Montreal's Neo-Classic Jean Talon Station

[xcnken-/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Article appearing earlier this year covering the x-CPR Jean Station here in Montreal...........



Jean-Talon Railway Station in 2013 (Photo: Dick Nieuwendyk )


http://mtltimes.ca/montreal/jean-talon-cpr-station/ http://mtltimes.ca/montreal/jean-talon-cpr-station/




K.Wadden Pointe Claire Qc

[torbeaches-/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Thanks for posting this. I remember, as a young kid in the early '50s, meeting family arriving at Jean Talon Station. This was at a time when CPR Royal Hudsons and 3000 Series Jubilees routinely were at the head of Montreal-Quebec City passenger trains. I seem to recall the station was also colloquially referred to as Park-Ex Station, given its proximity to the Park Extension neighbourhood.

We are indeed fortunate, in both Montreal and Toronto, to have the pleasure of the preservation of two grand CP stations, Jean Talon and Summerhill (North Toronto).


In both scenarios, the buildings serve a viable purpose today, albeit not related to trains, and they both have received reasonably architecturally-sensitive restorations.


Derek Thompson
Toronto, Ontario

['Mark W. Walton' [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Pity that AMT didn’t see fit to use it as the off-peak terminal for the St. Jerome line, but at least it was spared the Van Horne mansion’s fate.

Mark Walton
<mailto:mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org> mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org

From: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org [mailto:Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org]
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2014 9:46 PM
To: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org
Subject: [CanPassRail] Re: Montreal's Neo-Classic Jean Talon Station

Thanks for posting this. I remember, as a young kid in the early '50s, meeting family arriving at Jean Talon Station. This was at a time when CPR Royal Hudsons and 3000 Series Jubilees routinely were at the head of Montreal-Quebec City passenger trains. I seem to recall the station was also colloquially referred to as Park-Ex Station, given its proximity to the Park Extension neighbourhood.

We are indeed fortunate, in both Montreal and Toronto, to have the pleasure of the preservation of two grand CP stations, Jean Talon and Summerhill (North Toronto).

In both scenarios, the buildings serve a viable purpose today, albeit not related to trains, and they both have received reasonably architecturally-sensitive restorations.

Derek Thompson
Toronto, Ontario

['Don Thomas' [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

At the time to which you refer, the only official name was Park Avenue station, and that was authorized by an order of the Board of Transport Commissioners. At some time in the 1960s the timetable references began to show “Park Avenue (Jean Talon)”. For reasons which are unclear, the name Jean Talon came to be used in French and Park Avenue in English, which is strange considering that they are two separate streets meeting in front of the station. It got to the point that translations of official documents used the two names.



Jean Talon is a more accurate name, since the railway crosses Jean Talon at the station, and crosses Park Avenue some distance away. Probably the name Park Avenue stemmed from a combination of two sources. First, CP previously had a very small stop near the Park Avenue crossing, to serve the few trains operating to or from Windsor Station which didn’t pass Mile End station and thus couldn’t otherwise serve passengers in the area. Second, the station was built in a rather grand manner and some distance from the tracks in order to ornament the north end of Park Avenue, then being planned as a majestic boulevard. CP’s planned name for the new station was Breslay, after the adjacent junction of the lines to Windsor and Place Viger stations. The last minute change to Park Avenue (following the Board of Railway Commissioners’ initial approval of the building under the Breslay name) was to recognize the importance of Park Avenue to the developing neighbourhood, and to replace the existing Park Avenue platform. The area never grew up to embody the splendour envisaged in the City Beautiful planning, and the station never received the amount of traffic it was designed for, nor the six passenger and two freight tracks provided for future expansion. The station opened in 1931 at a time when previous patterns of urban growth and passenger traffic growth had just started to change irrevocably. However, it remained a busy place for a number of years. It was also the headquarters of CP’s Laurentian Division and the Montreal Terminals Division.



Don Thomas



From: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org [mailto:Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org]
Sent: September-13-14 7:46 PM
To: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org
Subject: [CanPassRail] Re: Montreal's Neo-Classic Jean Talon Station





Thanks for posting this. I remember, as a young kid in the early '50s, meeting family arriving at Jean Talon Station. This was at a time when CPR Royal Hudsons and 3000 Series Jubilees routinely were at the head of Montreal-Quebec City passenger trains. I seem to recall the station was also colloquially referred to as Park-Ex Station, given its proximity to the Park Extension neighbourhood.



