Railway
heritage
reprinted from Red Deer
Advocate (Paul Cowley) June 14, 2010
and Central Alberta Life June 17, 2010
Lots of train
history here in Central Alberta, say enthusiasts
Paul Pettypiece: fascinated by trains
Photo by
Jerry Gerling, Red Deer Advocate
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Like many who have set down roots in Red Deer, the area's natural
beauty was a major draw for Paul Pettypiece.
But there was something else that caught his eye when he moved to
the city in 1973 from Manitoba, after discovering he hated (the
traffic congestion of) his
intended destination of Calgary.
"I was really fascinated by the railway heritage," he said. "It's
always been somewhat of an interest, but it really peaked when I
came here."
For train enthusiasts, Red Deer offers a gold mine of relatively
obscure rail history. No fewer than four railroads have served the
area over the last century.
Remnants of that history are scattered about. The old rail bridge
over the river near Riverside Meadows, the bridge abutment next to
Taylor Drive for the long-defunct Alberta Central Railway, and a
97-year-old Mintlaw trestle for the same railway company over the
Red Deer River in the county. Of course, the most visible reminder
of the city's past rail glory is the well-preserved train station
that still sits at the head of Ross Street, now converted into
office space.
"They're kind of disconnected and people don't really understand how
they are connected," he said.
When the city began taking a serious look at the potential for the
downtown area a few years ago, Pettypiece and others with an
interest in rail and transportation history saw an opportunity to
present their own vision.
A proposal was submitted that has since been refined into a more
elaborate and ambitious project billed as the Forth Junction
Project.
At the heart of the project would be The Crossing, which is
envisioned as "Canada's only trail-rail-transit family
entertainment-retail-heritage tourist and community attraction." It
would feature indoor gathering area, perhaps echoing a roundhouse
theme, retail, indoor theme park, ground transportation heritage
centre, and an observation restaurant modelled on the Prairies'
once-ubiquitous grain elevators.
Initial plans propose centres showcasing wagon, rail and transit
heritage and a space devoted to the future of transportation, which
could feature an example of high-speed rail technology. A model
railway display would also be a prime attraction, said Pettypiece,
who is an avid model railway fan with 40 locomotives and 500 cars in
his N-scale collection.
A replica could also be created of the Jubilee 3001 "The Chinook"
engine that sped between Edmonton and Calgary and was one of the
fastest engines of its day. Only five were built and none survived.
Pettypiece said the Forth Junction Heritage Society wants to make a
mark with the project. "We want it to be a landmark building that
says Red Deer and is widely recognized as a Red Deer icon."
The group is looking beyond Red Deer however. A heritage railway
station, overnight accommodation village and family nature park,
with a miniature steam train and examples of historic rail stations,
is proposed for Red Deer County just outside the city.
Long-term, shuttle links could be established to tie in the two
areas and perhaps provide connections to other historical rail
attractions such as the Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions out of
Stettler.
The society sees it all as a long-term project that could take 20
years to unfold. "It will happen in stages. We'd like to see
something on the ground within five years."
In the meantime, Pettypiece and other members of the society,
including local historian Michael Dawe, Steve Parkin, transportation
enthusiast and the owner of a historic full-sized transit bus, and
railway buff Darcy Colenutt, plan to stoke interest in the project.
For information go to
www.forthjunction.com
News articles about the Forth Junction Heritage Society
(more below):
News article: World-class destination centre
still in the works
(Innisfail Province Nov.2013)
Editorial: Praise today's big dream
(Innisfail Province Jan.2012)
Editorial: Railway concept captures region's uniqueness
(Olds Albertan Jan.2012)
Feature article: Forth Junction targets county
(Mountain View Gazette Dec.2011)
News article: Forth Junction pulling toward a
new station
(Red Deer Advocate Dec.2011)
News articles related to ACR/CPR Mintlaw bridge
mentioning the Forth Junction Heritage Society:
News article: Plans for Mintlaw Bridge waiting
on public feedback
(Mountain View Gazette Feb.2012)
News article: Opposition comes forward to Mintlaw Bridge preservation
(Mountain View Gazette May 2011)
News article: RD County antes up for Mintlaw
Bridge repairs
(Mountain View Gazette Nov.2010)
News article: Bridging gap between history and
disrepair
(Red Deer Advocate Nov.2010)
News article related to regional model and miniature railways
mentioning the Forth Junction Project:
News
article: Trains still roll for some
(Red Deer Advocate Nov.2012)
News articles related to historic downtown Red Deer redevelopment
mentioning the Forth Junction Project
(the original vision of the Forth Junction Heritage Society included
an attraction in the new downtown
Riverlands but this vision was modified to have one destination
close to the city and active rail line):
News article: Railyards: Open house on a
20-year plan for downtown (Red Deer Advocate June 2011)
News article: Riverlands: Strong turnout for
open house (Red Deer Advocate
March 2011)
Commentary: Red Deer could use more bold
visionary landmark designers
(Red Deer Express Sep.2010)
Michael Dawe articles related to regional railway heritage
mentioning the Forth Junction Heritage Society:
Region celebrating century of railroad
heritage
(Red Deer Express March 2010)
Mintlaw Bridge essential to region's railroad
heritage
(Red Deer Express March 2010)
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