1888 Alma Train (Flag) Station

     On April 24, 2001 my father, Wilbert and brother, Kerras and I went to measure and photograph the old Alma Flag Station located at H.I. Construction on the Western Road in Alma.  The purpose of our visit was to see the old station as it was to be torn down as a result of damage to one corner of the building following a major fire at the construction site on March 6, 2001.  Kerras was able to salvage some boards and a few things which he used to make a few benches for souvenirs.  The station was demolished on May 1, 2001.

     Below are drawings I prepared from our visit - Dad helped us to identify the two areas and what was found in them.

     Alma Station, was originally called Montrose Station which was built around 1875.  In 1884 the schedule notes the departures time to be 7:42am.  The original building would have been very small, more like a shed building.  The Train "Flag" Station was probably built in 1888 when 51 new stations were built on Prince Edward Island to better serve the public.

     Summerside Journal 27-Dec-1877.  Mr. George Hardy, driver of the No. 1 train was much scalded at Montrose in his engine by the displacement of a plug allowing the steam to escape.  His fireman Thomas Trainor was also badly scalded.  Both are at Alberton in good hands though suffering much".  quote from the Patriot.

      Below are three photos I took that day.  The first photo shows the two original doors.

 Below:  the north side of the station.

      Below:  Inside, note the sliding door on the back wall, this was the in the freight shed facing west.

     The old station was used by the railroad up till the mid 1960's.  Dad often took the train to O'Leary to visit his in-laws in Knutsford, mostly in winter, as late as the winter of 1963-64.  The station was sold to Archie Dunbar who then sold it to Hayes Paying where it was used for a storage building until it was partially burned on March 6th, 2001 - see 

http://almalauretta.blogspot.ca/2012/03/hi-construction-in-alma-leveled-in.html

     For more information regarding this station and the A Photo History of Prince Edward Island Railway by Allan Graham.