All Aboard for Railway Pie at McAdam Railway Station

Railway Pie

Famous way back when & famous now, Railway Pie is back again! Every Sunday in July to the end of September from 1-4 p.m. you can enjoy a generous slice of delicious homemade pie in the iconic McAdam Railway Station. It is a delcious treat and a step back in time that everyone should experience. Starting in the early 1900’s, Railway Pie was served here, and it was so good that the Boston News wrote about it. Honouring that tradition, the Restoration Committee brought it back again to help save the community's pride & joy - the McAdam Railway Station.

A Crown Jewel

 

Worthy of being named a Provincial & National Historical Site and a Designated Heritage Railway Station, honoured on a Canadian stamp, and earning 2013 Winner of People's Choice for Greatest Public Place in Canada, McAdam Railway Station is a jewel in the crown of Canadian Railway History. The government has co-funded projects to help support the restoration. However, without public support, this national treasure will not have a snowball's chance in ... (well a really hot place) to return to its former glory despite the good intentions, perseverance, hard work, ongoing efforts and downright grit & dogged determination of the Restoration Committee to preserve it. So...for now... bakers make pies.  

Sunday Railway Pie

Agnes Campbell (pictured above) is one of the four dedicated women in the village that bake fifteen pies every Saturday to be ready for Sunday's Railway Pie visitors to the McAdam Railway Station. Yes, you heard right - 4 women make 15 pies each week all summer long! Frank Campbell (Agnes's husband and a Restoration Committee Member) did the math for me and these remarkable women (two of whom are in their 90's) collectively produce 60 pies each week, which are then cut into fifths, equalling a total of 300 pieces of 'Railway Pie'.  Hmmm... What do you do every Saturday in the Summer to volunteer for your community?

Sunday at McAdam Railway Station

As you savour every bite of your Railway Pie, look around, take it all in. Put another dime in the jukebox and allow yourself to linger & imagine. Over a century ago, travellers sat on stools at these very counters to enjoy a piece of Railway Pie. The ambiance takes you back and the Railway Pie pulls you in. Now, do me a favour... no, actually do McAdam, New Brunswick and Canada a favour and tell two friends... then ask them to do the same then make a beeline for a Sunday at McAdam Railway Station.  

Eat a Piece of Railway Pie to Save a Piece of History

Well, I figure, the very least we all can do on Sunday, after the incredible effort made by these four women and countless community volunteer servers, is get in our cars, go for a beautiful scenic rural drive, find a stool in the quaint 50's diner (the Restoration Committee made happen) and eat a piece of Railway pie to save a piece of history.  

 24 Different Flavours of Railway Pies

Frank just shakes his head, "I don't know what it is, but people really love our Railway Pie and they drive for hours to get it!" Frank thinks it is the 24 different flavours of fresh mouth-watering pies they offer. I beg to differ. I think if they only offered 6 different varieties, people would still come. It's the experience. It's the history. It's the heritage. It's the charm. Oh, and it is the pie, too! It is really good! However, it is so much more than that. It is definitely more than just the pie, I reassured Frank. I'm sure of it. So, beginning on July 1st, McAdam Railway Station, will be open again this season for Railway Pie. Come get a big piece (1/5 of a pie) and a tea or coffee for a value price. Piece by piece you will be helping McAdam save the railway station that means the world to them. And, as Canadians - it should mean the world to us, too.

A National Treasure 

McAdam Railway Station is a Canadian icon & a national treasure. If you have not been yet, you really must see it! Have I mentioned they have 24 different flavours of pie?! In all seriousness, it is an architectural gem and it is s a fascinating place to explore. It was modelled after a Scottish castle with Gothic, Baroque, and Victorian style architecture. Sir William Van Horne, who built the Canadian Pacific Railway, commissioned the station. Architect Edward Maxwell, and W.H. Joseph McVay & sons were directly responsible for construction. The only way to see it, is with a knowledgeable guide and station tours are offered for a minimal fee.

