The High Level Bridge Streetcar Trip Notes

Transcription

1 THE HIGH LEVELBRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP The High Level Bridge Streetcar Trip Notes OVERVIEW These notes provide information to be used by the conductor for a general commentary on all regular scheduled trips on the High Level Bridge Streetcar. In addition, supplementary notes are provided for use for educational (group) trips - see section D. The presenter may augment these comments as long as they adhere to the subject matter. All technical terms, time frames, references, etc. used should be understood by the group members, with less technical language being used for small children. A typical trip would include commentary on the following Old Strathcona Historic Area Equipment being used on the trip. History of the HLB line What is the ERRS The Route Historic sites along the way The Museum JANUARY 25, 2009 TripNotes.doc 1

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3 THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP NOTES TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION TOPIC PAGE A GENERAL COMMENTARY FOR ALL TRIPS Old Strathcona Historic Area Equipment being used on the trip. Historic Sites along the way B THE ERRS Story 11 C History of the HLB line 13 D STREETCAR HISTORY IN EDMONTON 15 E EDUCATIONAL TOURS (GROUP TRIPS) F EDUCATIONAL TOURS (SCHOOL TRIPS ADDENDUM)

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5 THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP NOTES A- GENERAL COMMENTARY FOR ALL TRIPS Old Strathcona Historic Area The area around the south side terminus is known as The Old Strathcona Historic Area. Strathcona was a separate town until 1912 when it became part of Edmonton. There are several historic buildings dating from as far back as 1891; 1. The Strathcona Hotel (103 St and Whyte Ave.) which still operates as a hotel, 2. The old Post Office building (105 St. and Whyte Ave.) built in , and now used to house several shops and restaurants, 3. The old bus barn (103 St. and 83 Ave.) is now a Farmers Market and is where the streetcars used on the High Level Bridge are housed. Originally it was a barn for the ETS trolley buses. (Note: It never housed streetcars.) 4. Princess Theatre. This Old Strathcona landmark has entertained movie audiences since The Princess exudes the vintage charm of eras past. It has gone through many transformations, including a stint as a "blue movie" house, but Edmontonians know it as their city's original art-house theatre. While the forward-looking will appreciate the firstclass, first-run films by Canadian and international filmmakers, those who pine for the good old days will love the good old-fashioned balcony, the comfy, high-backed seats and the real butter on the popcorn. 5

6 Equipment being used on the trip. Note: The italic sections notes on each car represent highlights of these cars and should be considered as adequate explanation of each car. Additional notes are provided for those who would like more detailed information. Car 247 Built in 1921 in Japan and ran on the "Hankai Tramway Division" of the Nankai Railway in Osaka between 1921 and (It was modernized in1947.) Acquired by the ERRS in May 1990, it first operated across the High Level Bridge in August, 1997.Originally the ERRS was only interested in the trucks and other hardware which are similar to those used in North American cars of that era. Rather than pay to have it dismantled, the car was shipped to Edmonton in operating condition. To move the car from Osaka to Kobe Docks cost around $14,000. The car was loaded on November 13, 1990 aboard the S.S.President Grant at Kobe Docks. The ship left Kobe on November 21, 1990 and arrived in Seattle on December 1, The cost to move from Seattle to the Edmonton shops was around $9,000 The body and trucks of the car were separated on arrival at Seattle. The trucks arrived in Vancouver first, as there was a possible problem with bridge clearances between Seattle and Vancouver. The trucks were then sent by road to the LRT shops in Edmonton. The body of car 247 arrived at the south side CPR yards on February 3, 1991 and was then moved to the LRT shops. The trucks and body were re-united at the LRT shops on February 8, The ERRS was invited to operate the car on LRT yardage track on April 21, Plans were already being made for the High Level route and this car was retained for that purpose. As a 'double ended' car, it may be driven from either end, and is thus suited the operation on the line as there are no turning loops. Car 247 was moved to Old Strathcona just before the 1995 Fringe Festival and operated that year between 104 street and the south end of the High Level Bridge using a diesel generator for power. Car 930 A class SW6 Melbourne Australia tram. It was built in 1947 by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB) and withdrawn from regular service in It was then stored at the Preston Workshop in "ready service condition. It was acquired by the ERRS in February Built at the PRESTON WORKSHOPS in 1947 as a SW6 and allocated to the Brunswick depot where it ran on route 19 City to North Coburg, route 15 Moreland (actually the back of Brunswick depot) to St.Kilda via city and route 1 East Coburg to Sth Melb Beach via the city. 6 It may have also been loaned to Essendon (routes 59 Essendon Airport, 57 West Marribyrnong, 82 Footscray and 55 West Coburg) as this did happen at times, whether 930 ever did is speculation though.

