Caption: Napanee is another fine example of the architecture used when the Grand Trunk built it's many stone stations on the Toronto - Montreal mainline. I took a wide angled shot to show the surroundings, as it has changed in the many years from my first visit to the grounds as a youngster.
Just to my left, is what used to be the Canadian Northern mainline that went to Smiths Falls. This line remained until the late 80's early 90's, where it was trimmed down to become a spur leading only to the Goodyear plant. Eventually, Goodyear closed and recently the spur removed. I was also saddened to come here on this trip and find all the fencing that had been installed recently...but then was reminded of a "Letter to the Editor" article I had written to both local papers almost 20 years ago. In that article, I had called out that fencing should be put up, after my own encounter with the Ontario Provincial Police.
Some of the original platform remains at each end of the station, which i can recount standing on in one of my many trips to this location. You can see how much the line has been built up, and I should also be happy that the station remains too. Sometimes all you have is memories...and if I had stayed for only another 10 minutes I would have captured a westbound VIA on the curve speeding towards Belleville.
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This photo actually confused me. I had to double check to see when it had been taken. I stopped here a few years ago and it seemed a big tree took away most of the shooting angle; but then perhaps it was because I was ‘railroaded’ out of the area by rail personnel that told me I was ‘trespassing’; and as a result did not anywhere near as nice an image as this.