About TGR
We remember the founders whose vision, railway knowledge and belief in responsible enterprise helped shape TGR Rail Canada.
Our founding legacy
Each brought a different discipline to the table. Together, they helped establish the practical, entrepreneurial and railway-focused foundation on which TGR continues to build.
Founding Chairman
Leadership · Financial affairs · Government relations
Ron Dancey brought more than four decades of business experience to TGR Rail Canada. A former Ontario short-line railway chairman, entrepreneur and elected public representative, Ron helped guide the company’s early governance while contributing seasoned judgment in financial and government relations.
Remembering Ron
Founder & Railway Operations Advisor
Short-line railways · Locomotive engineering · Operations
Jeff Willsie devoted his life to railroading. After beginning his career with Canadian Pacific and qualifying as a locomotive engineer, he founded Ontario Southland Railway and developed it into one of Canada’s most respected short-line operators. His practical knowledge and entrepreneurial example strengthened TGR’s operating vision.
Jeff’s railway legacy
Founder & Railway Hall of Fame Member
Rail operations · Steam preservation · Mentorship
Don Broadbear dedicated a lifetime to railway operations, maintenance and preservation. A founding member of the Port Stanley Terminal Railway and a highly regarded steam locomotive engineer, he shared his knowledge generously with generations of railway people. Don was inducted into the Railway Hall of Fame in 2010.
Don’s Hall of Fame profile
Founder & Real Estate Advisor
Property development · Community leadership · Business
Brian Padfield was a TGR founder and shareholder whose career spanned real estate, insurance and community development. A licensed real estate broker, former Justice of the Peace and longtime economic-development leader, Brian brought practical property knowledge, local insight and an enduring commitment to the communities he served.
Remembering BrianWith gratitude for the paths they opened, the knowledge they shared and the trust they placed in TGR Rail Canada.
Portrait sources: Ron Dancey / Erb & Good Family Funeral Home; Jeff Willsie / Railfan & Railroad, photograph by Greg McDonnell; Don Broadbear / CASO Station Railway Hall of Fame; Brian Padfield / England Funeral Home.