7 THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP NOTES Around , it was displaced by "B" class articulated cars and transferred to Sth Melbourne depot where it ran until Sth Melb depot was closed in 1993 and was the last car to leave being transferred to Malvern (Sth Melb depot was replaced by the new Sth Bank depot) where it operated until the last conductors were removed in It was then stored at Preston Workshops. Until 1983, it was operated by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board. This was replaced by the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1983, which also took over the running of the suburban railways. This went through various name changes collectively known as the Public Transport Corporation. The system was divided into two corporate bodies in 1997 as "Swanston Trams" and "Yarra Trams". In 1999 both were privatized and Swanston became M>trams owned by British company National express. In 2002, National Express pulled out of their franchise, both companies (M>trams was run by the government again in the intervening year) becoming one again under the Yarra banner for a five year franchise. Car 601 Built in 1970 by Siemens/Duwag as a prototype "Stadtbahn" car for the city of Hannover in Germany. It was withdrawn in 1975 and was shipped to Vancouver in January, 1976 after an overhaul by the manufacturers. It was acquired by the ERRS in January, 1988 and stored at the LRT shops until July, 2004 The electrical equipment in the car was supplied by Siemens. It is a six-axle articulated double-ended car and many of its features were incorporated in Edmonton's U2 LRT cars 7

8 HISTORIC SITES TO BE POINTED OUT ALONG THE WAY THE ROUTE The track on which the line operates is part of the original Calgary - Edmonton right of way which first operated in Prior to the opening of the High Level Bridge, the line terminated in Strathcona in the area just to the north of the Strathcona car stop in the area known as the End of the Steel. Passenger trains used the Station originally located just south of 82 nd (Whyte) Ave. (See C & E Station notes below). With the opening of the High Level Bridge in 1913, the track, which later became part of the CPR system, continued north over the bridge and connected with the CNR north of 104 th Ave. where Grant McEwen Collage is now located. Railway service on the line was discontinued by the CPR in the late 1980's. The ERRS now has exclusive use of the track. C & E STATION This is a replica of the original Calgary and Edmonton (CPR) station built in 1891 at the most northern point of railway travel at that time. It was in use until a newer and larger station was built in There are many historic photographs and other items including a working telegraph line from that period that can be seen inside. THE COMMUNITY GARDEN (BETWEEN 105 AND 106 STREETS, SOUTH SIDE) This is the oldest community garden in Edmonton - established About 20 people rent an individual plot of land each year from the City. There is a long waiting list of "want-to-be" gardeners. FORT HILL The street, which crosses under the bridge to the north of the tracks, is the original location of the C&E (Calgary & Edmonton) trail which went down the hill to the river where a ferry crossed to Fort Edmonton. This was in the days before there were any cars, or even trains and people traveled by horse and buggy or covered wagon. The stage coach service took five days to reach Calgary from Edmonton. The road is now called Fort Hill Road. THE TUNNEL This is the only tunnel on the CPR line in Alberta (All mountain tunnels are on the BC side). The CNR has only one tunnel in Alberta just east of Jasper. Only the extreme north end of the tunnel, the section that passes under 109 th street, is original 1912 vintage. The rest of the tunnel was built in the early 1960's when the CPR's Marathon Realty built Strathcona House. JOHN WALTER MUSEUM The John Walter museum can be seen in the river valley just to the north of the Kinsmen Centre. John Walter was an early pioneer of Edmonton, and among the first settlers in the area. He operated a ferry from the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River to the north shore just below Fort Edmonton. THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE 1. The world s highest river crossing streetcar by streetcar. 2. The Bridge was built from by the CPR to carry railway, street railway and road traffic between Strathcona, on the south side of the river, to Edmonton on the north side. 8

