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Canadian Pacific Railway Stations
built in Central Alberta
revised and updated March 2022
Photo descriptions
and credits at bottom of page.
 Usually, when a new rail line was built, the railway placed a
temporary (sometimes a boxcar) or portable station at a location
until it was determined what kind of station would be appropriate.
Sometimes the 'temporary' station was in place for several years.
The following are some of the 'permanent' stations built by the CPR
in Central Alberta. In many cases, the 'permanent' station was
replaced by a larger one if the railway or the community had special
significance and usually they were 2 storeys.
 Wood Combination Station and Freight House
(1891)
The
Calgary & Edmonton Railway was constructed from Calgary to Red Deer
in the fall of 1890 and continued on to Edmonton the following
spring. Stations were primarily boxcars until, in 1891, the railway
built a cookie-cutter combination station and freight house
approximately every twenty miles along the route. Each was
constructed in about three weeks.
 They
started out virtually identical but over the next several years,
modifications were made to each station to make them more functional
according to the needs of the community and station master resulting
in some distinction but the primary characteristics remained.
 Besides Red Deer, this design
was built south at Innisfail, Olds, Carstairs and Airdrie. North of
Red Deer, they were built at Lacombe, Ponoka,
Wetaskiwin, Leduc and Strathcona.
 By 1914, the stations at Red Deer,
Lacombe, Wetaskiwin and Strathcona were replaced by larger stations
and the original stations were relocated and converted to freight
sheds that were in use until the 1950s. The stations at Ponoka,
Innisfail and Olds
remained as the principal station also until the 1950s. The
Innisfail and Olds stations were replaced by unimaginative and
utilitarian cinder block buildings. South of
Calgary, similar stations were built at High River, Claresholm,
Okotoks, Nanton, and De Winton.
The Calgary & Edmonton Railway (owned partially by railway builders
McKenzie and Mann as well as James Ross, a contractor with the CPR)
leased the line to the CPR until the CPR purchased it outright.
These and similar stations were built in Saskatchewan and Manitoba
on railway lines built by railway developers McKenzie and Mann who
eventually formed the Canadian Northern Railway which competed with
the CPR.
A replica of this type is located in South Edmonton (Strathcona)
based on the Innisfail station although the freight shed portion was
not replicated.
See
C&ER combination station and
freight house page for more detailed information
including renderings of all 4 views of the station and interior
layout.
CPR Standard Portable Stations (1902-1931)
About 400 of these small stations were built in Western Canada and,
in many communities, the 'portable' station was the only one they
ever had. Some portables replaced even smaller temporary stations.
Many portables were replaced by larger stations and were repurposed
for a variety of uses including freight houses or bunk houses. Some
portable stations were moved from place to place and occasionally
replaced larger stations when they were no longer needed.
Portables were used in many Central Alberta communities including
Penhold, Bowden, Hobbema, Millet, Ellerslie, Nisku, Tees, Mintlaw,
Cygnet, Sylvan Lake, Rocky Mountain House, Eckville, Bentley, Rimbey
and Wimborne to name a few.
At least four of this type have survived in Central Alberta, the
Hobbema station at the ACR Museum near Wetaskiwin, the Tees
station at Paskapoo Park in Rimbey, and two privately owned -- the
Wimborne and Sunnyslope stations.
More info on
CPR Portable Stations
CPR
Standard #2 Station (1904)
 The
Calgary & Edmonton Railway, operated by the Canadian Pacific
Railway, had stations approximately every 10 miles. The combination
station and freight house described above were located about every
20 miles. The intermediate stations had portables until more
substantial stations were constructed several years later.
The following four early Standard #2 stations along the line were the only ones of
their type built in Alberta. From the basic structure built in 1904,
the Bowden station was expanded on one side for a freight shed while
the Penhold station was expanded/renovated on both sides, in each
case maintaining the high roof line. Other later versions of this
station style built in other provinces had a lower roof line for
freight house expansions.
