— Table of Contents —
- GTPR Arrives In Wainwright
- Trains Begin Rolling
- The Early Years
- Canadian National Railways Take Over
- Fire Destroys the GTPR Station
- Wainwright Gets a New Station
- George VI Royal Tour
- Buffalo “King” Goes to New York
- Next Generation Technology
- Last of the Steam Locomotives
- Elizabeth II Royal Tour
- The Changing Face of Rail Service
- End One Era, Begin Another
February 28, 1989 CN moved their operators to the revamped telegraph office. The Battle River Historical Society obtained the station as the home of the Wainwright District Museum.
Daily passenger service to Wainwright ended on January 16, 1990, a result of the Federal Government’s Via Rail budget cuts. Trains #3 & #4, The “Super Continental,” were replaced by the tri-weekly “Canadian” (trains #1 & #2) as the Western Canadian passenger train. Former Canadian Pacific stainless steel coaches became the equipment of choice for this train, pulled by new F40PH-2 locomotives.
These 3000 horsepower locomotives were equipped with head-end power to generate electricity for coach lighting and heating. A re-building program for the stainless steel coaches was implemented to convert them from steam heating and axle generating equipment to the new system. Interiors of all coaches were completely upgraded, with sleeping cars now including showers.
The “Canadian” continues to run on a Monday, Thursday and Saturday westbound schedule through Wainwright. Eastbound trains run Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
The CN Wainwright Section (Crews responsible for regular track maintenance) closed in the early 1990’s as the territory for which they were responsible grew. The Irma Section served Wainwright area trackage. This proved to be short lived and by 2001 section crews were moved back to Wainwright.
CN closed the Wainwright yard office in Early March 1995. The official closing date had been set for February 28th, but operators gained a few extra days due to a National rail strike that lasted nearly three weeks. Bill Tchir was the last operator on duty working the 1st trick (day shift) on March 10th 1995.
Freight crews began running through Wainwright on November 3, 1995. Crews worked the entire Sub-division from Edmonton to Biggar with no crew change in Wainwright.
This again changed in September 2003 when some trains again began changing crews in Wainwright. Some high priority trains, however, continue through Wainwright without stopping.