9 THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP NOTES m long (1/2 mile) 4. 48m (157ft) above the North Saskatchewan River 5. The south end is 2.5m (8ft) higher than the north end 6. Almost one and a half million rivets 7. Streetcar service on the bridge commenced on August 11, 1913 and continued until the abandonment of streetcar service in Edmonton on September 2, Originally there were three sets of tracks across the Bridge with trains using the centre rails and the streetcars using the outside rails. (Note: streetcars tie marks are still visible). 9. Streetcars crossed over before entering the bridge at each end operated on the "wrong (left)" side so that if passengers had to disembark on the Bridge, they would step into the centre rather than over the edge. 10. The poles for the overhead wire used today are the original poles installed in Note the water pipes on the east side over the centre of the river, which is the "Great Divide Waterfall". It operates only on special occasions, summer long weekends, Klondike Days, etc. 12. Ramps onto the bridge are still visible today South end - off ramp 109 street on ramp bike path on west side North end - both on and off ramps are now covered with trees but are fairly evident. 13. During the warmer summer months the bridge expands by 60 cm (2½ ft). Distances in feet Starting point was the west side of 103 St. Accumulated distance in feet is marked on each pole. Street locations are taken to be the centre of the street. Feet Location 0 west side 103 St St St St A St St tunnel, south portal gate 3901 tunnel, north portal gate (tunnel length 660 feet=1/8 mile) Ave, footpath 4701 High Level Bridge, south abutment 7179 High Level Bridge, north abutment (bridge length assumed to be 2478 feet) 8100 Grandin Plaza th Ave Jasper Plaza 9

10 Operating distances: (one way): 90 Ave. to 104 St 0.8 miles (full trip prior to 15 Aug. 1997) 104 St. to Grandin 1.5 miles (full trip from Aug and start of 1998) 103 St. to Grandin 1.6 miles (full trip beginning in 1998) 103 St to Jasper 1.9 miles (beginning in 2004) NORTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER the original fur trade highway to Hudson Bay. SKYLINE - The dramatic skyline of downtown Edmonton. EDMONTON, YUKON AND PACIFIC RAILWAY The old railroad bed of the EY&P railway climbed the north side of the river valley from near the Rossdale power plant until it reached the top near 119 th street. This can best be seen just at the entrance of the tunnel for the LRT and to the west of it. The trains stopped running in the 1950 s and the tracks were removed long ago. Although the railroad was called the Edmonton, Yukon and Pacific Railway, it actually was only a few kilometers long. It ran from the CNR tracks on the south side, across 99 th St. at around 68 th Ave., down Mill Creek ravine, over the Low Level Bridge, and connected with the CNR on the north side. The steam train at Fort Edmonton Park bears the name of Edmonton, Yukon and Pacific Railway. FORT EDMONTON The location of the last operating site of Fort Edmonton was just below the Legislature Building (Currently a lawn bowling site). THE LEGISLATIVE BUILDING The Alberta Legislature Building, constructed at the same time as the High Level Bridge. LRT The LRT is a recent evolution of streetcars. The Menzies bridge to the west of the High Level Bridge carries the LRT across the river to the University and south. RUTHERFORD HOUSE The University of Alberta is on the south bank of the river and to the west of the bridge. Among the many older buildings is Rutherford House, which was the 1911 home of the first Premier of Alberta, Alexander Rutherford. Today it is a Tea House. GRANDIN AREA The area to the north of the bridge is known as Grandin. It was named after Bishop Vital Grandin who set up many schools and churches in Alberta over 100 years ago. A block away is Grandin School, which is 85 years old, and St. Joachim's Church, which is over 100 years old. RIBBON OF STEEL A multi-use trail shared by the streetcar, pedestrians and cyclists running north from north from the Grandin streetcar stop to Jasper Plaza, the streetcar terminus. It was constructed in 2004 as a joint Federal, Provincial and Municipal project. 10

