Coutts Sweetgrass Train Depot

It’s one of the oldest buildings we’ve explored in these parts and dates back to well before Alberta was even a province. Yessiree, stuff from that time, like what’s seen here, is ancient by local standards. Long ago, it straddled the Canada/US border and is presently found at a museum south of Lethbridge, in the little community of Stirling. We’re speaking of the Coutts Sweetgrass Train Depot at the Galt Railway Historic Park and here’s a special tour for your enjoyment.

Once the world returns to normal (the obligatory C-word disclaimer) let this inspire you to pay the the place a visit in person. It’s a little treasure.

Here it’s a structure witness to the comings and goings of pioneers, settlers, travellers of all types and of course, countless passing trains. Once hugely important to the community, a connection to the outside world, it’d be easy to imagine it busy once. Just how valuable railways in general were to small towns across the prairies is lost on us today, but back then a community without was nothing. The trains and depot, hand in hand, was a key to success.

This fine old building is not the only attraction at the Galt Historic Railway Park, a hidden gem of a place, but is the main focus here. Still, be sure to take in everything else there when visiting. There’s old time rail cars (and rail car parts), countless themed displays and all kinds of cool stuff to make folks big into history, railway history in particular, a happy camper. A giant thanks goes out to the museum and especially Jason Sailer who tolerated our shenanigans while capturing the photos seen here.

At the Coutts-Sweetgrass Train Depot.

The Coutts Alberta/Sweetgrass Montana Depot, so called as it was in both communities (AND so in two countries), dates from the coming of the railway in 1890. Each town butts up against the other, right there at the border and about three quarters of the building was on the Canada side. Alberta as a province is not that old (from 1905) so here it’s one aged building with ones from that era not often seen. In contrast we regularly saw places in Spain five hundred or a thousand years old and bet something a hundred and thirty wouldn’t even register there.

Coutts/Sweetgrass was where the Alberta Railway & Coal Company, later the Alberta Railway and Irrigation Company met the Montana based Great Falls and Canada Railway. These firms, along with a number of connecting lines, were all Galt enterprises. A consortium of investors lead by Alexander Galt, they were responsible for much economic development in the area in the early days and even today their legacy remains strong.

These lines were built to the non-standard three foot gauge and operated from the Lethbridge coal fields, south to the border about a hundred kilometres distance and then into US. This conduit allowed the mines, many incidentally belonging to the Galts, access to broader markets down south. In the early 1900s, the track was standard gauged (so 4 ft 8 1/2 in), with the American section sold and becoming the Montana Great Northern Railway about 1901. The far reaching US transcontinental Great Northern Railway was the parent line and it was soon folded into their network. The track present day belongs to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

Narrow gauge lowered construction costs but offered no real advantages otherwise and so this standard gauging was inevitable. It just made sense to be compatible with the rest of the North American Rail Network for car exchange purposes.

On the the Canadian side the track has belonged to the Canadian Pacific Railway since the early 1910s. It’s a secondary line and a roller coaster of sorts that follows the lay of the land instead of challenging it head on and reflects the budgetary constraints of those who built it. The CPR and BNSF exchange rail cars there at the border.

As designed the station facilitated the transfer of people and goods between the two countries and crossing over minimally meant paperwork and duties to pay. It served this function until the mid-1910s before being sawed in two by the CPR, on account of a rocky relationship with co-owner GNR. The northern section was then moved a little up the tracks. The GNR’s third was similarly used as a station on the US side for a time, but soon moved (when a new station was built) on finding use as a custom’s house. In the 1930s a local farmer purchased it and had it transported to his property in the area. We wonder if it’s still there, where ever there is? Road trip!

The CPR section remained in used till the end of passenger service in the 1960s and similarly was an office for rail crews, a function it served into the 1980s. Afterwards, it was simply abandoned.

It once straddled the US/Canada border.

In the late 1990s it was under threat of demolition due to expansion of the highway border crossing. In 2000 comes a saviour, the Great Canadian Plains Railway Society (those behind the Galt Railway Museum) who acquired it and moved it north. That must have surely been a huge task. Since then, it’s been fully restored and is a fine representation of what was and a new addition mimics the long missing south end. In a condition that belies its age, the amount of work that went into renovations must have been staggering. It’s done up to represent the early 1900s era and presents a timeless scene.

The little kid’s ​view.

Inside there’s all the things you’d expect to find, a waiting room, baggage/express areas full of trunks and crates (plus a casket!) and a ticket, telegram/cable and custom’s office. Express was the railways small package service and telegrams were pretty much the only way to quickly communicate with the outside world. Cables were simply an overseas telegram.