 Penhold
(C & E Railway arrived 1890)
 built 1904 to replace small temporary station;
renovated 1941; closed and demolished 1969; later version of this
station style with lower freight shed roof line has been replicated
for use as an office building
a few blocks from original site
 Blackfalds
(C & E Railway arrived 1891)
built 1904 to replace small temporary station; sold
1968; demolished
 Bowden
(C & E Railway arrived 1890)
built 1904 to replace small temporary station;
relocated from west side of tracks to east side in 1920s; closed 1968; relocated to
Innisfail Historical
Village in 1974 for use as museum; currently houses
historical model rail exhibit as well as Forth Junction artifacts
acquired from the closed Calgary & Edmonton station museum that was
located in south Edmonton in a replicated 1891 C&ER combination
station.
 Crossfield
(C & E Railway arrived 1890)
built 1904 to replace small temporary station;
destroyed by fire 1933; replaced by standard #4A
(see below)
The Standard #2 station design was typically 87'x24' including 40' freight house with
waiting room, office and baggage/express, plus living room and
kitchen on the main floor and 3 bedrooms upstairs for the station
agent's family.
In Saskatchewan, 16 of this type were built but only 1 in Manitoba.
CPR Pratt Station House Didsbury (1904)
 An exception to building the #2 stations at
intermediate points along the Calgary & Edmonton Railway was the
Pratt empire-style station at Didsbury.
Didsbury
(C & E Railway arrived 1890)
built 1904 to replace small temporary station;
addition 1907; retired 1977; donated to town 1991, turned 180 degrees & restored;
provincial historic site; community use
Typically, these stations were originally 32'x24' plus 30' freight
shed, often with expanded freight shed (as was the case with
Didsbury).
Similar stations were built in Alberta at Bassano and Cochrane. A
total of 4 were built in Alberta, 2 in Saskatchewan and 11 in
Manitoba.
CPR Standard #10 Station (1905-1910)
 Camrose (Sparling)
(Wetaskiwin subdivision arrived 1905)
built 1907 to replace small temporary station.
The town gained further importance with the arrival of Canadian
Northern in 1909 and Grand Trunk Pacific in 1911; replaced in 1956 with
masonry special station
(see below)
 Castor
(Lacombe
subdivision arrived 1910)
built 1910,
destroyed by fire 1937, replaced by Standard A2 Western station
relocated from Loyalist
(see below)
This station was typically 73'x22' but varied in
size. It usually had an express room and baggage
room in addition to a large general waiting room, ladies waiting
room, office and freight house (which in itself varied in size). The
smallest version (#5) was typically 50'x22' with smaller waiting rooms
and no express room. All had four rooms on the second floor for either
the station agent's family or
train crews.
This type of station was usually built at junctions with other
branches or railways, or where there was a need for crew changes.
There were similar stations at Provost, Exshaw, Vulcan and
double-gabled variants at Brooks and Taber.
 There
is no indication that any of this station type survived in Central
Alberta. However, the Bassano station (162'x20' including freight
shed - built 1911-12 to replace Pratt station, was one of the largest wooden stations still in existence in
Western Canada) was sold by CPR in 2010 and was
moved to the Beiseker Railway Museum in 2012 but prior to
renovation, suspiciously burned down in 2015.
CPR Standard #5 Station (1905-1910)
The Standard #5 was a variation and smaller version of the #10
and was much more common. They were generally built at small communities along branchlines.
These stations are sometimes referred to as Standard #10 small.
However, they often look larger when they have longer (sometimes
much longer) freight sheds attached. They are recognized by narrower
or fewer window treatments and a smaller second storey.
Millet
(C & E Railway arrived 1891)
built 1907 to replace portable built 1902, sold 1968, relocated
except for freight shed which was demolished
 Alix
(Lacombe subdivision arrived 1905)
built 1910 to replace small temporary station. The
station had some importance as a junction with the north-south Grand
Trunk Pacific when it crossed the CP at grade in 1912; demolished
1958
 Stettler
(Lacombe subdivision arrived 1905)
built 1905. The station gained further importance with the
arrival in Stettler of the Canadian Northern in 1911; station
destroyed by fire 1925; replaced by Standard 14A station
(see below)
built 1925
Botha, Gadsby, Halkirk
(Lacombe subdivision arrived 1905)
all built 1910, all retired 1968 and believed to have
been demolished
Similar stations were built in Alberta at Irricana, Ervick, Acme, Daysland and several others.