11 THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP NOTES B - ERRS Story - How it all began In the early hours of September 2, 1951, car #52 of the Edmonton Radial Railway made its last journey over the High Level Bridge bringing an end 43 years of streetcar operation in the city. Despite their contribution to Edmonton's growth, all but one of the cars were broken up or sold off around the province to serve as chicken coops, storage sheds, or summer cottages. The city of Edmonton celebrated its 75 th anniversary in When streetcar service was abandoned in 1951, only one car, ERR #1, was kept. As part of the anniversary celebrations, the City asked a group of interested people if they would restore Car #1 to operating condition. On Thanksgiving Weekend 1979, Edmonton streetcar Car No.1 again ran across the top of the High Level Bridge. This time on the CPR track down the centre of the bridge and towing a diesel generator to supply its electrical power. History was made and a new era began. Determined to maintain the momentum generated by #1's highly successful and nostalgic odyssey, these same volunteers met on October 11, 1979 to form the Edmonton Radial Railway Society. By good fortune the Society was successful in its application for capital funding from Alberta's 75th Anniversary grants program. Long term plans for Fort Edmonton Park already included a streetcar line. So, with an agreement among the Society, the Fort Edmonton Historical Foundation, and the City of Edmonton (operators of the park), the Society was encouraged to set up restoration and maintenance facilities inside the park. In return, once a streetcar line was in place, the ERRS would operate it for the benefit of park visitors. With provincial funding in hand, the Society set about building the streetcar barn, a replica of the 1908 structure located in Strathcona, to provide workshop facilities and safe storage for any car bodies that might be rescued. Since the ERRS did not yet have its own track, #1 operated for about forty days in 1981 on the steam railway, towing the same diesel generator it had used on the High Level Bridge in In the meantime, the street railway layout was planned; rails, ties, and ballast purchased, and the two kilometres of track were laid at Fort Edmonton Park. On June 10, 1984, #1 broke a ceremonial ribbon to inaugurate streetcar service in Fort Edmonton Park. In the intervening years the streetcar operation has become established as one of the most authentic and well run feature within the park. By late summer of 1985, a second car had been restored - #42, built by the St. Louis Car Company in The car's body had been located near Sylvan Lake, Alberta and moved to the carbarn in Initially, it ran on borrowed trucks, but since the 1992 season, #42 has been running on replicated St. Louis trucks fabricated in the Society's carbarn. 11

12 Today, the ERRS has 5 cars in operation at Fort Edmonton and 3 on the High Level Bridge operation. In addition, the Society has a number of car bodies in its collection for future restoration. This includes a number of Edmonton cars as well as other cities across Western Canada. The ERRS currently has over 120 members, with a host of skills including electrical, plumbing, carpentry, machinists... and many more needed to maintain the operation. 12

