The Alberta Central Railway

Alberta Central Railway, Red Deer to Rocky Mountain House

Engineer’s Report on the Alberta Central Railway, 1914

The railway was first planned to serve the settlers brought into the Red Deer area by the Saskatchewan Land and Homestead Company Limited (1883) that had acquired townships in the then Districts of Assiniboia (Crescent Lake) Saskatchewan, (North Elbow) and Alberta (Red Deer).4 The Red Deer Settlement comprised 10 townships: Townships 37, 38, 39; Range 26. Townships 36, 37, 38, 39; Range 27. Townships 36, 37, 38; Range 28; west of the 4th meridian.5

Shortage of capital led to prolonged delays with requests for time extensions. By 1908, John T. Moore, Managing Director of the Land Company, a member of the Alberta Legislature and one of the incorporators of the ACR was able to secure a Federal subsidy of up to $6400 for up to 70 miles from Red Deer.6 On August 10, 1910, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Prime Minister of Canada, was on hand to drive the first spike.7

Alberta Central Railway Reconnaissance Profile

Although grading commenced it became necessary by 1911 to call upon the services of a well-known contractor J.D. McArthur of Winnipeg to assume responsibility for building the line.8 By now the directors of the ACR had decided to relinquish control of the railway that passed into the hands of the Canadian Pacific Railway by lease from January 1, 1913 for 999 years.9 The railway reached Lochearn (Rocky Mountain House Post Office) in July 1914.10 The bridge over the North Saskatchewan built by the CPR had been completed and running rights from Otway to Ullin were given to the Canadian Northern Western in exchange for running rights for the Alberta Central to Brazeau (Nordegg). It was therefore unnecessary for the CPR to build further from Rocky Mountain House.11

The Alberta Central was dissolved and its assets vested in the Canadian Pacific on March 28, 1957.12 The line from Forth to Rocky Mountain House was abandoned in 1981.13

Notes | Bibliography | Abbreviations