Description To the last passenger run

1. H. Sherwood’s

Flashback

Wed., July, 5, 1978

To the last passenger run

                When the first engine on the nearly completed Short Line from Pictou to Oxford Junction, made its initial run, Mrs Alex Grant of Pictou, then a little girl of 8 years, was a non-paying passenger in that small locomotive. Seventy three years later, on November 19, 1960, when the Short Line passenger train made its final run, Mrs Grant was again a passenger. The last and only woman on the terminating passenger service from Pictou to Oxford Junction and return.

                On that first train ride, the small steam locomotive drew a string of flat cars with workmen and materials. On the final passenger run, a combined baggage and passenger car was pulled by a diesel engine, No. 1624.

                On that last passenger run there were several retired railway men making the trip for sentimental reasons, all having worked on this portion of the Canadian National Railroad for many years. They included Reg. Cunningham of Stellarton, retired conductor with a total of 43 years service to the CNR when he retired in 1945, and Alex MacLellan of Pictou, another retired conductor of this route, who had 45 years of service when he retired in 1947.

                J.M. Adamson of Stellarton was also there. He retired as trainman in 1957 after serving the railway for 42 years. R.A. (Bob) Murray of Pictou made that last run also. He was baggageman on the Short Line, retiring in 1947 after 44 years of service. And finally there was C.J. Adamson of Stellarton, retired conductor with 41 years of service when he retired in 1949.

                On this last run of the Short Line passenger service, these buddies of the rails told and re-told tales of snow storms and wrecks of which they knew, of passenger experiences, humorours and otherwise, that had happened through the years of their daily rail route from Pictou to Oxford Junction and return.

                With the drop in passenger service on the Short Line, the CNR applied to the Board of Railway Commissioners to abolish the local passenger service in the interest of economy. Representatives of towns and villages along the route opposed the removal of the service, although that service was not being used to full capacity. The CNR’s request was upheld and granted. Notices were posted to the effect that “Short Line Passenger Service Between Pictou and Oxford Junction would terminate officially on Sunday, November 20, 1960”. As passenger trains did not operate on the Short Line on Sunday, the last official run was made on Saturday, November 19, 1960.

                Another person who was on hand for that last run of the diesel train on Saturday, November 19^th, was George Dawson of Westville. He was not a railway man, but was interested in the history of railroading in Pictou County. Mr. Dawson bought the last passenger ticket sold for the Short Line. It was number 7-3-625850, and was purchased at Westville on the morning of November 19, 1960.

                J.P. Diamond of New Glasgow was the conductor on that last passenger run on the Short Line. He had a service record at that time of 40 years, having joined the CNR in 1920. The trainman was D.A. MacCormick of Stellarton, Engineer on the diesel was Frank Madden of Stellarton with 18 years service. In the past years, with buses and cars cutting into the rail passenger carrying trade, practically the only people who saw the Short Line passenger train come into Pictou and leave, were railway employees, with now and again, a few passengers.

                On that last run, as the Sort Line passenger train came into Pictou at 3:30 p.m., there were many citizens at the local station. Although few of them had patronized the Short Line as passengers during the past years, there was a nostalgic memory of the days when the Short Line was “The Way To Halifax” and points east and west. Some recalled the bustling days of the harvest excursions to the west when the Short Line trains were filled. Others spoke of the crowded trains in the days of World War II, when workmen used the rail service to and from their jobs at the shipyards. Still others recalled special excursions, and events that brought visiting dignitaries in by train.

                These were things of the past. On that Saturday of the 19^th of November, 1960, the train pulled out for New Glasgow, while the citizens got into their cars and departed.

                Passenger service on the Short Line had ended after its long years of service to the travelling public.

By Roland H. Sherwood

Historical Writer