The railway
stations of Central Alberta
by railway and subdivision
(updated March 2022)
Photo descriptions
and credits at bottom of page.
Some communities in Central Alberta had railway stations for more
than one railway. Those communities included Red Deer, Sylvan Lake, Eckville, Stettler,
Camrose and Alix. The station at Rocky Mountain House was shared by
two railroads. Although each community has unique characteristics as
does the region as a whole, in many ways Central Alberta represents
the settlement, development and character of Western Canada.
There were at least five stations in Central Alberta that are/were
unique.
The
CPR Red Deer station is one of five chateau-style brick
stations built as landmarks downtown at major divisional points in
Western Canada. Each station is architecturally unique but of
similar style with distinctive octagonal tower. All have survived as
historic resources in each of the five communities. The Red Deer
station was close to demolition but was saved due to achieving
historic designation at all three government levels. It is now
privately-owned and used for offices. It remains at its original
dominant position at the head of Ross Street.
The
CNR Red Deer station was originally planned by Canadian
Northern but built by CN soon after Canadian National was created
and before CN had developed standard designs. As a result, it was a
unique blend of Canadian Northern and Canadian National 3rd class
station characteristics. It was demolished in 1960 to make way for a
shopping centre development after CN relocated its facilities to the
north side of the river.
The
Alberta Central Railway (later absorbed by Canadian Pacific)
built a station at Red Deer but it was never used because the
railway went bankrupt before it became operational. The station was
relocated at least twice and is currently used as a private
residence.
The second CPR Lacombe station was a unique variation of two
similar stations in Alberta at Coronation and Hardisty. Located on
the main Edmonton-Calgary line, the station also served the line
east to Coronation. It was demolished in 1978 but replicated as an
office building on the opposite side of the tracks in 2007.
The
second CPR Wetaskiwin station was built with a unique second
storey treatment of a curved swept dormer. The ground floor is
somewhat similar to the second Lacombe station. Located on the main
Edmonton-Calgary line, the station also served the line east to
Camrose, Saskatoon and Winnipeg. Currently used for commercial use.
In addition to these five stations, several other station designs
were built in Central Alberta, including at least 12 distinct styles
of Canadian Pacific stations plus variations and 8 styles of
Canadian National stations most of which were originally either
Canadian Northern or Grand Trunk Pacific styles.
Stations in Central Alberta by design style:
Canadian Pacific;
Canadian National
Stations in Central Alberta by railroad included:
Canadian Pacific
Stations along the former
Calgary & Edmonton Railway
(mainline between Calgary and Edmonton built
1890-91; still active)
Red Deer Subdivision south of Red Deer
Red
Deer (division point 1908 to present) original
wood combination station built in
1891 (similar to Innisfail, Olds, Ponoka, first Lacombe
and first Wetaskiwin stations); moved south for construction of new station and
converted to
freight house; demolished 1965;
new brick station (126'x36') completed in 1910;
expanded 1912; major
renovation 1969; passenger service ended 1985; closed 1991
with rail yard relocation to west side of city; station restored
1996, designated historic site and used for offices; railyard land
redeveloped for commercial and residential
Penhold built 1904 (CPR Standard #2
