The R&VCR was incorporated on April 6, 1885 to build and maintain a rail line from a point at or near Campbellton to a point on the St. John River between Grand Falls and Edmundston.
The line became part of the International Railway Company on June 22, 1906.
Between 1900 and 1911, different portions of this line were completed and opened for traffic. These are the opening dates according to the book Lines of Country:
- Tide Head to Upsalquitch: 1904
- Upsalquitch to Millerville: 1907
- Millerville to Robinson: 1908
- Robinson to Jardine Brook: 1909
- Jardine Brook to St. Leonard: 1911
The Dominion Government acquired the International Railway Company of New Brunswick in 1916.
In 1918, the Canadian Government Railways constructed a rail connection between mileage 105 and mileage 105.06, from mileage 105.68 to St. Leonard’s Junction and constructed a wye of .24 miles. To link the entire line together, a segment of track from mileage 105.06 to mileage 105.68 was leased from the Van Buren Bridge Company by the Canadian Government Railways. In 1919 and 1920, the old 7.4 mile line between Campbellton and Christopher Brook was dismantled and an additional 2.66 miles from Tide Head to Christopher Brook was constructed.
The line became part of the Canadian National Railway network in 1923.
On April 6, 1983, CN applied to the Canadian Transport Commission for authority to abandon the operation of the St. Quentin Subdivision. It was ordered to continue operation of the line (Railway Transport Committee Order No. R-38237 dated June 28, 1985).
On July 20, 1988, the National Transportation Agency began reconsidering the abandonment and on April 7, 1989 CN was ordered to abandon the St. Quentin Subdivision. Interestingly, CN offered Fraser Inc. and/or J.D. Irving Ltd. the chance to acquire the line in 1988. Both declined.
For more information, read Doc Berthelot’s article on the line.