Beautifully engraved hard to find Certificate from the Grand Trunk Railway issued in 1907 - 1916. This historic document has the company's name printed in fancy script, and has a watermark that says "Grand Trunk Railway of Canada". This item is hand signed by an officer and is over 85 years old. 
Grand Trunk Railway was an early Canadian railway line, incorporated in 1852-53 to build a railway connecting the key cities of eastern Canada (the area now known as Ontario and Quebec) with the American seacoast city of Portland, Maine. By completing its final link in July 1853 between Montreal and Portland, the Grand Trunk became North America's first international railroad. The main line within Canada, from Montreal to Toronto, opened in October 1856. The Grand Trunk Railway eventually became the main railway system of Quebec and Ontario. During the period from 1867 to 1905 the Grand Trunk concentrated on taking over smaller, competing lines and on building rail connections to the rail system of the northern United States. The Grand Trunk was also in competition with the Great Western Railway until the two merged in 1882. Eventually, a western branch, the Grand Trunk Pacific, was constructed, but this new rail network proved so unprofitable that it passed into government receivership in 1919. As a result of the liabilities incurred by its Pacific subsidiary, the Grand Trunk Railway was nationalized and became part of the Canadian National Railways in the period 1919-23. Below is a History of the Railway: 1853, July 15 - Grand Trunk Railway is formed by the amalgamation of the following companies: Grand Trunk Railway of Canada Grand Junction Railway Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada East Quebec and Richmond Railway 1856, October 27 - The Grand Trunk Railway opens its broad gauge line throughout between Montreal and Toronto. It was opened in sections as follows: Montreal to Brockville - November 19, 1855. Oshawa to Toronto - August 11, 1856. Brockville to Oshawa - October 27, 1856. 1859, December 27 - The Grand Trunk Railway completes its line between Toronto and Sarnia and establishes a ferry service across the St. Clair River to Fort Gratiot (Port Huron). 1860 - Grand Trunk opens its line between Quebec and Rivière du Loup. 1880 - The Grand Trunk Railway extends its line to Chicago, thus providing a through route from the American Midwest to the St. Lawrence at Montreal and Quebec and the Atlantic at Portland. 1882, August 12 - Great Western Railway, controlling 1,009 miles of track is merged into the Grand Trunk System. 1888, February 24 - The 494 mile long Northern and Northwestern Railway is acquired by the Grand Trunk Railway. l891, September 19 - The single track St. Clair tunnel under the St. Clair River is opened by the Grand Trunk Railway. Construction had commenced in 1888 upon this tunnel which connects Sarnia with Port Huron. 1896, March 20 - The Grand Trunk Railway obtains control of the Central Vermont Railway which retained its corporate identity. 1897, September 24 - A new double track steel arch bridge is completed by the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company and the Niagara Falls International Bridge Company. The upper floor of the new structure is leased to the Grand Trunk Railway. 1903, October 24 - The National Transcontinental Railway Act is passed. In order to expand into Western Canada the Grand Trunk Railway agrees to build a line from Moncton, New Brunswick to Quebec, then on a more northerly route than on any other transcontinental line to a point on the British Columbia Coast, which was to become Prince Rupert. The part between Moncton and Winnipeg was to be known as the National Transcontinental Railway and was to be built by the government. The line west of Winnipeg, to be known as the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, was to be built by the Grand Trunk itself. 1905, October 1 - The Grand Trunk assumes control of the 460 mile Canada Atlantic system by agreement dated August 15, 1904. 1906, July 22 - The Grand Trunk Railway changes from left to right hand running on double track sections. The change involved considerable alteration in crossovers, switches and semaphore signals. 1914, April 9 - Grand Trunk Pacific Railway main line is completed between Winnipeg, Melville, Edmonton, Jasper and Prince Rupert. 1917, May 2 - The Drayton-Acworth report is produced being the findings of two out of three members of a Royal Commission which was set up in 1916. Sir Henry L. Drayton was Chairman of the Board of Railway Commissioners for Canada while William Ackworth came from London. The third member, who produced a minority report, was Alfred H. Smith, President of the New York Central Railway. The report recommends that the Government take over the Grand Trunk, the Grand Trunk Pacific and the Canadian Northern companies and operate them as one system together with the Intercolonial and the National Transcontinental Railway. The recommendations are accepted by the Government. 1919, March 7 - The Minister of Railways is appointed as receiver for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. 1919, June 6 - Canadian National Railway Company is incorporated. 1920, March 8 - The management of the Grand Trunk Pacific is entrusted to the Board of Directors appointed for the Canadian National Railways. 1922, October 4 - The Canadian National Railway Company becomes a corporate entity (order in council P.C. 2094). 1923, January 19 - The Grand Trunk Railway is amalgamated into the Canadian National System by order in council P.C. 114. By 1923 the system included the Canadian Government Railways (including the Intercolonial, the Prince Edward Island and the National Transcontinental Railways); the Hudson Bay Railway; the Canadian Northern and its subsidiaries; the Grand Trunk Pacific; and the Grand Trunk (including the Grand Trunk Western and the Grand Trunk New England lines).