We are indeed fortunate, in both Montreal and Toronto, to have the pleasure of the preservation of two grand CP stations, Jean Talon and Summerhill (North Toronto).



In both scenarios, the buildings serve a viable purpose today, albeit not related to trains, and they both have received reasonably architecturally-sensitive restorations.



Derek Thompson

Toronto, Ontario

[David Jeanes [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Post by 'Don Thomas' thomasd-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
At the time to which you refer, the only official name was Park Avenue station, and that was authorized by an order of the Board of Transport Commissioners.

The article that started this thread begins by naming Colin M. Drewitt as the architect of Park Avenue/Jean Talon Station.

Don Thomas has assembled a list of more than 60 CPR buildings designed or added to by Drewitt. Drewitt worked for the CPR from 1928 to 1952, except for a period in the 1930's when he returned to England.

However, he had previously worked for up to 12 years for Darling and Pearson in Toronto and Ottawa. They were the architects of CPR's 1916 North Toronto Station, and it may have had some influence on Drewitt's design for Park Avenue Station.

He was in Ottawa for a number of years, mainly for the reconstruction of the Parliament Buildings between 1916 and the completion of the Peace Tower in 1927, representing its architect John A. Pearson, of Darling and Pearson. He also did some work in his own private practice.

His other Ottawa work included St. Barnabas Church, where I recently found iron gates to a side chapel donated by him. Drewitt was born in England in 1884 and died in 1961.

David Jeanes

[midrly-FFYn/[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

I find it interesting to compare the work of Colin Drewitt at the CPR and the work of CN's architect, John Schofield. Drewitt designed CPR structures, while Schofield even designed the 1943 "maple leaf" logo and the "flame" livery for CN's NW-2 diesel switchers.

I get the impression that Drewitt was playing catch-up with Schofield. The CN Midland station of 1945 was followed by Drewitt's art-moderne stations such as Marathon, Pendleton and Medonte, Ontario. Later CN erected art-moderne stations at Beloeil, Quebec, and Oakville, Morrisburg, Long Sault, Cornwall, and Walkerville (Windsor) Ontario. But the number of CPR stations erected to Drewitt's designs seem to have been more numerous than those of Schofield at CN.


Steve Lucas.

['Mark W. Walton' [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Did the Morrisburg and Long Sault stations get flooded out when the seaway was built? If so, were they moved?

Mark Walton
<mailto:mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org> mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org

From: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org [mailto:Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 12:07 PM
To: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org
Subject: Re: [CanPassRail] Re: Montreal's Neo-Classic Jean Talon Station

I find it interesting to compare the work of Colin Drewitt at the CPR and the work of CN's architect, John Schofield. Drewitt designed CPR structures, while Schofield even designed the 1943 "maple leaf" logo and the "flame" livery for CN's NW-2 diesel switchers.

I get the impression that Drewitt was playing catch-up with Schofield. The CN Midland station of 1945 was followed by Drewitt's art-moderne stations such as Marathon, Pendleton and Medonte, Ontario. Later CN erected art-moderne stations at Beloeil, Quebec, and Oakville, Morrisburg, Long Sault, Cornwall, and Walkerville (Windsor) Ontario. But the number of CPR stations erected to Drewitt's designs seem to have been more numerous than those of Schofield at CN.

Steve Lucas.
_____

Posted by: midrly-FFYn/***@public.gmane.org
_____

[DON THOMAS [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

These stations were two of several built new on the relocated CN line during construction of the Seaway.

Don Thomas

----- Original Message -----
From: "'Mark W. Walton' mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]" <Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org>
To: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 8:01:18 PM
Subject: RE: [CanPassRail] Re: Montreal's Neo-Classic Jean Talon Station

 







Did the Morrisburg and Long Sault stations get flooded out when the seaway was built ? If so, were they moved ?

 


Mark Walton

mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org

 



From: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org [mailto:Canadian-P assenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 12:07 PM
To: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org
Subject: Re: [CanPassRail] Re: Montreal's Neo-Classic Jean Talon Station

 

I find it interesting to compare the work of Colin Drewitt at the CPR and the work of CN's architect, John Schofield.  Drewitt designed CPR structures, while Schofield even designed the 1943 "maple leaf" logo and the "flame" livery for CN's NW-2 diesel switchers.