 This station was typically 50'x22'
and had a general waiting room, ladies waiting
room, office and freight house (which in itself varied in size). It
also usually had four small bedrooms on the second floor for the station agent's
family. None of this station type is believed to have survived in
Central Alberta. There is a surviving station of this type at Arborg,
Manitoba.
The #10 and #5 standard stations were among the most common
station types built between 1905 and 1910. A total of 51 were built in Alberta, 81 in
Saskatchewan and 10 in Manitoba.
 Wetaskiwin Special WF (woodframe)
Station (1907)
(C&E/CPR Leduc/Wetaskiwin subdivisions)
New station built 1907-08 to replace
combination station; addition 1913; still onsite; scaled down replication
built at Alberta
Central Railway Museum southeast of city
Other Special WF (Woodframe) stations with various designs were built in Alberta
Red
Deer
 Special L Station (1910 - Plan X-20B)
Federal, provincial and municipal historic designations
(C&E/CPR Red Deer/Leduc subdivisions)
New brick station (foundation 112'x32', roofline 126'x36', large
waiting room ceiling 14', baggage room, express office, ticket
office, washrooms on main floor and train crew apartments on upper
floor) completed in late 1910 at the head of Ross Street to replace
combination station to the north (see above); components include
sandstone and local brick;
expanded by 20' 1912;
 major renovation 1969; passenger service ended 1985;
closed 1991 with rail yard relocation to west side of city;
The Red Deer station was federally designated
a protected historic site in 1990 (days before it was scheduled for
demolition), a municipal historic site in 1991 and provincial
historic resource in 1993: purchased and restored in 1996; renovated
for use as commercial and
office space; former CPR railyard redeveloped for commercial, residential
and major roadway use.
Similar stations (each architecturally unique but with octagonal
towers) were built at Lethbridge in 1905, Medicine Hat in 1906, Strathcona
in 1907 and Saskatoon in 1907.
See
Red Deer CPR 1910 Station page for more detailed information
including renderings of all 4 views of the station at different
years.
CPR Branchline Subdivision Depot
(1910-1911)
Plan E-22-2
Hardisty
(Hardisty/Wetaskiwin subdivisions)
built 1910 replacing a portable station erected earlier the same
year; purchased by town; sold 2008; relocated, restored and used as
private residence
Coronation
(Coronation/Lacombe subdivisions)
built 1911, shared with Canadian Northern Railway which had running
rights from Alliance to Youngstown, demolished 1988
These were the only two of this type built in Alberta (although the
Lacombe station (see below) was very similar in appearance). Six were
built in Saskatchewan between 1908 and 1913 including the stations
at Kerrobert, Wilkie and Outlook. The stations were
typically 114'x26' with no agent accommodation or room for LCL (less
than carload) in the station itself but
did have an express room and baggage room. A separate freight house
was usually attached.
 Lacombe
Special WF Station (1911)
(C&E/CPR Leduc/Lacombe subdivisions)
New special woodframe station built 1911
similar to Branchline Subdivision Depot (see above) to replace combination station damaged by an explosion; closed
1968; demolished 1978; replicated as office
building on opposite side of tracks 2007
CPR Standard A2 Western (1911-1918) Plan WLS-4
 Leduc
(C & E Railway arrived 1891)
built 1914 to replace wood combination station and freight house,
demolished 1985
Clive
(Lacombe subdivision arrived
1905)
built 1912 to replace small temporary
station; sold 1968
Nevis
(Lacombe subdivision arrived
1905)
built 1912, sold 1964
Erskine
(Lacombe subdivision arrived
1905)
built 1910, demolished 1968
Castor
(Lacombe subdivision arrived
1910)
1918 station relocated from Loyalist in 1937 to replace
CPR Standard #10 station destroyed
by fire; sold 1969; relocated in 1998, restored and currently home
of the Castor District Museum
Consort
(Coronation subdivision arrived
1912)
 built 1912, destroyed by fire 1957
Bittern Lake
(Wetaskiwin subdivision
arrived 1905)
built 1911 to replace small temporary station;
sold 1961; demolished
Beiseker
(Langdon subdivision)
built 1910, sold 1970, preserved as museum and town office
Similar stations were built in Alberta at Veteran, Fleet, Carseland,
Canmore,
Midnapore
(now part of Calgary) (built 1910, closed 1918, relocated to Calgary
Heritage Park 1964, restored as active station),
Manyberries
(southeast corner of Alberta)
(built 1917, closed 1981, abandoned 1991, sold 1995, privately owned, restored as bed and breakfast
1999)
Typically 55'x24', a total of 57 of this type were built in Alberta, 121 in Saskatchewan
and 19 in Manitoba, and were among the most common of stations.
