We all know that Coronation is here because of the railroad and that the railroad played a major part in the growth of the town.
The train station was a busy place in the early days. There were trains going east and west daily.
If a person had business in Red Deer they could hop onto the morning train going west, spend the day in Red Deer, hop on the evening east train and get home that evening. A lot of people would do this as it was just so convenient for everyone.
Then the passenger trains were slowly edged out. There was still the freight trains, for a while anyway.

October 9th, 1975
“CP Rail Closes Here
“After tour of duty on October 4th the CP Rail Station in Coronation was closed as an open train order office.
The Agent Operator, Hugh Varty, has now gone to Didsbury and is presently holding the Nite Operator’s position.
“The station was closed as the result of an austerity program by CP Rail and it is hoped it will re-open in the near future.
“Presently the way freight is still in operation between Red Deer and Coronation tri-weekly and returning the next day.
In addition grain trains numbering about two per week are running east of Coronation to Kerrobert for grain pickup.
“Public hearings will be held in the near future with the Canadian Transport Commission as to the future of the Coronation Subdivision which runs from Coronation to Kerrobert. As it stands now facts favour the line staying open.”
We know now how wrong those facts were.

Back to Back In Time page