The "Railroad Cars" were those of the "Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad" opened in 1836, then running two trains a day each way between Buffalo and the Falls, leaving Buffalo at nine in the morning and five in the afternoon. Manchester was the name of the town laid out in the neighborhood of the Falls, where, from the abundance of water power it was expected a great manufacturing centre would be established.
An advertisement in a later year (1844) mentions the steamer "Emerald" to "leave Buffalo at 9 a.m. for Chippawa, arrive by cars at Queenston for steamer for Toronto, Oswego, Rochester, Kingston and Montreal."
The "cars" at Queenston were those of a horse railroad which had been constructed along the main road from Chippewa to Queenston, of which some traces still remain. The rails were long wooden sleepers faced with strap iron.
During one season the "Queen Victoria" was chartered as a gunboat for Lake Ontario, being manned by officers and men from the Royal Navy. She presented a fine appearance and was received with great acceptance at the lake ports as she visited them.
A more direct route from this distributing point at the foot of the rapids on the Niagara River direct to the head of Lake Ontario and the country beyond, instead of crossing first to Toronto, was evidently sought. In 1840 the steamer "Burlington"—Captain Robert Kerr—is advertised to "Leave Lewiston 7 a.m., Niagara 7.30 a.m., landing (weather permitting) at Port Dalhousie (near St. Catherines, from which place a carriage will meet the boat regularly); Grimsby, and arrive at Hamilton about noon. Returning will leave at 3 p.m., and making the same calls, weather permitting, arrive at Lewiston in the evening."
The 30th July, 1841, was a memorable day in steamboating on the Niagara River. A great public meeting was held that day on Queenston Heights to arrange for the building of a new monument in memory of General Brock to replace the one which had been blown up by some dastard on 17th April, 1840.
Deputations from the military and the patriotic associations in all parts of the province attended.
Four steamers left Toronto together about 7.30 in the morning. The "Traveller"—Captain Sandown, R.N., with His Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Sydenham, on board; "Transit"—Captain Hugh Richardson; "Queen Victoria"—Captain Richardson, Jr.; "Gore"—Captain Thomas Dick. At the mouth of the Niagara River these were joined by the "Burlington"—Captain Robert Kerr, and "Britannia" from Hamilton and the head of the lake, and by the "Gildersleeve" and "Cobourg" from the Eastern ports and Kingston.
Amidst utmost enthusiasm, and with all flags flying, the eight steamers assembled at Niagara and marshalled in the following order, proceeded up the river to Queenston:—
TRAVELLER.
GILDERSLEEVE.
COBOURG.
BURLINGTON.
GORE.
BRITANNIA.
QUEEN.
TRANSIT.