Railway Station

Railway Station. Historic Downtown Wetaskiwin. , In 1891 the Calgary and Edmonton railway line was completed and Siding 16 was created. Later, because of a suggestion by Father Lacombe, it was named Wetaskiwin, which in Cree means "the place where peace was made.", The trains that travelled between Calgary and Edmonton at this time were mixed trains in which passenger and freight cars were joined together. They went about 25 miles per hour and often stopped along the way to load and unload freight. These stops varied in length from a few minutes to an hour or more, creating problems for passengers who wanted to know their exact departure and arrival times. , The Canadian Pacific Railway became the official owners of the Calgary and Edmonton Line in 1903. The CPR immediately improved service by discontinuing mixed trains and establishing a daily train service just for passengers. Wetaskiwin quickly became a flourishing railway centre so in 1908, the CPR built a new, more spacious building. By 1912, there were ten daily trains, and in 1913, an extension was built. Two more stalls were added to the roadhouse and a double track was laid in the local yards. The cost of the station and extension was approximately $14,554., The railway is still in use as a freight line, but the Canadian Pacific Railway discontinued its passenger service in 1985, due to declining demand, and the railway station was closed. The large picture shows the train station that was built in 1908, the same building that is now standing. The smaller picture is the original Siding 16.