Once Upon a Prairie Town
24”x36” Acrylic on Canvas, 2012
Private Collection
The sun is shining on the small town of Big Valley, Alberta but the darkening clouds and the rain
seen on the distant horizon indicate that soon the weather will be changing. It’s 1942 and
Canadian National Railway 4-6-2 “Pacific” #5617 eases train #26 for a scheduled 25 minute
station stop at Big Valley. Operating three days a week (Tues, Thurs, and Sat.) #26 leaves
Edmonton at 8:30 in the morning and arrives in Calgary at 7:30 in the evening. Since there was
no food service provided onboard the train, passengers could leave the train and get some
lunch at the station.
Built in 1912 by CNR predecessor Canadian Northern, the station looks like new dressed in
recently applied stucco siding. WWII is causing many shortages. The owners of the Chevrolets
and the Oldsmobile parked at the station will not be able to buy a new car until the war has
ended. Some lucky person will be getting that new tire on the baggage cart at a time when
there is a great shortage of rubber. Railroad stations were the center of commerce, connecting
cities and towns to the outside world at a time when road standards were not conducive to
long distance travel and the airline industry was in its infancy. The train station was also a place
where people would gather just to talk and to see who or what arrived or left town on the train.
Like many youngsters the boy on the Schwinn bicycle has come to watch the trains coming and
going and perhaps dream about becoming an engineer who runs one of the smoking, chuffing,
hissing giants. It is an era long gone, the likes of which we will not see again.
For more information on the village of Big Valley, Alberta please visit www.villageofbigvalley.ca
24”x36” Acrylic on Canvas, 2012
Private Collection
The sun is shining on the small town of Big Valley, Alberta but the darkening clouds and the rain
seen on the distant horizon indicate that soon the weather will be changing. It’s 1942 and
Canadian National Railway 4-6-2 “Pacific” #5617 eases train #26 for a scheduled 25 minute
station stop at Big Valley. Operating three days a week (Tues, Thurs, and Sat.) #26 leaves
Edmonton at 8:30 in the morning and arrives in Calgary at 7:30 in the evening. Since there was
no food service provided onboard the train, passengers could leave the train and get some
lunch at the station.
Built in 1912 by CNR predecessor Canadian Northern, the station looks like new dressed in
recently applied stucco siding. WWII is causing many shortages. The owners of the Chevrolets
and the Oldsmobile parked at the station will not be able to buy a new car until the war has
ended. Some lucky person will be getting that new tire on the baggage cart at a time when
there is a great shortage of rubber. Railroad stations were the center of commerce, connecting
cities and towns to the outside world at a time when road standards were not conducive to
long distance travel and the airline industry was in its infancy. The train station was also a place
where people would gather just to talk and to see who or what arrived or left town on the train.
Like many youngsters the boy on the Schwinn bicycle has come to watch the trains coming and
going and perhaps dream about becoming an engineer who runs one of the smoking, chuffing,
hissing giants. It is an era long gone, the likes of which we will not see again.
For more information on the village of Big Valley, Alberta please visit www.villageofbigvalley.ca