Kraft plant on William Street and asked if space was available.
“The fellow who owned said, “I’m in the business for renting space for building things.”
Willcocks told him that the group didn’t have any money available, but the former owner was kind enough to let them build it inside the building.
The iron ore car was brought down to the harbour and placed in the north west corner as a piece of Cobourg’s history.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
