Series consists of records of Government-acquired railways in New Brunswick. In addition to the European and North American Railway (RG30-IV-A-2) which was owned by the New Brunswick government, private interests in the province incorporated a number of railways. Eleven of these were acquired by the Dominion Government, most because they were in financial difficulties.
Some of the earliest acquisitions, however, were purchased because of their value to the system. The Canada Eastern Railway Company (RG30-IV-C-1) which ran from Chatham on the Miramichi River to Fredericton was a valuable feeder and was purchased in 1904, while the New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island Railway Company (RG30-IV-C-3) purchased in 1814, connected the Intercolonial with the new ferry terminals at Cape Tormentine. The International Railway Company of New Brunswick (RG30-IV-C-2) which linked the Baie des Chaleurs with the St. John Valley and was acquired in 1904 was not as profitable.
Three destitute short lines on the shore of the Bay of Fundy were purchased in 1918. They were the Salisbury and Albert Railway Company (RG30-IV-C-4), the Elgin and Havelock Railway Company (no records at National Archives) and the Saint Martin's Railway Company (no records at National Archives).
Also in 1918, the Moncton and Northumberland Strait Railway Company (no records at National Archives) which connected Moncton and Buctouche and the York and Carleton Railway Company (no records at National Archives) which consisted of 15 miles of track in central New Brunswick were purchased. In the same year the Dominion Government offered to purchase the Caraquet and Gulf Shore Railway Company (no records at National Archives) which had a 66 mile line along the North Shore, but the offer was not accepted until 1920.
The Kent Northern Railway Company (RG30-IV-C-5) which connected the Intercolonial with Richibucto Bay remained solvent until 1922 and was not acquired by the Canadian National until 1929.
The longest New Brunswick railway to be purchased by Canadian National was the Saint John and Quebec Railway Company (no records at National Archives) which ran 155 miles up the St. John Valley. It was commenced in 1912 by a private company, taken over by the provincial government in 1914 and proved so unprofitable that it had to be purchased by the Federal Government in 1929.