Caption: Two sights of a forgone time.
From Historic Places;
The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) Station at Medicine Hat reflects the early 20th-century prosperity of western Canada, and the close relationship between the railway and local development in western Canada. Originally constructed in 1906 as part of a major local CPR redevelopment project, the station was doubled in size in 1911-12 in response to the booming local economy.
The Medicine Hat station is an early and important example of the picturesque aesthetic used for larger CPR stations during the early 20th century. The 1911-12 expansion added a near-mirror image of the original station to its southern end, and maintained its picturesque appearance.
The station retains vestiges of its original station garden, one of western Canada’s earliest railway gardens.
CP 434588 however, albeit not as historically significant as the station, has faired well for being close to 50` years old. Interesting to note is that the Angus shops were able to churn out roughly one Angus van a day for close to $40,000.
Both stations and vans like this that used to litter the country and were synonymous with every day life, have and still are fading. Such stations like Ingersoll that are simply too far gone for salvaging and preservation have met their fate in recent years. It's a treat when smaller things, as simple as a van and station, cross paths like they have for decades.
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Nice shot, Carson, and great caption.