Mond Nickel Company

Mond 7 0-4-0T Vulcan #1098 4/1907 (became INCO 28) Sudbury Public Library
Note: Became Fuller Sand & Gravel 103, later Consolidated Sand & Gravel 105.

Mond number 7 with employee shuttle, near Coniston smelter. Sudbury Public Library

No. 3 2-6-2T MLW #50196 9/1911 (rebuilt into 2-6-0, became INCO 25) National Archives PA 209123
Such side tank engines were more common on logging railways.

100, 2-6-0 MLW #66315 3/1925 (became INCO 100) MLW

A British company (named for Dr. Ludwig Mond) incorporated in 1902, it had a process for refining nickel ore before it had any ore! It came to the Sudbury area and started the Victoria Mine along with a new smelter and company town located 22 miles west of Sudbury on the CPR Sault Ste. Marie line. A two mile aerial tramway brought the ore to the smelter after which it was shipped off to Clydach, near Swansea in Wales, for refining.

CPR Victoria Mine station. Collection of Gary Peck

Mond also acquired the Worthington mine, a few miles to the west; the Levack mine, about 30 miles to the north of Sudbury, close to the CPR main line; and the Garson mine, to the northeast of Sudbury, served by a spur from the Canadian Northern main line. Increased mining brought about a new smelter and company town at Coniston, eight miles east of Sudbury and served by both the CPR and CnoR. The smelter went into operation in 1913 and was described as having about 10 miles of company-owned railway.

Map, Coniston 1913

In 1922, American Mond Nickel Company was formed, and a merger with Inco came on January 1, 1929.

The spur to Garson was extended by INCO to reach Falconbridge where new development took place. The CPR built in from Falconbridge to connect with the spur. Later, when Garson closed due to declining nickel markets, CN removed the spur. Still later, when Garson re-opened the rail access was over the CPR spur. Finally, a change over to trucks was made.

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