On my travels I've seen a number of historical train stations in various states of repair, disrepair, abandonment and restoration. This one in Empress, Alberta is obviously of the latter and is my personal favourite.
It is the only Canadian Pacific Railway station in Alberta that utilizes this particular design (known as Plan X-12)...quite a handsome design all around.
The roofline is decorated with finials bearing a wild rose design. I'm not sure what the tall decoration is called but it seems to be the pinnacle of the building. This is the only train station I've seen in Alberta that utilizes these lovely decorations.
A peek through the windows.
Baggage and goods were handled through the double doors on the west end of the station. This is also where farmers would drop off their milk and cream cans. (An aside, I can remember going into town with my dad to drop off milk and cream cans at the Midale, Saskatchewan train station when I was five or six years old.)
The eaves on the east end of the building are over six feet wide. Passengers waiting for an afternoon train in the summer months would always be able to relax in the shade of the oversize eaves.
Another aside...all the historical photos of the Empress Station show it painted in that deep red-brown colour that is indicative of C.P.R. stations. But, when I talked to a few people responsible for the restoration, they informed me that as the old paint was being scraped off the siding, they discovered the original colour was a soft creamy-yellow with forest green trim. That's definitely a favourite colour combination...pleasant and inviting.
I can't believe it's been over seven years since my visit here. I must make an attempt to revisit.
Photographed on June 2, 2017.
