Algoma Central Railway

The Algoma Central Railway is a freight and tourism railway based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, chartered on August 11, 1899, by industrialist Francis H. Clergue to carry resources from the remote interior of the Algoma District to industrial facilities in Sault Ste. Marie. Its main line eventually extended 476 kilometers north to Hearst, with branch lines serving mines and timber operations, and in 1952 it became the first Canadian railway to operate entirely on diesel fuel. Beyond rail freight, the company diversified from the 1960s onward into shipping, real estate, forestry, and mining, and it also became known for tourism along its route. As of 2022 the southern segment between Oba and Sault Ste. Marie operates under Watco as the Agawa Canyon Railroad, while the northern section remains under Canadian National ownership.