Grand Trunk Railway was an early Canadian railway line, incorporated in 1852-53 to build a railway connecting the key cities of eastern Canada (the area now known as Ontario and Quebec) with the American seacoast city of Portland, Maine. By completing its final link in July 1853 between Montreal and Portland, the Grand Trunk became North America's first international railroad. The main line within Canada, from Montreal to Toronto, opened in October 1856. The Grand Trunk Railway eventually became the main railway system of Quebec and Ontario. During the period from 1867 to 1905 the Grand Trunk concentrated on taking over smaller, competing lines and on building rail connections to the rail system of the northern United States. The Grand Trunk was also in competition with the Great Western Railway until the two merged in 1882. Eventually, a western branch, the Grand Trunk Pacific, was constructed, but this new rail network proved so unprofitable that it passed into government receivership in 1919. As a result of the liabilities incurred by its Pacific subsidiary, the Grand Trunk Railway was nationalized and became part of the Canadian National Railways in the period 1919-23. Below is a History of the Railway: 1853, July 15 - Grand Trunk Railway is formed by the amalgamation of the following companies: Grand Trunk Railway of Canada Grand Junction Railway Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada East Quebec and Richmond Railway 1856, October 27 - The Grand Trunk Railway opens its broad gauge line throughout between Montreal and Toronto. It was opened in sections as follows: Montreal to Brockville - November 19, 1855. Oshawa to Toronto - August 11, 1856. Brockville to Oshawa - October 27, 1856. 1859, December 27 - The Grand Trunk Railway completes its line between Toronto and Sarnia and establishes a ferry service across the St. Clair River to Fort Gratiot (Port Huron). 1860 - Grand Trunk opens its line between Quebec and Rivière du Loup. 1880 - The Grand Trunk Railway extends its line to Chicago, thus providing a through route from the American Midwest to the St. Lawrence at Montreal and Quebec and the Atlantic at Portland. 1882, August 12 - Great Western Railway, controlling 1,009 miles of track is merged into the Grand Trunk System. 1888, February 24 - The 494 mile long Northern and Northwestern Railway is acquired by the Grand Trunk Railway. l891, September 19 - The single track St. Clair tunnel under the St. Clair River is opened by the Grand Trunk Railway. Construction had commenced in 1888 upon this tunnel which connects Sarnia with Port Huron. 1896, March 20 - The Grand Trunk Railway obtains control of the Central Vermont Railway which retained its corporate identity. 1897, September 24 - A new double track steel arch bridge is completed by the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company and the Niagara Falls International Bridge Company. The upper floor of the new structure is leased to the Grand Trunk Railway. 1903, October 24 - The National Transcontinental Railway Act is passed. In order to expand into Western Canada the Grand Trunk Railway agrees to build a line from Moncton, New Brunswick to Quebec, then on a more northerly route than on any other transcontinental line to a point on the British Columbia Coast, which was to become Prince Rupert. The part between Moncton and Winnipeg was to be known as the National Transcontinental Railway and was to be built by the government. The line west of Winnipeg, to be known as the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, was to be built by the Grand Trunk itself. 1905, October 1 - The Grand Trunk assumes control of the 460 mile Canada Atlantic system by agreement dated August 15, 1904. 1906, July 22 - The Grand Trunk Railway changes from left to right hand running on double track sections. The change involved considerable alteration in crossovers, switches and semaphore signals. 1914, April 9 - Grand Trunk Pacific Railway main line is completed between Winnipeg, Melville, Edmonton, Jasper and Prince Rupert. 1917, May 2 - The Drayton-Acworth report is produced being the findings of two out of three members of a Royal Commission which was set up in 1916. Sir Henry L. Drayton was Chairman of the Board of Railway Commissioners for Canada while William Ackworth came from London. The third member, who produced a minority report, was Alfred H. Smith, President of the New York Central Railway. The report recommends that the Government take over the Grand Trunk, the Grand Trunk Pacific and the Canadian Northern companies and operate them as one system together with the Intercolonial and the National Transcontinental Railway. The recommendations are accepted by the Government. 1919, March 7 - The Minister of Railways is appointed as receiver for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. 1919, June 6 - Canadian National Railway Company is incorporated. 1920, March 8 - The management of the Grand Trunk Pacific is entrusted to the Board of Directors appointed for the Canadian National Railways. 1922, October 4 - The Canadian National Railway Company becomes a corporate entity (order in council P.C. 2094). 1923, January 19 - The Grand Trunk Railway is amalgamated into the Canadian National System by order in council P.C. 114. By 1923 the system included the Canadian Government Railways (including the Intercolonial, the Prince Edward Island and the National Transcontinental Railways); the Hudson Bay Railway; the Canadian Northern and its subsidiaries; the Grand Trunk Pacific; and the Grand Trunk (including the Grand Trunk Western and the Grand Trunk New England lines).