13 THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP NOTES C - History of the HLB line The track on which the line operates is part of the original CPR Calgary - Edmonton right of way. Railway service on the line was discontinued in the late 1980's. The track, used by the CPR continued north from the bridge and connected with the CNR north of 104 th Ave. where Grant McEwen Collage is now located. ERRS initiated streetcar service in 1995 between the Strathcona stop and the Granite Curling Club at the request of the "Fringe" to provide transportation from the main Fringe site to the venues at the curling club and in the tunnel. At that time there was no overhead wire and a generator towed by the car provided power for the car. In 1996 and up to August 14, 1997, the car operated under wire to the south end of the High Level Bridge. On August 15, 1997, first day of the "Fringe" that year, the car began crossing the bridge to the Grandin stop. Initial service was provided on weekends only (Friday through Sunday) and holidays. In 1999, daily service from the May long weekend to Thanksgiving was initiated. The Society negotiated with the City for space in the former Strathcona trolley bus garage to house car 247 and possibly one or two others that would be restored in the years to come. The former CPR line runs outside the building, so once an agreement was worked out giving the ERRS permission to occupy part of the old garage the Society began altering the interior space to accommodate streetcars and constructing lead-in tracks off the CPR "main line". In 2003, the City commenced work on the Ribbon of Steel. This project extended the streetcar line from the Grandin station stop to Jasper Ave. A walking path, starting at 97 th Ave, parallels the track. Not only does this add to the length of the trip, but allows those living in the Rail Town development access to the streetcar. The official opening of the Ribbon of Steel was on May 15, Today the ERRS has three cars which operate on the line. The single track line has a passing track located approximately at the mid point on the line. This permits the operation of two cars simultaneously during busy periods (such as Canada Day and the Fringe Festival). Car 930 form Melbourne Australia was added in In 2005, Car 601, a prototype LRT car from Hannover, Germany which had been acquired several years earlier by the ERRS, was brought into service on the HLB line to accommodate heavy traffic days. 13

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15 THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP NOTES C - STREETCAR HISTORY IN EDMONTON Streetcars began operating in Edmonton in 1908 with 4 cars and 24km (15 miles) of track. The system was known as the Edmonton Radial Railway as the five operating lines radiated out from the centre of the city (1 00th St. and 1 00th Ave.) Cars began operating across the High Level Bridge in Streetcar service was abandoned on Sep The only car that was kept was No 1, the remainder being dismantled or sold marked the 100 th anniversary public transit in Edmonton. 15

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17 THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP NOTES D - Educational Tours (Group Trips) There is much history, both past and living, to learn about during a visit to the streetcar museum, the streetcar barn or on a streetcar ride across the top of the High Level Bridge. Educational tours can be arranged on an individual basis or for groups. This script is for all Educational trips on the High Level Bridge route and can be tailored for specific groups based on different interests and ages. Such trips will include School field trips, daycare or nursery school trips, senior group outings, streetcar enthusiasts or any such group where the trip has been pre-booked and commentary has been requested. It provides details of the historic sites along the route. The presenter may augment these comments as long as they adhere to the subject matter. All use of technical terms, time frames, references, etc., should be understood by the group members, with less technical language being used for small children. As a general rule, the conductor will present the program and act as host. OVERVIEW On a visit to the Streetcar Museum and Streetcar Barn learn about The evolution of streetcars from horse drawn cars to modern light rail vehicles. The history of the street railway era of public transportation in Edmonton (the Edmonton Radial Railway). Route and track maps showing the development of Edmonton s streetcar system. The construction and history of the High Level Bridge. Unusual Edmonton streetcars library and observation cars, snow sweeper cars, water sprinkler cars, freight cars. The everyday life of a motorman memories from the good old days! Fares charged and tickets used during the streetcar era. How a streetcar works. Electricity and its associated hazards (especially important for school groups). Safety around railways and streetcars (especially important for school groups). Things to see and learn about on a streetcar ride across the High Level Bridge (Note: more complete details of each items included in Regular trip notes The Route Original Calgary to Edmonton train route. Old Strathcona Historic Area (mention of some of the historic buildings). o Strathcona Hotel o Old post office building (82Ave & 105 St) o Farmer s market (Saturdays only) Old ETS bus barns C & E (Calgary and Edmonton Railway) station a replica of the first railway station in Strathcona at the end of steel in The building houses a very interesting museum of the C & E Railway and the C.P.R. The Community Garden - The oldest community garden in Edmonton - established 1946 Fort Hill (original Calgary Trail) which led down to John Walter s ferry across the North Saskatchewan River. In pre-railway days the stagecoach took five days to reach Calgary from Edmonton! THE Tunnel - The only tunnel on the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Province of Alberta. 17

