November 28, 2011

Grand Erie Business Centre, Caledonia

Always a train buff, Wayne Ettinger saw his dreams become reality with the help of Community Futures.  He became the owner of a railway!

Wayne and his wife, Marjorie, were farming near Dunnville in the 80’s and saw area rail lines closing and tracks torn up.  In 1989, the last remaining track was threatened with closure, so Wayne decided to look into saving it.  Overcoming regulation challenges, he sought the help of the Grand Erie Business Centre and, by 1999, the growing freight business was named Trillium Railway.  When Wayne needed funds to buy out a US partner, he obtained loans from Grand Erie CFDC, along with Norfolk, South Niagara, and Oxford CFDCs.

Today, the Ettingers operate two railways providing reliable freight service on over 100 km. of trackage.  The Port Colborne Harbour Railway in the Niagara Region serves 18 customers, while the St. Thomas & Eastern Railway serves five.  Trillium handles all commodities, including grain, corn syrup, fertilizer, agricultural chemicals and pipe.

Photo:  Grand Erie CFDC Manager Wayne Knox with Marjorie and Wayne Ettinger who won the Ontario Association of CFDC’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2005