Future Re-creation of Calgary & Edmonton Railway Museum by the Forth Junction Heritage Society

Former C&E Railway Museum Edmonton 2013 - Pettypiece

Future Re-creation of
Calgary & Edmonton
Railway Museum

Ground Transportation
Heritage Preservation

Plan for the Re-Creation of the Calgary & Edmonton Railway Museum

Red Deer combination station 1891 - cPettypiece Once the Forth Junction Heritage Society secures land for the proposed rail park, the next priority is to construct a replication of the 1891 Calgary & Edmonton Railway (now CPR) wood combination station and freight house, to store and exhibit the recently-acquired collection of railway artifacts gifted to us by the Junior League of Edmonton from the now-closed Calgary and Edmonton Railway Station Museum in south Edmonton.

C&E Railway 1891 station Red Deer 1905 - Red Deer Archives P3201 Ten of these virtually identical stations were built during the summer of 1891 at approximately 18 mile intervals between Calgary and Edmonton. They were constructed at Airdrie, Carstairs, Olds, Innisfail, Red Deer, Lacombe, Ponoka, Wetaskiwin, Leduc, Strathcona (south Edmonton). A handful of similar stations were also built south of Calgary.

Most of these stations were replaced by larger and newer structures but some remained in service until the 1960s. Several were modified as needs and functions evolved with relocated windows, doors and chimneys. Some had additions for freight, express and living quarters. None have been preserved.

It is anticipated that either the Red Deer generic version of 1891 or the Innisfail version that had been modified by the end of the 1890s will be replicated for the Calgary & Edmonton Railway Museum as well as a C&E Railway research and archive facility and meeting room.

When the 1891 Red Deer station was replaced in 1910, the original was relocated, expanded and used as a freight house until the 1950s. A replication of this expanded freight house structure may be used to house a portion of a historical miniature world model rail exhibit and also function as a workshop for additional miniature world exhibits.

Gifted Artifacts from former Calgary & Edmonton Station Museum

The Forth Junction Heritage Society plans to replicate the original 1891 combination railway station to house its current collection of artifacts.
former C&ER museum 1
Now-closed C&E Railway Station Museum in south Edmonton 2013 - Pettypiece Most of these artifacts and materials were gifted to the Society by the Junior League of Edmonton, operators of the former Calgary & Edmonton (1891) Station Museum in Strathcona, which was, in itself, a replication of the original 1891 station. They were originally acquired to display and preserve in its 1981 replication of the original C & E combination station
former C&ER museum 2
The Collection is illustrative of significant events, techniques, personalities and surroundings in the history of the Calgary & Edmonton station, the railway and the telegraph, concentrating on the period of 1891 to 1907.

former C&ER museum 3 The Forth Junction Heritage Society intends to expand the research and interpretation of the C & E Railway as well as to replicate a few versions of the original station.

This collection includes about 60 transportation items (mostly railway-related including a station-mounted semaphore signal), several pieces of furniture and office equipment (including 4 8-foot benches), 2 wall clocks, wood burning stove, 12 pieces of telegraph equipment, 55 historic photographs, 31 articles of clothing, books, domestic pieces and 3 large display cases.

Much of the collection is now on loan to the Innisfail Historical Village when many pieces are on display in the relocated CPR #2 Bowden station.

See: A comprehensive guide to the Calgary & Edmonton Railway 1891 Combination Station and Freight House -
'Mackenzie and Mann influenced the design of Central Alberta's first railway stations'

See: 'A Study in Railway Architecture' - a planned series of railway station replications

See: History of 'The Calgary & Edmonton Railway'

A big thank you to

for the gifting of the 200+ item collection of the now-closed
Calgary & Edmonton Railway Station Museum
to the Forth Junction Heritage Society in September 2018

This collection will be carefully stored until the Society can find or build a facility to exhibit and interpret the artifacts and the history of the Calgary & Edmonton Railway (1890 to 1907) in an appealing way as part of a transportation-themed group of attractions in a family-oriented rail park
in the immediate Red Deer area.

Transportation from Edmonton and storage in the Red Deer area has been made possible by a Culture Opportunities Grant from the City of Red Deer.

Bowden station at Innisfail Historical Village
This collection is now
on loan to the
Innisfail
& District Historical Village
at the Bowden
CPR station
for future display

Photo descriptions and credits:
Header photo: Former C&E Railway Station Museum replication in south Edmonton (Paul Pettypiece 2013);
Rendering of 1891 C&E Railway combination station (Paul Pettypiece);
Red Deer 1891 C&E Railway combination station 1905 (Red Deer Archives P3201);
Train at Innisfail 1891 C&E Railway combination station 1890s (Glenbow Archives NA-1709-91);
Former C&E Railway Station Museum replication in south Edmonton (Paul Pettypiece 2013);
Interior of former C&E Railway Station Museum in south Edmonton (Paul Pettypiece 2014);
Interior of former C&E Railway Station Museum in south Edmonton (Paul Pettypiece 2014);
Interior of former C&E Railway Station Museum in south Edmonton (Paul Pettypiece 2014);
Main gate to Innisfail Historical Village (Paul Pettypiece 2006);
Bowden CPR #2 station at Innisfail Historical Village (Paul Pettypiece 2009)