18 John Walter Museum home of the Edmonton entrepreneur who owned and operated the ferry across the North Saskatchewan river, prior to completion of the High Level Bridge in Kinsmen Park with its football fields and baseball diamonds, built on the site of a large lumber yard (also owned by John Walter). High Level Bridge - Top deck of the High Level Bridge, the highest river crossing by streetcar in the world. The ½ mile (800 metres) long and 157 ft. (48 metres) high bridge is an engineering marvel. North Saskatchewan River the original fur trade highway to Hudson Bay. The dramatic skyline of downtown Edmonton. EY&P right of way - The former roadbed of the Edmonton, Yukon and Pacific (EY&P) Railway, which originally linked the south side C.P.R. in Strathcona to the Canadian Northern Railway in Edmonton on the north side across the Low Level Bridge. Despite the grand name, the company never owned more than a few miles of track! The location of the last operating site of Fort Edmonton (below the Legislature Building). The Alberta Legislature Building, constructed at the same time as the High Level Bridge. Ribbon of Steel - a multi-use trail shared by the streetcar, pedestrians and cyclists running from Grandin to Jasper Plaza, the streetcar terminus. LRT (Light Rail Transit) Bridge Rutherford House home of Alberta s first Premier Historic French area near Grandin Station Attractions within easy reach of the 90 th Avenue car stop (south end of the bridge): River valley walking and bicycling trail system. Rutherford House, the home of Alberta s first Premier. The University of Alberta campus. Kinsmen Park Attractions within easy reach of the Grandin Plaza car stop: The Provincial Legislature Building and grounds. Guided tours through the Parliament building are offered daily free of charge. The historic Grandin area of the City of Edmonton. The river valley trail system. Easy connection to the LRT for a ride to the heart of downtown or the south side of Edmonton. 18

19 THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP NOTES E - Educational Tours (School trips addendum) Overview Many school curricula include as part of their Social Studies course a topic called Past Present and Future which incorporates the topic Transportation from the Past. The High Level Streetcar, its many historic sites and the history of streetcars in Edmonton is very much a part of this topic. The section provides a suggested pattern that can be used for such a group trip, Refer to Section D - Educational Tours (Group Trips) for details A visit to the Museum is an important part of this trip and depending on time allotment could be before or after the streetcar ride.. Before the trip begins, a brief time (5-10 minutes) can be spent talking about Transportation from the Past. The following are questions that may be asked of the students.? What kind of transportation have you learned about? Wagons Horse and buggy? Who knows what a streetcar is? It s like a bus that runs on tracks like a train.? How do they work? They have electric motors. They get electricity from the wire that runs overhead.? Have you ever seen another streetcar?? Where in Edmonton have you seen a streetcar? Fort Edmonton? Have you ever ridden on a streetcar or is this your first ride?? What were the first streetcars like? The first streetcars in Edmonton were electric and looked much like this streetcar or the streetcars you can see at Fort Edmonton. But before there was electricity, some cities had streetcars that were pulled by horses. In those days, the streets were not paved so the streetcars traveled on tracks so they didn t get stuck in mud, and it gave a smoother ride.? Why did we have streetcars? They provided transportation for people who didn t have horses and wagons or cars - to take them to work, just like buses and LRT to-day.? When did we have streetcars in Edmonton? When your grandparents (or great grandparents) were growing up. From