Red
Deer
Alberta Central Railway Station
(1911)
(ACR launched 1910)
station built 1911 in new yard east of Piper
Creek, never used as station; relocated twice as
private residence; now west of Red Deer; effectively one-of-a-kind.
CPR
Standard A3 (1910-1920)
Plan WLS-13
Rocky Mountain House (Lochearn)
(Alberta Central subdivision and CNR Brazeau sub)
built 1920 to
replace temporary station built 1915; shared with Canadian National;
originally lettered as 'Lochearn' but later lettered 'Rocky Mtn
House'; closed 1966; sold;
destroyed by fire 1967
Similar stations were built in Alberta at Vegreville, Carbon,
Cardston, Clandonald, Myrnam, Lloydminster
A total of 11 were built in Alberta, 36 in Saskatchewan and 25 in
Manitoba
Gull
Lake/Aspen Beach Station (1917)
Lacombe and Blindman Valley Electric Railway (renamed Lacombe & North Western Railway in
1918, acquired by CPR 1928 as the Hoadley subdivision).
Unique small one-storey station with wide roofline built 1917.
Mixed trains used the station until it was closed and sold in the
1950s, used as chicken coop for several years, donated to the Summer
Village of Gull Lake in 1998 for use as a museum.
CPR Standard #14A (1924-1930) Plan WLS-16
 Sylvan Lake
(Alberta Central subdivision)
built 1924 (one of first of this design to be
built) to replace smaller temporary station; some decorative
modification to the roofline uncharacteristic of the Standard #14A; sold 1969
 Benalto
(Alberta Central subdivision)
built 1928 to replace small temporary station; sold
1970;
relocated twice as private residence to locations near Red Deer;
donated and relocated to Benalto 2013; renovated and currently used
as community centre
Stettler
(Lacombe subdivision)
built 1925 to replace Standard #10 destroyed by fire; retired 1968; demolished
Hobbema
(C&E/CPR Leduc subdivision)
built 1928 to replace small station; sold 1968
 Bentley
(Hoadley subdivision formerly
Lacombe & Blindman Valley)
built 1929 to
replace portable station; retired 1968; demolished
Torrington
(Acme subdivision)
built 1930; sold 1969; demolished
Similar stations were built in Alberta at East
Coulee and several others. A total of 32 of this type were built in Alberta, 31 in
Saskatchewan and 5 in Manitoba.
