Big Chute Marine Railway Trent Severn Waterway Ontario

At Lock 44 of the Trent-Severn Waterway in Ontario, Canada, the newest ship lift built in 1977 is part of the Big Chute Marine Railway.

The Big Chute Marine Railway is a short distance from Coldwater, Ontario and is a ship lift at Lock 44 of the Trent-Severn Waterway. In 1914, the original plans were to build 3 locks to join the Severn River to Georgian Bay at Port Severn, Big Chute and Swift Rapids.

By 1917, the original Big Chute Marine Railway was completed but could only accommodate boats up to 35 feet in length and in 1919 the Swift Rapids section of the marine railway was finished. In 1923, the original railway at Big Chute was replaced with boats up to 60 feet being able to use it. By the end of the 1960's, boat traffic had increased and the old marine railway could not keep up and in 1976, it was passed that a new and larger railway be constructed beginning in 1977.