Summary

Moffat Station was built by the Guelph Junction Railway in 1888 while its construction was progressing south towards a point on the Canadian Pacific mainline just west of Campbellville. The line was financed by local business interests and leased to the Canadian Pacific Railway prior to its opening, while the latter would provide the locomotives and rolling stock used on it. The first station in Moffat was a small shelter that would’ve been appropriate for the small community of the same name nearby, located on the south side of the 15th Side Road and at the north end of Moffat Siding. Early images show the station was originally called Moffatt, but the second T was removed in later years. Service to Goderich became available in 1907, which led to a significant increase in passenger traffic from five trains stopping at Moffat per day in 1899 to ten trains per day in 1921.

The station was replaced around 1910 with a larger structure, utilizing a standard Canadian Pacific design that was commonly built elsewhere around the same time. It featured a waiting room and baggage room at either end of the building, with a station agent’s office in the middle having an operator’s bay to provide visibility. As automobiles became a more popular mode of transportation in the early 20th century, passenger ridership began to decline. Moffat Station was relegated to a flag stop, meaning trains would have to be flagged down to prevent unnecessary stops. Passenger service to Moffat ended rather abruptly in 1960, but the station building remained for a couple of years afterward before it was abandoned and dismantled. Canadian Pacific continued to use the line for freight service until 1997 when the City of Guelph had to find a new contractor. A shortline operator called the Ontario Southland Railway began operations over the Guelph Junction Railway in 1998 and served local industries until the contract expired in 2020.

  • An early view of the first station at Moffat. Courtesy of the Ross Taylor Collection.
  • The second station at Moffat on October 10, 1962. By the time this photo was taken, passenger service has already ended at this station. Courtesy of the Guelph Public Library Archives.

Condensed Station Info:

Location:Served By:Current State:Date Built:Date Demolished:
15th Side RoadCanadian Pacific (1888 – 1960)Demolished (Both)1888 (First)
1910 (Second)		1910 (First)
1963 (Second)