New Brunswick’s early railroad history begins at the McAdam NB Railroad Station, a National Historic Site and New Brunswick Provincial Heritage Place. This Heritage Railroad Station is located in McAdam near the United States border crossing at Vanceboro.
Built in 1900, this magnificent turn-of-the-century stone structure portrays a time when railroading played a critical role in the development of Canada as a nation. Commissioned by Canadian Pacific Railway president, Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, the chateau-style structure once serviced over 15 passenger trains a day moving people in and out of Atlantic Canada, the Eastern Seaboard States and Western Canada.
Expert guides will share stories with you, such as the German spy captured only a few kilometres down the line, or the stir that Sir Winston Churchill created while passing through McAdam, or better yet, the intrigue of the waiting room murder. A formal dining room, telegraph office, mail and baggage room, lunch counter, 17 hotel rooms, 2 waiting rooms and a jail are all open for public viewing. There is also the auxiliary car in the Express Room. A man-made pond, created in 1900 for the steam engines to draw water, is located on site and now provides a beautifully groomed walking trail.
The rail line remains active today and it’s not uncommon to see freight trains rolling through, just as they did over 100 years ago. In the early years, the McAdam Railway Station gained an international reputation for its decadent home cooked pies served to travelers from around the world. Literary pundits referred to it as ‘railroad pie’, and in keeping with tradition, the McAdam Railway Station serves up Railway Pie during the sunny summer months on Sunday afternoons.
The Station is operated and managed by the McAdam Historical Restoration Commission. It is an active museum offering tours, catered meals, conference facilities and much more.
The Station is also a Visitor Information Center.
A brief history of the McAdam Railway Station with former McAdam Mayor Frank Carroll.
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