Artifactually_Ferries At the beginning to the twentieth century the amazing story of the Cobourg & Peterborough Railway and its successors had come to an end. Cobourg's days as an important economic and transportation centre appeared to be over. But the Town did still have several large factories and flourishing businesses and merchants - and a viable harbour. In 1905 the Ontario Car Ferry Company was formed as an international joint venture between the Grand Trunk Railway of Montreal and the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg Railroad. For the next forty-five years it was a major engine driving the development of Cobourg. THE COBOURG FERRIES ONE OF THE KEYS TO COBOURG'S PAST ! ! The new company was formed for the primary purpose of transporting coal from Pennsylvania to Cobourg. The GTR wanted this coal for their locomotives. Rochester, New York was the immediate choice for the southern terminus with excellent docking facilities and railway lines at Port Charlotte. Cobourg was eventually chosen as the northern terminus because it was located directly north of Rochester and was in close proximity to the raw materials to be shipped south. The southbound cargoes were feldspar, lumber, pulpwood and flour. A contract to build the required ferry was awarded to the Canadian Shipbuilding Company of Toronto. The Ontario No. 1 was launched in April 1907. This was a significant occasion for the Town of Cobourg which had visions of becoming a major port once again. The Ontario No. 1 had a steel hull, twin-funnels and twin screws for propulsion. She was a handsome vessel, always painted a spotless glowing white with two raked stacks, buff with black tops. After renovations in 1909 she was capable of carrying almost 1,000 passengers. By 1914, the success of the Ontario No. 1 warranted another vessel. The Ontario No. 2 was launched on April 3, 1915. Her capacity and layout for the coal cars was similar to that of the Ontario No. 1, and the accommodations were almost identical. Car Ferry "Ontario" No. 1, Plying Between Charlotte, N.Y. & Cobourg. ARTIFACTUALLYSPEAKING