Skip to main content
Go back

Replica Iron Ore Car

blue Province of Ontario history plaque tells the story of the Cobourg and Peterborough Railway in front of a full-size replica of an 1867 ore car, not far from where the original was built

Cobourg’s Replica Iron Ore Car

Credit: Richard Looye

This replica ore car includes parts from one built at James Crossen’s foundry in Cobourg in 1867 for the Cobourg, Peterborough & Marmora Railway & Mining C0.

The original car had fallen into the Trent River in 1881 and was not recovered until 1980, 99 years later!  In 2014 the Cobourg Museum Foundation obtained a large quantity of metal and wooden parts from Parks Canada.  Some are on display at the Sifton-Cook Heritage Centre in Cobourg while others, including the four wheels, were included in the replica.

A volunteer team, headed by Ken Willcocks and advised by George Parker, assembled the replica which was unveiled on May 21, 2016.