similar to Bowden and Blackfalds stations); renovated 1941; demolished; replicated as office building
a few blocks from original site
Innisfail
built 1890
(similar to Olds and Ponoka stations that survived into the 1960s) closed 1961; demolished; replaced by cinder block station
further north
Bowden built 1904 (CPR Standard #2 similar to Penhold and
Blackfalds stations); closed 1968; relocated to Historical
Village Innisfail 1974
Olds built 1891 (wood combination station similar to Innisfail,
Carstairs, Ponoka and first Red Deer, Lacombe, Wetaskiwin stations),
addition 1913; closed 1962;
demolished; replaced by cinder block station
Didsbury built 1904 (Pratt style); addition 1907; retired 1977; turned 180 degrees & restored 1991;
provincial historic site; community use
Carstairs built 1891 (wood combination station similar to
Olds); demolished
1978
Crossfield built 1904 (CPR Standard #2 similar to Bowden
station) destroyed by fire; replaced 1933 with CPR Standard #4
station; retired; removed 1974 private residence
Airdrie built 1890 (wood combination station similar to Olds); removed
Canadian Pacific
Stations along the
former
Calgary & Edmonton Railway
(mainline between Calgary and Edmonton built
1890-91; still active)
Leduc
Subdivision north of Red Deer
Blackfalds built 1904 (CPR Standard #2 similar to Bowden and
Penhold stations); sold 1968; demolished
Lacombe original wooden combination station built 1892
(similar to Ponoka, Innisfail and Olds and first Red Deer and
Wetaskiwin stations); addition 1910; damaged by explosion 1911 (1
person killed); special woodframe station built 1911; opened late
1911 before completion in early 1912; closed 1968; demolished 1978; replicated as office
building 2007 on opposite side of tracks
Ponoka
combination station built 1891 (similar to Innisfail and Olds stations and
first Red Deer, Lacombe and Wetaskiwin stations); demolished
Hobbema (now Maskwacis) first station portable; new station built 1928 (CPR
Standard #14A similar to Sylvan Lake, Benalto, Bentley and Stettler
stations); sold 1968
Wetaskiwin original wooden combination station built 1891
(similar to Ponoka, Innisfail and Olds station and first Lacombe and
Red Deer stations); new station built 1907-08; addition 1913; still
onsite; scaled down replication built at Alberta
Central Railway Museum southeast of city
Millet first station portable 1902; new station built 1907
(CPR Standard #5 similar to Alix and first Stettler station); sold
1968
Leduc original combination station (similar to Ponoka,
Innisfail and Olds stations); replaced by Standard A2 Western
station 1914; demolished 1985
Nisku portable placed 1929
Ellerslie portable placed 1918; relocated to Sedgewick 1929
Strathcona (South Edmonton) original wooden combination
station built 1891 (similar to Leduc, Ponoka, Wetaskiwin, Lacombe,
Red Deer, Innisfail, Olds); replaced by special brick station built
1908
Canadian Pacific
Stations along the former Alberta Central
Railway west of Red Deer (Alberta Central Subdivision)
(line built 1910-14; closed 1981)
Red Deer built 1911 never used as station; relocated twice as
private residence; now west of Red Deer
Mintlaw small station demolished or removed
Sylvan Lake
original portable replaced by CPR Standard #14A
in 1924 (similar to Benalto, Hobbema, Bentley and Stettler
stations); sold 1969
Benalto
original portable replaced by CPR Standard #14A in 1928 (similar
to Sylvan Lake station); sold 1970;
relocated twice as private residence to locations near Red Deer;
donated and relocated back to Benalto 2013
Eckville portable demolished or removed
Condor portable demolished or removed
Alhambra portable demolished or removed
Rocky Mountain House (Lochearn) original station replaced by CPR
Standard A3 station in 1920 in downtown Rocky Mountain House; shared
