Construction began in 1871 but costs almost bankrupted the government by the next year, a problem that helped pave PEI 's entrance into Confederation. The work was picked up by the Canadian Government Railways and largely completed by the mid-1880s. The PEIR saw heavy use, especially during World War II, but like many railways saw declining use through the 1970s. The line officially closed on 31 December 1989 and the rails removed between 1990 and 1992, with the provincial government receiving a one - time payment of $200 million to upgrade the road network in exchange for not opposing the closure.
when did the trains stop running in pei
31 December 1989