 


I get the impression that Drewitt was playing catch-up with Schofield. The CN Midland station of 1945 was followed by Drewitt's art-moderne stations such as Marathon, Pendleton and Medonte, Ontario. Later CN erected art-moderne stations at Beloeil, Quebec, and Oakville, Mo rrisburg, Long Sault, Cornwall, and Walkerville (Windsor) Ontario.  But the number of CPR stations erected to Drewitt's designs seem to have been more numerous than those of Schofield at CN.


 


Steve Lucas.   




Posted by: midrly-FFYn/***@public.gmane.org








 





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[David Jeanes [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Post by midrly-FFYn/***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
I find it interesting to compare the work of Colin Drewitt at the CPR and the work of CN's architect, John Schofield. Drewitt designed CPR structures, while Schofield even designed the 1943 "maple leaf" logo and the "flame" livery for CN's NW-2 diesel switchers.
I get the impression that Drewitt was playing catch-up with Schofield. The CN Midland station of 1945 was followed by Drewitt's art-moderne stations such as Marathon, Pendleton and Medonte, Ontario. Later CN erected art-moderne stations at Beloeil, Quebec, and Oakville, Mo rrisburg, Long Sault, Cornwall, and Walkerville (Windsor) Ontario. But the number of CPR stations erected to Drewitt's designs seem to have been more numerous than those of Schofield at CN.

I don't really see that Drewitt was following Schofield. They were both designing Moderne style stations in the early 1940's pretty much in parallel, with Schofield no more than a year ahead of Drewitt, if that. But both were influenced by Fellheimer & Wagner's Buffalo TH&B Station of 1933,

Drewitt's 1931 Park Avenue Station was trending more to the Moderne style than Schofield's 1930 Hamilton and 1931 Saint John Stations, which were still Neo-Classical.

Drewitt is also attributed with Moderne style buildings in England, where he was from 1936 to 1940, and they also show the influence of Fellheimer & Wagner, such as the rounded corners.

David Jeanes

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[[e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Morrisburg had one of the original Grand Trunk 1855-56 limestone stations, with their design attributed to Francis Thompson (see my dad's article on page 229 of Canadian Rail, Issue 514, Sept-Oct 2006 for more about the standard pattern design).

http://www.exporail.org/can_rail/Canadian%20Rail_no514_2006.pdf http://www.exporail.org/can_rail/Canadian%20Rail_no514_2006.pdf



Morrisburg's was one of small versions (Type C) of this GTR standard pattern, with five bays featuring round-arched window or door openings. Ernestown and Napanee are surviving examples of this type. Cornwall's 1855 station was one of the large versions (Type A), with seven bays.

Here's a photo of the original Morrisburg station before construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway.


http://www.images.technomuses.ca/searchpf.php?id=224523&lang=en http://www.images.technomuses.ca/searchpf.php?id=224523&lang=en

Here's the new Morrisburg station on the relocated mainline.


http://www.imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=17793892&id=37 http://www.imagescn.technomuses.ca/structures/index_view.cfm?photoid=17793892&id=37



There was apparently some talk of dismantling the old stone Morrisburg station and moving it to Upper Canada Village, but nothing came of this.



Interestingly, the new Morrisburg station is, with Cornwall, one of the few of the CN Seaway diversion stations to survive to the present day. While Cornwall station still has VIA service and retains much of its original appearance, Morrisburg is only used by MoW personnel and is considerably altered.


Regards,
Andrew

---In Canadian-Passenger-***@yahoogroups.com, <***@...> wrote :

These stations were two of several built new on the relocated CN line during construction of the Seaway.

Don Thomas

----- Original Message -----
From: "'Mark W. Walton' ***@... mailto:***@... [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]" <Canadian-Passenger-***@yahoogroups.com mailto:Canadian-Passenger-***@yahoogroups.com>
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Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 8:01:18 PM
Subject: RE: [CanPassRail] Re: Montreal's Neo-Classic Jean Talon Station









Did the Morrisburg and Long Sault stations get flooded out when the seaway was built ? If so, were they moved ?