with Canadian National, at times with services by both railways; closed and sold; destroyed by fire 1967
Canadian Pacific
Stations along the Lacombe Subdivision
east of Lacombe
(line built 1905-06; used frequently Red Deer to Joffre area and occasionally to Stettler)
Clive built 1912 (CPR Standard A2 Western); sold 1968
Tees built around 1905; relocated to Paskapoo Park in Rimbey
1979
Alix built 1910 (CPR Standard #5); demolished 1958
Nevis built 1912 (CPR Standard A2 Western); sold 1964
Erskine built 1910 (CPR Standard A2 Western); demolished 1968
Stettler original built 1905 (CPR Standard #5)destroyed by
fire 1925; new station built 1925 (CPR Standard #14A similar to
Sylvan Lake, Benalto, Bentley and Hobbema stations); retired 1968; demolished
Botha, Gadsby built 1910 (CPR Standard #5); retired 1968
Castor built 1910 (CPR Standard #5); destroyed by fire 1937;
replaced by CPR Standard A2 Western; sold 1969; preserved as museum
Canadian Pacific
Stations along the
Wetaskiwin Subdivision east of Wetaskiwin
(line built 1905; Winnipeg to Edmonton line still active)
Bittern Lake built 1911 (CPR Standard A2 Western); sold
1961; demolished
Ervick built 1906 (CPR Standard #5); removed
Camrose original station built 1907 (CPR Standard #10); replaced 1956 with masonry special station;
removed; demolished
Canadian Pacific
Stations along the
former Lacombe & Blindman Valley Railway
(later renamed
Lacombe and Northwestern Railway and later Hoadley subdivision)
west of Lacombe
(built 1917-19; used occasionally)
Aspen Beach/Gull Lake small station with wide roofline built 1917;
closed in the 1950s and sold, donated to Gull Lake 1998, currently
used as museum
Bentley portable 1917; new station built 1929 (CPR Standard #14A
similar to Sylvan Lake, Benalto, Hobbema and Stettler stations);
retired 1968; demolished
Rimbey portable 1920; removed
Canadian Pacific
Stations along the
Acme Subdivision northeast of Calgary
(branchline built 1930 from Acme; abandoned
1995; donated to Trans Canada Trail Foundation)
Wimborne portable 1930; sold 1969
Torrington built 1930 (CPR Standard #14A similar to Sylvan
Lake, Benalto, Stettler); sold 1969; demolished
Acme built 1910 (CPR Standard #5 similar to Gull Lake); sold 1969
Canadian Pacific
Stations along the
Langdon Subdivision northeast of Calgary
(line built 1910 from Calgary to Acme; extended to East Coulee 1928;
abandoned 1995)
Beiseker built 1910 (CPR Standard A2 Western); sold 1970; now
museum & town hall
Irricana built 1910 (CPR Standard #5 similar to Alix and 1st
Stettler); removed
Canadian National
Stations along the
former Canadian Northern
Western Railway (Brazeau subdivision) Mirror-Red Deer-Rocky
Mountain House-Nordegg
(line still active from Mirror to Rocky Mountain House and Ram
River)
Red Deer built 1923 (replacing temporary station) as a
modified one-of-a-kind Canadian National
Railways third class station similar to but significantly different
than the Canadian Northern third class stations; last passenger
service 1955; closed and demolished 1960 with yards relocated to
north side of river and land redeveloped for
Co-op Shopping Centre
Canadian National
Stations along the
former Canadian Northern
Western Railway (Brazeau subdivision) Mirror-Red Deer-Rocky
Mountain House-Nordegg
(line still active from Mirror to Rocky Mountain House and Ram
River)
Brazeau subdivision west
of Red Deer to Rocky Mountain House:
Briggs built 1919 Freight and passenger shelter
Sylvan Lake built 1913 (CNor 3rd class); demolished or removed
Elspeth built 1913 (CNor 3rd class); demolished
Eckville built 1912 (CNor 3rd class); demolished or removed
Leslieville built 1912 (CNor
3rd class); stucco applied 1945; demolished or removed
