went for a walk today at the conservation area off of stephens mill road. Found an old garbage pit that must have belong to the original land owners. Mostly bottles,cans, and junk from the sixties and seventies. Also saw a raised road bed that looks almost like a partial rail line. It was located on the property across from the conservation area. That property is owned by a gravel company but i forgot to get the name.
this is a pic of a tunnel under the raised road bed
A coke can from the dump site. Ahhhh!!!, pull tab . Takes me back to the good old days

That's just off Bethesda, right? Nice area, though scary to drive down that road in winter due to the steep grade. Lots of people take their dogs out for walks there. Beautiful area - until the proposed Wal*Mart is built there, of course.

a link to some more pics of Stephens mill road finds http://pg.photos.y...k=phrAN2EBSziL8hot

Posted by fedge That's just off Bethesda, right? Nice area, though scary to drive down that road in winter due to the steep grade. Lots of people take their dogs out for walks there. Beautiful area - until the proposed Wal*Mart is built there, of course.

That is the one. I didnt drive up the road but parked at the conservation area instead. Might still be there digging out if i did attempt it

How far/where does the tunnel go? Any dead bodies/barely conscious rape victims?

Posted by fedge How far/where does the tunnel go? Any dead bodies/barely conscious rape victims?

i shouldnt have called it a tunnel, more of a thruway running under that raised road bed i mentioned earlier. I walked the road bed today and found that it was not flat enough for tracks. At least it isnt now. It ends at a concrete abutment that overlooks a valley. I have no idea what it was but it does look like it could have been a bridge at one time.

Posted by fedge That's just off Bethesda, right? Nice area, though scary to drive down that road in winter due to the steep grade. Lots of people take their dogs out for walks there. Beautiful area - until the proposed Wal*Mart is built there, of course.

Ya that's one heck of a slope!!! I've been by that road but today was the first time I was down it. I drove to the point where it got very narrow. The sign in the parking lot said the trail is closed for maintenance. I'm curious where the abuttment structure is from there?

That'd be a question for our fair Mr. Taws.

Posted by fedge That'd be a question for our fair Mr. Taws.

Mr Taws might have a history for the place? Mr Onotobee would know where it is....which is the question I was asking.

The red line represents the raised road bed. As you can see it lies across the road from the conservation area. If you look way behind the last house down by the conservation parking area you can see on the hill a cement structure. the tunnel is about the halfway point of the road bed and can be seen from the road

click to view

Could it have been an ollllllld railway at one point though? In such a deep valley? You never know...

Whoah, its a pull tab!

I have added some photos including more evidence of a possible train trestle and an old car http://ca.pg.photo...k=phyi83EBVO9M7Iy6

Excellent Pics!!!!

station street in orono seems to connect to the trestle along a curved line. Maybe an old Rail spur?

click to view

I think you might like to speak to Charles Taws at the Bowmanville Museum for more information. He's the curator.

I typed in orono railway and came up with this info. Seems the line between oshawa and port hope was abandoned along with many others
http://home.primus...obkath/railtor.htm Some snippets from the article Under Canadian National ownership, the line was known as the Orono, Deseronto and Smith Falls Subdivisions Remaining Stations: A total of nine Canadian Northern Ontario Railway stations along the Toronto to Ottawa line have survived. They are as follows:
1. Binlook: Moved not far from original location as a private residence on Highway #12.
2. Oshawa: Moved to property at 64-68 Wayne Street as a private residence.
3. Solina: In original location on Solina Road as a private residence.
4. Starkville: Moved to property on Newtonville Road as a private residence.
5. Port Hope: In original location on Highway #28, former MTO office.
6. Newburgh: In original location on Grove Street as a private residence.
7. Harrowsmith: In original location on Ottawa Street as a private residence.
8. Smith Falls: In original location at 90 William Street as the Smith Falls Railway Museum.

Posted by CowboyPenner I think you might like to speak to Charles Taws at the Bowmanville Museum for more information. He's the curator.

Good idea penner

Some interesting info you've collected. Good Job!! I'll be interested to hear what Charles has to say.

some other info i have found the stephens mill valley i was in is also known as stephens gulch and is indicated on the map of the rail line i will provide a link to below.The section from oshawa to port hope(which would include stephens gulch) Was abandoned in 1937 http://www.niagara.../maps/cnorline.gif