The last regular passenger train departed McAdam station more than 30 years ago, but the legacy of rail travel in New Brunswick lives on thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers based in the historic McAdam Railway Station.
On Oct. 2, a lucky group of passengers had the once-a-year opportunity to ride the rails again on a trip from McAdam to St. Stephen and back.
The train, limited to 10 mph for safety reasons, slowly trundled through the woods, bogs and blueberry barrens of southwest New Brunswick where the leaves were turning from green to a riot of reds, yellows and oranges.
More than 200 passengers spent the drizzly autumn afternoon rolling past hunting blinds and beaver lodges on the long journey. With almost no access to cellular service, there was little to do on the seven-hour trip but relax and appreciate the view.
A little over an hour into the trip, as the train approached Watt Junction south of Lawrence Station, there was an unscheduled stop.
Suddenly, a gang of bandits on horseback appeared out of the woods and armed robbers boarded the train. They made off with a large box of Ganong Red Wrap chocolates before being apprehended by “Sheriff Bob.” The passengers were mercifully unharmed.
The annual journey is a fundraiser for the McAdam train station and the Boys and Girls Club of Charlotte County. The trip has become so popular that tickets have to be distributed by lottery. The event is entirely run by volunteers, including train aficionado Bill Young of St. Stephen in the role of ticket inspector, working on a much larger train than the model ones he builds. St. Stephen residents may recognize Young’s house as the one with old train signals in the front yard.
Dennis Silverstone, a retired music teacher from Riverview and a member of the McAdam Historical Restoration Commission, has always loved trains. His father worked for Canadian National Rail and Silverstone remembers travelling through McAdam regularly as a child on family vacations and to visit family in the United States.
“McAdam is a special place because of the people’s commitment to the village and the rail station,” he said. “I want to see the station grow and develop and become a go-to destination.”
The next step in the station’s development is to restore the hotel on the second floor — but that will be a big and expensive job, Silverstone said, because it will need to be brought up to modern building and safety standards. A feasibility study is underway to explore options for the renovation.
John and Jessica Scott from Sussex, along with their German exchange student Henni, were excited to get tickets for the ride. Their young daughter Evelyn, whose favourite movie is “The Polar Express,” was particularly delighted with the experience. They had been trying to get tickets to one of the rare passenger train rides around the province and were finally successful with this one.
“We like to support the beautiful station,” Jessica said. “I didn’t even know it was there until I was sent to McAdam for a work meeting a few years ago.”
After a brief stop on a spur line in St. Stephen to move the engines to the other end of the train, the journey back to McAdam began. The entertainment on the return leg was more relaxing than the robbery earlier in the day, as Rev. Catherine Stuart moved through each car with a musical performance on the ukulele.
Back in McAdam, there was an optional roast beef dinner for passengers in the station’s dining room before the rails went quiet again until next year’s trip.