20 ? Where did the streetcars go? On the main streets much the same as buses do today. There were streetcar tracks usually down the centre of the streets. The city was much smaller when there were streetcars? Why was it called Edmonton RADIAL Railway? The streetcars radiated out from the centre of the city, which was Jasper Ave. and 100 th Street (Current site of MacDonald Hotel). Think of a bicycle wheel where the axis is the centre and the spokes radiate out from the centre to the edge of the wheels. That is how the streetcar system was set up.? Who rode the streetcars? Just like today, people rode them to go to work or school, to visit friends, to go shopping or sometimes just to take a ride. This was the fastest way to travel in the city before cars.? Why don t we have streetcars now? Actually, we do. The LRT is a modern evolution of a streetcar system. Because it runs on rails, it can only go where there are rails. Since streetcars were abandoned in 1951 and as the city grew in size, it is became expensive to build more tracks, so streetcars were replaced by buses. Buses can go where streetcars couldn t. If there was a fire and fire trucks were on the tracks, the streetcars couldn t go. Buses can go around fire trucks. Today s LRT routes are planned to provide fast, efficient service with a minimum disruption to traffic.? Why am I wearing this uniform? It is the kind of uniform that streetcar motormen and conductors wore when streetcars were used in Edmonton? How much did it cost to travel by streetcar? 5 cents 1 nickel.... today it costs $ nickels Then and Now Review the picture board (or book) which shows pictures of the area as it was in the early part of last century and as it is today. The entire presentation and trip is designed to last from minutes (excludes time spent in museum), so timing of any stops should be made accordingly. The presentation and start time of trip must allow for car and crew to be available to begin regular service. A modified ½ hour program could be accommodated on any of the regularly scheduled trips; however group passengers would be limited to about 15 students plus supervisors in order to provide room for regular customers. The group leader may wish to have ½ of the class visit the C & E Station while the other ½ ride the Streetcar. In this instance loading and disembarking could take place at the C & E Station. Alternatively, groups could load and disembark at the Grandin or Jasper Ave stop. 20

21 THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP NOTES The fare is $3.00 per person and must be paid by one individual by cash or cheque made payable to the Edmonton Radial Railway Society. Maximum class size (seated) is 40 with a minimum of 5 supervising adults. Each child is to receive a ticket punched for a return trip and a brochure as a souvenir of the occasion. Encourage children to give the brochure to their parents. Historic sites should be pointed out on the northbound trip. The return portion of the trip should be used to answer questions. Upon request by person in charge, passengers may, as a group, disembark at C & E station. Another option would be to disembark at the Grandin stop for a tour of the Legislature and re-board the trolley later for the return trip. 104 TH STREETCAR STOP Before starting out, look at the area of the city around here. This area is known as Old Strathcona Historic Area. Strathcona was a separate town until 1912 when it became part of Edmonton. There are several historic buildings dating from as far back as 1891;? the Strathcona Hotel (103 St and Whyte Ave.) still operates as a hotel.? the old Post Office building (105 St. and Whyte Ave.) is now used for several shops and restaurants,? the old bus barn (103 St. and 83 Ave.) is now a Farmers Market and is where the streetcars used on the High Level Bridge are stored.. STOP AT C & E STATION (Stop west of crossing) NOTE: If it has been pre-arranged that a group will disembark at the C&E Station, this stop and commentary should be deferred until that time. See special procedures re boarding/disembarking at 105 St. below This is a replica of the original Calgary and Edmonton (CPR) station built in 1891 at the most northern point of railway travel at that time. It was in use until a newer and larger station was built in There are many historic photographs and other items including a working telegraph line from that period that can be seen inside. C & E STATION - Special procedures Re BOARDING / DISEMBARKING A stop will be made for a group upon advance notice at 105 St. Southbound to disembark or Northbound to board. The stop must be made at the sidewalks as outlined below. At no time should the flow of traffic on 105 St. be impeded. The Motorman will turn the Headlight OFF while stopped and will be responsible for keeping the traffic on 105 St. moving. SOUTHBOUND TO DISEMBARK: 21