Rocky Mountain House Lochearn station built by and shared
with Canadian Pacific as a CPR Standard A3 in 1920; destroyed by
fire 1967
Canadian National
Stations along the
former Canadian Northern
Western Railway (Brazeau subdivision) Mirror-Red Deer-Rocky
Mountain House-Nordegg
(line still active from Mirror to Rocky Mountain House and Ram
River)
Brazeau subdivision west of
Rocky Mountain House (abandoned 1955)
Horberg built 1918 Freight and passenger shelter; closed
1955; removed 1959
Saunders built 1918 Freight and passenger shelter; closed
1955; removed 1959
Alexo/Stolberg built 1924 Freight and passenger shelter
Nordegg/Brazeau built 1914 (CNor 3rd class); stuccoed 1945; closed 1955;
sold 1962; demolished
or removed
Canadian National
Stations along the
former Canadian Northern
Western Railway (Brazeau subdivision)
Mirror-Red Deer-Rocky
Mountain House-Nordegg
(line still active from Mirror to Rocky Mountain House and Ram
River)Brazeau subdivision east of Red Deer to Alix Jct.:
Burbank built 1915 Freight and passenger
shelter; relocated 1959
Prentiss built 1912 (CNor 3rd class) demolished or removed
Joffre built 1916 Freight and passenger shelter; destroyed by
fire 1961
Haynes built 1913 (CNor 3rd class); sold 1963; demolished or removed
Canadian National
Stations along the
former Canadian Northern
Western Railway (Brazeau subdivision) Mirror-Red Deer-Rocky
Mountain House-Nordegg
(line still active from Mirror to Rocky Mountain House and Ram
River)
Endiang subdivision (originally part of Brazeau sub) east
of Alix to Warden (abandoned)
Alix built 1912 (CNor 3rd class); abandoned 1922 after
creation of Canadian National and change of crew from Big Valley to
Mirror; relocated to GTP site for Three Hills sub station in 1927;
demolished 1975
Nevis built 1912 (CNor 3rd class); sold 1962
Warden Jct. (on Stettler sub) built 1915 (CNor 4th class);
destroyed by fire 1919; replaced by CNor 3rd class station 1919;
stuccoed 1942; sold and demolished 1984
Canadian National
Stations along the former Grand Trunk Pacific
Railway
Three Hills subdivision south of Mirror (mainline between Calgary
and Edmonton still active)
Mirror
(division point) built 1911 (GTP Design 'E' - larger version of Type
E); stucco applied
1944; destroyed by fire 1975
Alix built 1911 (GTP Type E); converted to section house
1927; CNor 3rd class station relocated to site 1927 - demolished
1975
Ardley built 1911 (GTP Type E); stucco applied 1936; closed
1965; purchased for $30 and relocated 1967 to farm outside of community
Delburne built 1912 (GTP Type E); stucco applied 1922; relocated a few blocks
in 1978 to Anthony Henday Museum
Lousana built 1912 (GTP Type E); retired 1959; demolished or
removed
Elnora built 1911 (GTP Type E); stucco applied 1922;
demolished 1975
Huxley built 1913 (GTP Type E); stucco applied 1922;
demolished 1976
Trochu built 1912 (GTP Type E); replaced 1959
Three Hills built 1912 (GTP Type E); replaced 1919 (GTP Type
F stucco); relocated a few blocks to Kneehill Historical Museum
Swalwell (GTP Type E) built 1912
Grainger (GTP Type F) built 1919
Bircham (GTP Type E) built 1912
Beiseker (GTP Type E) built 1913
Irricana (GTP Type E) built 1911
(Over 350 stations in the Class E category were built in Western
Canada)
Canadian National
Stations along the former Canadian Northern
Alberta Midland Railway south and north of Stettler
(line abandoned but portion between Stettler and Big Valley used by Alberta
Prairie Steam Tours)
Big Valley (division point 1914-1923) built 1912
(CNor Second
class); closed 1967; restored as historic site and terminus of Alberta Prairie
Steam Tours
Stettler built 1911 (CNor Second class); relocated a few blocks to Town & Country
Museum Stettler
Warden built 1919 (CNor 3rd class); stucco applied 1942; demolished 1984
