The display at Crysler Park was created by the Ontario St. Lawrence Development Corporation, predecessor to the St. Lawrence Parks Commissioned, during the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway project.
The Locomotive
The steam locomotive was built at the Canadian Locomotive Company in Kingston, Ontario, in 1910. It is an e10-a “Mogul” class locomotive with a 2-6-0 wheel arrangement.
The locomotive started its working career as Grand Trunk Railway 1008 and became CNR 910 when the GTR was absorbed into the new Canadian National Railways in 1923. In 1951 it was renumbered as CNR 88.
CNR retired the locomotive in 1957 and refurbished it to its original GTR 1008 form before delivering it to this site as a historical donation.
The Baggage Car
This refrigerated baggage car was built by the Pullman Company and bought by CNR in 1942 for transporting fruit in the Niagara region of southern Ontario. It was taken out of service in 1964 and placed in its current position between the locomotive and the coach in 1965.
The Coach
The passenger coach was built in the GTR shop at Pointe St. Charles, Quebec, in 1901 as first-class coach 2074 and was renumbered as 3474 when it entered service for Canadian National Railways.
From 1930 to 1950 the coach was used on mixed trains consisting of both freight and passenger cars. It was retired from service in 1957 and moved to its current site with GTR 1008.
The coach is of tongue-and-groove timber construction and in its later years was heated by wood stoves at each end of the car.
The Station
Aultsville Station is one of the few remaining examples of the type of railway station once found in small communities across Canada.
This station was built in 1889 at Aultsville, Ontario, and moved to this site during the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project. Aultsville was one of several “Lost Villages” destroyed and flooded by the Seaway project.
The station remains complete, with a roof-mounted train order signal, ticket office, and a telegraph operator’s bay.
The Rails
The train sits on an original section of Grand Trunk/Canadian National rail line. It is the only section of line remaining after the construction of the Seaway and the diversion of the Montreal-Toronto line away from the flooded area. An original mile marker — Milepost 87 — is located at the site.
Tied Together
The train, station, and rails are a general representation of the Grand Trunk Railway as it once ran through this area and along the St. Lawrence River, and of the steam locomotive era into the middle of the twentieth century. Together they make up a valuable display of regional and Canadian history.