22 The Motorman will stop with the front door on the west sidewalk of 105 St. The conductor will disembark first and assist with the unloading. Make sure that the group stays on the sidewalk and advise the leaders to have the group cross the street at the corner of 86 Ave. Show the leaders where they will be picked up on a northbound trip. NORTHBOUND TO BOARD: Make sure that the group is on the south side of the tracks before stopping with the front door on the east sidewalk. STOP AT 106 TH STREET CROSSING (Stop west of crossing) The street, which crosses under the bridge to the north of the tracks, is the original location of the C&E trail. Depending on the age and nature of the group, the following questions may be asked. Ques. Do any of you know what C & E stands for? It stands for Calgary & Edmonton trail. Before there were any cars, or even trains, people traveled by horse and buggy or covered wagon. It took many days to travel from Calgary to Edmonton. We still have a street in Edmonton today which is called the Calgary Trail, but now it leads to the highway that goes to Calgary and you can travel there in 3 hours. The C&E trail ended at the river where there was a ferry. The road is now called Fort Hill. Ques. Can you guess why it is called Fort Hill Road? It is the road that went down the hill to the ferry, which went across the river to Fort Edmonton. We will show you where Fort Edmonton used to be a little later. Ques. Does anyone know what a ferry is? 22 It is another kind of transportation from the past. It is a kind of boat that took wagons and people across the river. There are still ferries in operation today, which carry cars across rivers where there are no bridges. STOP AT SOUTH END OF BRIDGE This bridge was built between 1911 and It was built so that traffic could cross the river to the north side without having to go up and down steep hills. The bridge is 800-m (½ mile) long and 48 m above the waters of the North Saskatchewan River. Before crossing the bridge we make sure there is no one on the bridge. If you look out the front window, you will note there is only one set of tracks on the bridge. Many years ago when streetcars operated on the bridge, there were three sets of tracks. The tracks we use today go down the centre of the bridge and were used by trains. There were tracks on both sides of these tracks and that is what streetcars used. When the streetcars came off the bridge the tracks went up the hills you see off to the side. On one side is a bicycle path (point it out) and on the other side is 109 th street (point it out). The streetcars then went down 109 th street. The streetcar tracks were removed after the streetcars stopped running in On the north side of the bridge you can also see the grades (slopes) which streetcars used to reach the bridge.

23 THE HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR - TRIP NOTES Proceed to the centre of the bridge. STOP IN CENTRE OF BRIDGE We are now over the North Saskatchewan River. Did you know that this is the highest streetcar bridge in the world? From here we can see many historic sites. (Point these out as you talk about each) 1. If you look ahead to the right you see the Legislature building, which is where the Government meets and makes decisions about how to make our Province work. Before the Legislature building was built it was the former site of Fort Edmonton where the fur traders came to trade their furs for food and clothing. 2. The North Saskatchewan River below us was a major route for fur traders and led to Hudson Bay where ships carried goods to and from England. If you have been to Fort Edmonton Park, perhaps you have seen a York boat that was used by the fur traders to travel the river. Europeans first explored the river through Edmonton in If you look closely all along the north shore you will see an old railroad bed where trains climbed the hill until they reached the top of the river valley near 119 th street. You can best see this just at the entrance of the tunnel for the LRT and to the west of it. This train stopped running in the 1950 s and the tracks were removed long ago. This railroad was called the Edmonton, Yukon and Pacific Railway although it really was only a few kilometers long. It ran from the CPR tracks on the south side, down Mill Creek ravine, over the Low Level Bridge, and connected with the CNR on the north side. If you go to Fort Edmonton Park you will notice that the steam train there bears the name of Edmonton, Yukon and Pacific Railway. 4. The LRT is really a modern version of streetcars. You can see the bridge, which carries the train across the river to the University. 5. Below, next to the playground, is the John Walter museum. He was an early pioneer of Edmonton. Some of you may have already gone on a field trip to see it. When you visit there, it is possible to see the ruins of a ferry talked about earlier and which crossed the river at that point. 6. The University of Alberta is behind us, and there are many older buildings there including Rutherford House, which was the 1911 home of the first Premier of Alberta, Alexander Rutherford. Proceed across the bridge STOP AT GRANDIN This area is known as Grandin. It was named after Bishop Vital Grandin who set up many schools and churches in Alberta over 100 years ago. A block away is Grandin School, which is 85 years old, and St. Joachim's Church, which is over 100 years old. 23

24 STOP AT JASPER TERMINUS This is the end of the line. You will note that there is no place to turn around here so the motorman takes his handles with him to the other end and will drive the car from there. This is what is known a double ended streetcar, that is, it can be driven from either end and was used in the old days when there were no place to turn the car around, just as there is no place here. Note: If Car 930 is being used, point out the need to switch trolley poles for the return trip. Solicit questions 24