CPR Standard #4A Station (1903-1951) Plan
WLS-23
 Crossfield
(C & E Railway arrived 1890)
built 1933 to replace a Standard #2 station that had been destroyed
by fire; retired; removed in 1974, used as private residence
Typically, this one-storey 50'x17' #4A station contained a waiting room,
office, express room, and freight room. A similar station was built
at McLennan the same year and two others were built in 1942 at
Breton and Pearce. Earlier versions, referred
to as CPR Standard #4, were built in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Special Late Masonry Cinder-Block Stations (1956)
 Camrose
(Wetaskiwin subdivision)
Masonry special station built 1956 to replace
Standard #10 station; removed and demolished
Innisfail
(C&E/CPR Red Deer subdivision)
built 1961;
removed
Olds
(C&E/CPR Red Deer subdivision)
built 1962;
no longer in use
Photo descriptions and credits:
Header: CPR Red Deer 1910 brick station, C&ER 1891 station
as freight shed and park c1912 colourized
(Red Deer Archives P8737);
Rendering of CPR portable station (Paul Pettypiece);
Rendering of C&ER Red Deer combination station in 1891 (Paul Pettypiece);
Rendering of C&ER Innisfail combination station in 1911 (Paul Pettypiece);
Red Deer C&ER combination station 1905 (Red Deer Archives
P3201);
Innisfail Calgary & Edmonton Railway 1891 station 1890s (Glenbow
Archives NA-1709-71);
Rendering of CPR portable station (Paul Pettypiece);
Hobbema (now Maskwacis 2014) portable station at Alberta Central
Railway Museum (Paul Pettypiece 2009);
Rendering of CPR early (1904) standard #2 station Bowden (Paul Pettypiece);
Penhold 1904 CPR early standard #2 station RCAF recruits 1940 (Red
Deer Archives P3416);
Rendering of CPR early standard #2 station Penhold in 1968 (Paul
Pettypiece);
Replicated Penhold station as office building (Paul Pettypiece
2006);
Blackfalds 1904 CPR early standard #2 station (Blackfalds Historical
Society);
Bowden 1904 CPR early standard #2 station restored at Innisfail
Historical Village (Paul Pettypiece 2009);
Crossfield 1904 CPR early standard #2 station c1912 (Glenbow
Archives NA-5336-10);
Rendering of CPR early standard #2 station Bowden in 1968 (Paul Pettypiece);
Didsbury 1904 CPR Pratt station (Paul Pettypiece 2011);
Camrose 1907 CPR standard #10 station 1911 (Glenbow Archives
NA-4014-16);
Castor 1910 CPR standard #10 station c1925 (Glenbow Archives
NA-4013-1765);
Rendering of CPR standard #10 station (Paul Pettypiece);
Bassano 1911 CPR standard #10 station (OKthePK, photographer
unknown);
Alix 1910 CPR standard #5 station (Glenbow Archives via Peels Prairie Postcards 1910);
Stettler 1905 CPR standard #5 station 1920 (source unknown);
Rendering of CPR standard #5 station (Paul Pettypiece);
Wetaskiwin 1908 CPR station 1914 (source unknown);
Rendering of 1910 Red Deer CPR brick chateau-style station
streetside (Paul Pettypiece);
New Red Deer CPR brick chateau-style station & 1891 C&ER
combination station 1910 (Red Deer
Archives);
Rendering of 1910 Red Deer CPR brick chateau-style station in 1985
streetside (Paul Pettypiece);
Red Deer 1910 CPR brick chateau-style station trackside (Paul Pettypiece 1985);
Coronation 1911 CPR branchline station 1912 (Glenbow Archives
NA-3960-8);
Lacombe 1911 CPR special woodframe station 1916 (Canadian Pacific
Archives);
Leduc CPR standard A2 Western station 1972 (source unknown);
Clive CPR standard A2 Western station (date and source unknown);
Rendering of CPR standard A2 Western station (Paul Pettypiece);
Beiseker 1910 CPR standard A2 Western station (Paul Pettypiece
2011);
former relocated never-used 1911 Alberta Central Railway station as
current residence (Paul Pettypiece 2009);
Rocky Mountain House/Lochearn 1920 CPR standard A3 station 1921
(source unknown);
Aspen Beach Gull Lake CPR station (source & date unknown);
Sylvan Lake 1924 CPR standard #14A station (source unknown)
former Benalto 1928 CPR standard #14A station relocated as residence (Paul Pettypiece 2009);
Stettler 1925 CPR standard #14A station (source & date unknown);
Rendering of CPR standard #14A station (Paul Pettypiece);
Crossfield 1933 CPR standard #4A station relocated as residence
(Paul Pettypiece 2012);
Innisfail 1961 CPR cinder-block station (Paul Pettypiece 1985)
Note: All renderings are the
intellectual property of Paul Pettypiece and may only be used for
personal or historical use.
Photos courtesy of Red Deer Archives, Glenbow Archives, Canadian
Pacific Archives, Blackfalds Historical Society and
Paul Pettypiece. Several have an unknown source.
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