Truro

Next Station West: Lower Truro

Facilities & Features

Description & History

The centrally located town of Truro was an important railway hub for the Intercolonial and later the Canadian National Railway. This attracted the Midland Railway to build a connection line between Windsor and Truro in 1901. The Midland was acquired by the DAR in 1905 to become the DAR's Truro Subdivision. Truro offered an important interchange for DAR freight as well as servicing for DAR locomotives at the turnaround point of their runs on the Midland. This made for a regular presence of DAR rolling stock in Truro, resulting in many photos of DAR equipment being captured by railfans, travellers and local photographers of the busy rail town.

The following background was provided by Andrew Blackburn: "As far back as the Midland railway the servicing of the equipment was done in Truro first by the ICR and then the CNR. This continued until late 1959-1960. At this time the DAR built their own combination station and freight shed off Willow Street. This also took place at the same time that the DAR dieselized in the last week of April 1959. From this point an operator was assigned to the new station (CNR had done this before) a Chargeman was put in place to service the Engine and equipment while it stayed over in Truro. He also was a Carman and would check out all cars interchanged with CNR and refuse them if there was a defect. CNR would take the cars back to the Car Shop in Truro to repair. The Section crew worked out of the section houses located in Clifton but were moved to Truro also at this time. The station also had a small rest house built in it to house the Engineer and Fireman while the other crew would stay in the caboose. This was also the time when the track was changed three track yard added and runaround in front of new station. Stub track behind section houses was for Engines they could be plugged in then for winter."

Operations & Orders

Gallery

Truro with the Truro Roundhouse in foreground, the old Truro Station, left of centre and the DAR's Truro Subdivision tracks heading west in the far left, August 28, 1931.
Dominion Atlantic locomotive No. 15 "Annapolis" at the platform of the ICR wooden Truro Station circa 1910.
Van No. 98 in Truro, no date.
No. 547 at Truro crossing tower in 1939.
DAR0555 at Truro on July 8, 1940.
locomotive No. 1090 at Truro, Aug. 31, 1940.
No. 24 at Truro in 1941.
DAR Engine No. 1090 at Truro, July 1, 1942.
Locomotive No. 508 at Truro in 1943.
No. 547 at Truro on Oct 15, 1944.
No. 2505 at Truro in April 1944.
DAR Coach No. 16 at Truro in 1946.
Locomotive No. 508 at Truro in 1947.
Locomotive No. 508 at Truro.
Flanger No. 905 in service at Truro in 1948.
No. 1101 at Truro in August 1948.
Van No. 96 at Truro on May 21, 1949.
No. 2505 at Truro in July 1949.
No. 555 at Truro, no date.
DAR Flanger 905 at the Truro Roundhouse, circa 1950.
Locomotive No. 1092 at Truro, May 10, 1950.
No. 1092 at Truro, Aug 26, 1950.
Engine No. 1092 in Truro on November 3, 1950.
No. 1092 at Truro.
No. 2665 at Truro in February 1951.
No. 929 leading Train No. 5 from Kentville, arriving around 7 pm on July 27, 1951 at Truro, NS.
No. 929 in Truro in May 1952.
No. 2665 at Truro in front of the Truro CNR station on Oct 16, 1954.
DAR Combine No. 3354 taking on passengers freight at Truro in 1958. Mail and Express car DAR003637 No. 3637 can be seen as well.
Vans No. 437210 and No 436998 at Truro in 1982.