Red Willow built 1910 (CNor 3rd class); demolished 1984
Donalda built 1911 (CNor 3rd class); stucco applied 1937; demolished;
CNor 4th class 1909 station
relocated to site from Vandura Saskatchewan and restored
Meeting Creek built 1913 (CNor 3rd class); stucco applied
1937; closed 1981; restored
1987
Edberg built 1910 (CNor 3rd class); sold 1983
Camrose built 1911
(CNor 3rd class); stucco applied 1937; closed 1988; restored 1993;
used as museum and headquarters for CNor Historical Society
Canadian National
Canadian Northern Stettler subdivision south of Big Valley
Scollard built 1911 (CNor 3rd class)
Rumsey built 1912 (CNor 3rd class)
Rowley built 1922 (CNor 3rd class)
Morrin built 1912 (CNor 3rd class)
Railway Station Architecture as a Heritage and
Tourism Theme
Photo descriptions and credits:
Header: Red Deer CPR 1910 station, park and C&ER 1891 combination
station as freight house 1911
(Red Deer Archives P3202);
Red Deer CPR 1910 station streetside (Paul Pettypiece 2007);
Red Deer CNR 1923 station 1955 (Red Deer Archives P7009);
former relocated ACR station now residence (Paul Pettypiece 2009);
Wetaskiwin CPR 1908 station 1914 (source unknown);
Red Deer CPR 1910 station, park and C&ER 1891 combination station as
freight house 1911
(Red Deer Archives P3202);
Red Deer CPR 1910 station trackside (Paul Pettypiece 1985);
Penhold 1904 CPR early standard #2 station RCAF recruits 1940 (Red
Deer Archives P3416);
Innisfail Calgary & Edmonton Railway 1891 station 1890s (Glenbow
Archives NA-1709-71);
Bowden CPR 1904 standard #2 station at Innisfail Historical Village
(Paul Pettypiece 2009);
Didsbury 1904 CPR Pratt station (Paul Pettypiece 2011);
Crossfield 1933 CPR standard #4A station relocated as residence
(Paul Pettypiece 2012);
Lacombe CPR 1911 special woodframe station 1916 (Canadian Pacific
Archives);
Ponoka C&ER 1891 combination station c1910 (Fort Ostell Museum
Ponoka);
Wetaskiwin 1908 CPR station 1914 (source unknown);
Leduc CPR standard A2 Western station 1972 (source unknown);
former relocated ACR 1911 station now residence (Paul Pettypiece
2009);
Sylvan Lake 1924 CPR standard #14A station (source unknown)
former Benalto CPR 1928 standard #14A station as residence (Paul
Pettypiece 2009);
Clive CPR standard A2 Western station (date and source unknown);
Stettler CPR standard #14A station (source & date unknown);
Camrose 1907 CPR standard #10 station 1911 (Glenbow Archives
NA-4014-16);
Aspen Beach Gull Lake CPR station (source & date unknown);
Beiseker 1910 CPR standard A2 Western station (Paul Pettypiece
2011);
Red Deer CNR 1923 station 1955 (Red Deer Archives P7009);
Sylvan Lake CNoR 1913 3rd class station c1940 (Sylvan Lake Archives);
Rocky Mountain House Lochearn CPR 1920 standard A3 station 1921
(source unknown);
Prentiss 1912 Canadian Northern 3rd class station 1945 (Ellis
photo);
Ardley GTP 1911 type E station now farm building (Paul Pettypiece
2010);
Mirror 1911 Grand Trunk Pacific Design E station (date & source
unknown);
Delburne GTP 1912 type E station at Anthony Henday Museum (Paul
Pettypiece 2007);
Three Hills 1919 Grand Trunk Pacific type F station at Kneehill
Historical Museum (Paul Pettypiece 2012);
Big Valley CNor 1912 2nd class station restored (Paul Pettypiece
2007);
Stettler 1911 Canadian Northern 2nd class station (Paul Pettypiece
2010);
Meeting Creek 1913 Canadian Northern 3rd class station restored
(Paul Pettypiece 2013);
Camrose CNor 1911 3rd class station restored (Paul Pettypiece 2013);
Rowley CNor 1922 3rd class station restored (Paul Pettypiece 2012)
Photos courtesy of Red Deer Archives, Glenbow Archives, Canadian
Pacific Archives, Sylvan Lake Archives, Fort Ostell Museum Ponoka and
Paul Pettypiece. A few have an unknown source.
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