Mark Walton

***@... mailto:***@...





From: Canadian-Passenger-***@yahoogroups.com mailto:Canadian-Passenger-***@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Canadian-P assenger-***@yahoogroups.com mailto:assenger-***@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 12:07 PM
To: Canadian-Passenger-***@yahoogroups.com mailto:Canadian-Passenger-***@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [CanPassRail] Re: Montreal's Neo-Classic Jean Talon Station



I find it interesting to compare the work of Colin Drewitt at the CPR and the work of CN's architect, John Schofield. Drewitt designed CPR structures, while Schofield even designed the 1943 "maple leaf" logo and the "flame" livery for CN's NW-2 diesel switchers.





I get the impression that Drewitt was playing catch-up with Schofield. The CN Midland station of 1945 was followed by Drewitt's art-moderne stations such as Marathon, Pendleton and Medonte, Ontario. Later CN erected art-moderne stations at Beloeil, Quebec, and Oakville, Mo rrisburg, Long Sault, Cornwall, and Walkerville (Windsor) Ontario. But the number of CPR stations erected to Drewitt's designs seem to have been more numerous than those of Schofield at CN.





Steve Lucas.




Posted by: ***@... mailto:***@...

['Mark W. Walton' [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Upper Canada Village got the old Aultsville station.

Mark Walton
<mailto:mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org> mark.walton-***@public.gmane.org

From: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org [mailto:Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org]
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2014 7:32 PM
To: Canadian-Passenger-Rail-***@public.gmane.org
Subject: Re: [CanPassRail] Re: Montreal's Neo-Classic Jean Talon Station

<snip>

Interestingly, the new Morrisburg station is, with Cornwall, one of the few of the CN Seaway diversion stations to survive to the present day. While Cornwall station still has VIA service and retains much of its original appearance, Morrisburg is only used by MoW personnel and is considerably altered.

Regards,
Andrew

_____

Posted by: yahoo-***@public.gmane.org
_____

[Tom Box [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

Post by 'Don Thomas' thomasd-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
At the time to which you refer, the only official name was Park
Avenue station, and that was authorized by an order of the Board
of Transport Commissioners. At some time in the 1960s the
timetable references began to show "Park Avenue (Jean Talon)".

It appeared in the 1950s. The April 27, 1952 Montreal - Quebec
City table says "Montreal Park Avenue Stn." April 29, 1956 says
"Montreal Park Ave. Stn. (Jean Talon)". I don't have the
folders between those dates, so I can't pin down the first
appearance of Jean Talon.

October 1961 was the same as April 1956, but Jean Talon had
disappeared by October 1963, when the timetable says "Montreal
Park Ave. Stn." That continued at least through April 1967,
but by April 1970 it was once again "Montreal Park Ave. Stn.
(Jean Talon)". Again, I can't pin down the exact dates of the
disappearance and reappearance of Jean Talon.

The October 1983 VIA timetable says "Park Avenue (Jean-Talon)".
That was the last VIA system folder to show that station. By
the time the next one appeared, the north shore Quebec trains
had moved to Central Station and the Mount Royal tunnel, and
no longer served Park Avenue. As far as I know, Park Avenue
was always the primary name in CPR and VIA timetables. Jean
Talon either didn't appear at all, or was a parenthetical
afterthought.

Tom Box
tbox at ncf dot ca
Port Hope, ON, Canada


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[Brian Gilhuly [e-mail] [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]]

On 16 September 2014 20:29, Tom Box wrote:

It appeared in the 1950s. The April 27, 1952 Montreal - Quebec

Post by Tom Box tbox-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
City table says "Montreal Park Avenue Stn." April 29, 1956 says
"Montreal Park Ave. Stn. (Jean Talon)". I don't have the
folders between those dates, so I can't pin down the first
appearance of Jean Talon

To narrow things down a bit, the April 25, 1954 timetable shows "Montreal
Park Ave. Stn. (Jean Talon)".

.October 1961 was the same as April 1956, but Jean Talon had

Post by Tom Box tbox-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
disappeared by October 1963, when the timetable says "Montreal
Park Ave. Stn."

It was still "Montreal Park Ave. Stn. (Jean Talon)" in the April 28, 1963
timetable, so October of that year was when it dropped.

Post by Tom Box tbox-***@public.gmane.org [Canadian-Passenger-Rail]
That continued at least through April 1967,
but by April 1970 it was once again "Montreal Park Ave. Stn.
(Jean Talon)". Again, I can't pin down the exact dates of the
disappearance and reappearance of Jean Talon.

Nor can I, but Jean Talon reappeared by April 1968

Brian Gilhuly