Then there’s something surprising, a jail cell, for anyone causing trouble. Keep you noses clean, or else! Had any relatives of your author passed through the area back then, it’d be here where we’d find them. Upstairs, there was accommodations for the station agent, now rented out privately as an apartment. With small venues like this always cash-strapped, this helps cover the cost of upkeep.

All around, it’s things of interest. There’s tools of the trade, typewriters and telegraphs, hand trucks and baggage wagons. Old books and manuals are for us a rabbit hole. In one corner a trunk carries all of someone’s worldly possessions. Every station had a station clock and it was usually calibrated to the second. Railways have always been obsessed with time but more for safety reasons than punctuality. On the wall, a board lists arrivals and departures for the day (August 31, 1902).

A short stretch of track fronting the station has been put in for speeder rides. Trust us, they’re a hoot – here: Riding the Rails in SW Saskatchewan – Part One and here: Riding the Rails in SW Saskatchewan – Part Two. These are small railed vehicles once used by maintenance crews and the museum is working to extend the tracks so the ride can be made longer.

A metal cairn out front marks the pretend international boundary. US this side, Canada that. A Union Jack flaps in the wind and in the early days of Canada was still commonly seen.

All over there’s railway memorabilia. There’s lanterns and signs, models and so many photographs and much art. Go back in time: it’s some fine summer day in 1902 and the train’s due. It’s the tap-tap of the telegraph and that acrid smell of coal smoke as a northbound run arrives. It’s a chaotic scene with passengers milling about. Where are they from and where are they bound? To start a new life? Crates and boxes, destination stickers affixed, are piled high. Everyone and everything’s on a journey to somewhere and with your imagination you’re right in the middle of it.

An old caboose on the property gets some attention (CPR #436986). Dating from the 1940s it was retired in the 1980s. Remember when one of these could be found at the end of every freight train? Us too! Today these are mostly found at museums. Railway workers would refer to these as hacks, crummies, waycars, or here in Canada, vans. They were both a work place and home on wheels for the tail end crew and so we lit this one up to look as though someone’s on board. Looks like the conductor’s burning the midnight oil and doing paperwork.

A section of CPR branch passes right beside the museum property, out of service for many years but with the rails remaining in place. The Lethbridge to Coutts line, to which the station is so forever connected, is not far away either and every once in a while, a passing train can be heard in the distance.

The small details…

Coutts today is still the gateway to the US, and Sweetgrass Montana, similarly so to Canada. Only the people and most goods travel by road.

In Stirling there’s signs guiding you the Galt Historic Railway Park as you enter town and in no time the big red station will be in sight. You can’t miss it.

That next day: with no where to be it’s time to wander. First it’s little unexpected trainspotting and later a little treasure found. We’re keeping it secret though.

Here’s some useful Google search terms if want to know more: Galt Historic Railway Park and Coutts Sweetgrass Border Crossing.

They’re saying…

”Great information on the best local things to see and visit” Mike Styczen.

More like this…
Big Valley’s Train Station – We got to spend the night!
Manyberries Alberta Railway Station – Now a home.
Moose Jaw SK Then and Now: CPR Train Station – Many years apart.
CPR Calgary Train Station – @ Calgary’s Heritage Park.

If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here don’t hesitate to contact us!

Date of Adventure: October, 2019.
Location(s): Stirling, AB.
Article references and thanks: Galt Railway Historic Park, volunteer Jason Sailer and Canadian Trackside Guides.

Arrivals and departures circa 1902.

A special visit at our favourite time of day.

Track will eventually circle the property.

Plaques tells a story – in back it’s speeders you can ride.

On the grounds, this old stock car.

To roll no more.

The Canadian side.

We had a view like this riding across Saskatchewan.

Heavy metal and rivets – an old passenger car.

Express – we call it Fedex now.

At the “international” border.

Welcome to the Galt Historic Railway Park.

This side Montana, that side Alberta.

All quiet now but back in the day a busy place.

The building dates from 1890.

Lamps like this once lit the way.

Shipping insurance: a good idea, then and now.

All one’s worldly possessions in this trunk.

That magic moment when it all lines up.

With telegraphs you could talk to the outside world.

Every station had a station clock.

A wagon to move baggage about.

Waiting on a train – freight hand truck in front.

A timeless scene.

Thankfully it was saved from demolition.

Night falls and it’s time to go.

The conductor’s burning the midnight oil.

The next day, a little unplanned train spotting.

What could it be?