The railway has been part of St. Thomas since the completion of the London and Port Stanley Railway in 1856. More than 26 railways have passed through the city. This provided the foundation for the birth of St. Thomas due to the provision of employment and, subsequently, the income to sustain the community. At one point, St. Thomas was interchangeable with the term “Railway City.” It was also known as the “Railway Capital of Canada” in its heyday. St. Thomas was a convenient shortcut between Chicago and New York: two major railway cities, especially concerning freight shipment. South Western Ontario is also predominantly flat terrain which is perfect for railways. The city and surrounding area grew rapidly which resulted in immense change for the community. St. Thomas became the “Railway Capital of Canada.”

The City boasts a significant collection of historic Railroad Buildings including the 1873 Canada Southern Railway Station and the 1913 MCRR shops which is the oldest continuously operating locomotive repair shops in North America.

The Elgin County Railway Museum is located in the former Michigan Central Railroad (MCRR) locomotive repair shops, just south of the Canada Southern (CASO) train station. The 55,000 square foot “shops” building have served as headquarters of the museum since 1988.

The adjacent CASO station was, and still is, innately tied to the MCRR shops. The CASO station, now owned and operated by the North American Railway Hall of Fame (NARHF) was divisional headquarters for many American railway companies and provided passenger service, while the MCRR shops provided maintenance and repair service for locomotives. Both buildings remain important heritage sites in the heart of the City of St. Thomas.

The Railway City Brewing Company is Open 7 days a week!

We are pleased to introduce our Dead Elephant Ale, Iron Spike (Blonde, Copper and Amber) Ales, Honey Elixir Witty Traveller, and our Canada Southern Draft each locally brewed, all natural, craft brewed in small batches, using only the finest ingredients with no artificial adjuncts or preservatives.

The brewery operation features a 20 hectoliter system comprised of a kettle, mash tun, hot liquor tank, and a number of 10,20 & 40HL fermentators and conditioning tanks.

Please stop by and visit, we would love to show you around and demonstrate the brewing process. Samples are encouraged with every tour!

Tours are available every day, however it is best to call ahead so we can arrange some additional staff.

Please stop in and see how we brew your favourite locally handcrafted beer.

Cragganmore Distillery is located in the beautiful Spey Valley in Spesyide, and nestles on the banks of the legendary salmon river, the river Spey. No visit to Scotland is complete without a visit to this delightful little distillery. Cragganmore is home to one of the few distilleries that boast flat top stills which gives Cragganmore it’s unique character and makes it a must see for any visitor to Scotland.

The character of this Speyside malt offers consumers layers of complex flavours and a whiff of smoke and is an excellent example of a Speyside Malt.

The distillery is only a 10-15min drive from its sister distillery Cardhu. Friends of the Classic Malts can easily visit both sites in one day to gain their stamp and sample these great brands.

Cragganmore distillery is accessible from Aviemore, Grantown-on-spey and Aberlour and very close to Ballindalloch Castle, Ballindalloch Golf Course, Glenfarclas Distillery and also a short drive to the Glenlivet Distillery.

Visitors can participate in a wide range of activities in the area including salmon fishing on the River Spey, Rothiemurchas estate offers clay pigeon shooting, off road driving, horse riding to name a few. There is the world famous cairngorm mountains so why not visit and take a trip to the top in the Funicular Railway. The Strathspey Steam Railway offers a more traditional scenic view of the highlands of Scotland.

The villages of Craigellachie and Aberlour are only a short drive away and they have a great selection of pubs and restaurants offering great Scottish produce and also a vast selection of whiskies.

A visit to Speyside is whisky lovers dream.

We Teach Torontonians to Speak Craft Beer! Back in 1986, a revolution began with a new brewpub on John Street in Toronto. Ales, lagers, stouts and seasonal beers were brewed on premise, introducing thirsty patrons to something they had never encountered in a beer — flavour. Every beer we make holds to the promises we followed in crafting our very first brews: Crafted by hand, made fresh daily, and created for you to enjoy!

Discover our Johnnie Walker whiskies and let your taste buds lead you through the world of big flavours. Pick your label and get some iced water to join in, or sit back and let the journey unfold.

Junction Craft Brewing is committed to brewing highest-quality, hand-crafted beers. We brew only with the natural ingredients of Water, Yeast, Barley and the world’s finest Hops. Our signature brew is Conductor’s Craft Ale, a ‘hopbacked’ hybrid ale utilizing British, German and American brewing techniques.

Tomintoul Distillery is located inside the picturesque Glenlivet estate, within the whisky producing region of Speyside. The distillery is named after the nearby village of Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands of Scotland. Our Distillery Manager, Robert Fleming is a fourth generation distiller, born and bred on the Glenlivet estate. It took us a year of searching for the purest source of spring water until we found the Ballantruan spring. This determined the location of the distillery, tucked away in picturesque countryside. The natural and unspoilt environment that surrounds us, and our focus on making great whisky, can be tasted in every glass of “the gentle dram”. Tomintoul Distillery was built in 1964. Our distillery uses traditional techniques that stretch back hundreds of years, to make our award-winning single malt, “the gentle dram”. The natural environment, fresh air and pure water all add to our uniquely smooth and mellow spirit.