Babe Ruth, Sir Winston Churchill, and Barbara Ann Scott were here

 

Babe Ruth travelled through McAdam Railway Station, as did Sir Winston Churchill, and figure skater Barbara Ann Scott to name a few famous folk. You are in good company here. In fact, the 5-star hotel, that was once part of the Railway Station, catered to elite travellers requiring an overnight stay in fitting to their status. Often these guests were coming from Boston and heading to the seaside resort town of St. Andrews. It is mesmerizing to hear the stories of the grandeur of this era and the Restoration Committee is determined to bring McAdam Railway Station back to these glory days of the 1930's. Frank recalled a time as a young boy when he pressed his face against a window just to get a glimpse of the opulence inside the dining room, only be sent running by Miss Quinn, the Hotel Manager. She called him “a little scallywag" and shooed him away.

Is McAdam Railway Station Haunted? 

Is McAdam Railway Station Haunted? You tell me. Hear ghost stories and instances of paranormal activity recorded here. Would you dare stay the night? There are tales of unwed mothers, torrid affairs & runaway housewives. Learn about a shot gun wielding husband, a murder, and a forlorn lover's suicide. Some mischievous kitchen staffers threw dishes into the lake so they might sneak out early for an evening of fun. See the secret passages these girls used to sneak in & out of their dormitories as they broke curfew. View the log of criminal activity on display that earned rail-riding criminals a lock up in the station's jail (which was located around the back of the station). Hear the heartbreaking story about the newborn baby that died after being thrown from a train, and how the village of McAdam has lovingly maintained a burial site (often adorned with flowers, or a teddybear and rosary beads). It is said, even to this day, engineers blow the train's horn as they pass the grave to honour this unknown baby. It all sounds like a Hollywood thriller or a good Netflix series to me. The stories around the station are plentiful and fascinating. Come hear them.

McAdam Nature Trail

After a McAdam Railway Station grand tour, check out McAdam Nature Trail, directly behind it. It circles around the McAdam pond and has key scenic lookouts to view the station. Enjoy a small covered bridge and a picnic area, too. Several benches allow you to stop here and there to soak up the views and enjoy the tranquility. Keep your eyes on the lookout for small wildlife like frogs, turtles, ducks & foxes. I heard a lonely loon's call when I was capturing these photographs. Savour a lovely leisurely walk and leave only your footprints behind. 

McAdam Railway Station Restoration Committee

Frank Carroll, the former Mayor of McAdam had the vision to breathe life back into McAdam Railway Station and along with Frank Campbell and the Restoration Committee, they give their heart & soul and countless hours keeping the dream alive to see this grand lady return to her heyday grandeur& beauty. On their wish list is opening a 20-room hotel, reminiscent of the 5-Star accommodations they once were. They talk of murder mystery weekends, writers, artists, photographers & storytellers workshops, fine food & wine events with world class chefs, outdoor adventure experiences, and more. The endless possibilities go on & on. They have a million marketing ideas. In the meanwhile, Agnes and her friends bake pies, the committee writes proposals for extra government funding, and the committee will talk to whomever might listen and assist with fundraising events. And they continue to fix & repair, paint & restore what they can - when they can - with what they have, but as you can imagine, it is not easy.  

Canadian Jewel

I was touched by the personal stories, and dedication of my friends Agnes & Frank. It is through them, that I too fell in love with McAdam Railway Station. I hope this article will encourage you to visit the station. Frank Carroll, (the former Mayor of McAdam) is the wind beneath everyone's wings in honouring this New Brunswick & Canadian Jewel but he needs all of us invested in saving her. McAdam Railway Station is a provincial & national treasure. I hope you will take a drive and see this majestic beauty for yourself. Take a tour, enjoy some Railway Pie, and listen to the stories. Make a donation or book a function, and tell others about it. Piece by piece, Railway Pie helps. Bit by bit, you can help the Restoration Committee, and the Village of McAdam raise enough funds to save this iconic Canadian Railway Station before it is too late.

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