Caption: In response to Arnold’s 1975 image facing west, I offer this 1955 view facing east. CNR K-3-a Pacific 5567 leads train M219, the evening Fort Erie-Stratford mixed, on its 114.9-mile journey home. Baggage carts are positioned at the ready with the handler at work. The stop at Port Colborne is scheduled as 1655h. Trains M218/M219 operated daily except Sunday running Stratford-Brantford-Fort Erie, departing Stratford at 0715h arriving Fort Erie at 1225h, and returning from Fort Erie at 1615h to Stratford at 2125h, each train laying over at Brantford for about 45-50 minutes to meet mainline trains. CNR 5567, a Grand Trunk Railway product of 1912, originally P4 class number 231, renumbered in 1923 to 5567, would be scrapped in May 1958. Welland Canal bridge 20 (built 1929 for the 4th canal) stands tall in the background as it did for 68 years until removal in 1997. Bridge 21 (Clarence Street) remains in service immediately to the south (92 years of service at this writing). The small swing bridge over the 3rd canal, just this side of the lift bridge, remains locked in place as it has since 1929.

At left overhead wires of the Niagara St. Catherines & Toronto Railway can be seen which were used by the interurban line to access the CN station until the end of passenger service on March 29, 1959. Prior to the end of NS&T electric operations in 1960, an electric freight motor and wooden CN van (NS&T being part of Canadian National Electric Lines) were kept about a block and a half west (just west of Elm Street) to service the Robin Hood Mill just north of town. Also note the quantity of semaphore signals for train orders, the Welland Canal bridge, and the junction with the Humberstone Subdivision on the east side of the canal. Immediately below the lowest semaphore the roof of the water tower can be seen. To the far right, a boxcar is seen spotted at the CN freight shed, removed during the 1960’s. This spot later occupied by the local yard switcher when not in use, as seen in Arnold’s shot above.

The third Grand Trunk/CNR station is seen at right, having opened in 1925 as a replacement for the 1880 GTR station, which was to be closed and demolished for the construction of the fourth Welland Canal. The second station had sat on the site of the first, built circa 1853 by the Buffalo, Brantford and Goderich Railway. Both the earlier stations were shared with the Welland Railway (crossing at diamond in photos). Today the third station still stands as the Smokin’ Buddha restaurant with some other small tenants.

Photographer Unknown, Jacob Patterson Collection slide.