Embarras, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Embarras is a Canadian National Railway
(CN) rail siding
in Alberta
, Canada
. It is located along CN's Foothills Subdivision at Milepost 25.2.
(GTP) when that company built its "Coal Branch Line" south from Edson
on the Edmonton-Prince Rupert
mainline. The Coal Branch Line was constructed by the Grand Trunk Pacific Branch Lines Company (GTPRBL) from the mainline at Bickerdike south to Coalspur
and Lovett. Coal mines were opened by GTP subsidiaries at Mercoal
, Cadomin and Mountain Park
.
Embarras, along with other sidings on the Coal Branch Line such as McLeod River, Erith, Weald, and Oke were all ghost towns by the 1960s with the decline in coal mining as railways converted to diesel locomotives.
The Embarras siding housed a GTP type “E” station house on the north side of the tracks that was common on the Coal Branch Line. The station house was removed in 1968 and the railbed regraded, removing all traces of the station.
Prest Creek flows into the Embarras River
near the station. E. B. Johnson and Son operated a sawmill on the site between 1940 and 1963. Remnants of several buildings can still be found on site today. There are no permanent residents but the site is still popular with users who can access the multitude of recreational activities in the area.
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CN) rail siding
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located along CN's Foothills Subdivision at Milepost 25.2.
History
Embarras was founded in 1913 by the Grand Trunk Pacific RailwayGrand Trunk Pacific Railway
The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was a historical Canadian railway.A wholly owned subsidiary of the Grand Trunk Railway , the GTPR was constructed by GTR using loans provided by the Government of Canada. The company was formed in 1903 with a mandate to build west from Winnipeg, Manitoba to the...
(GTP) when that company built its "Coal Branch Line" south from Edson
Edson, Alberta
Edson is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Yellowhead County, west of Edmonton along the Yellowhead Highway and east of the intersection with Highway 47.- History :left|thumb|200px|Welcome Sign...
on the Edmonton-Prince Rupert
Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Prince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the land, air, and water transportation hub of British Columbia's North Coast, and home to some 12,815 people .-History:...
mainline. The Coal Branch Line was constructed by the Grand Trunk Pacific Branch Lines Company (GTPRBL) from the mainline at Bickerdike south to Coalspur
Coalspur, Alberta
Coalspur is an abandoned coal-mining community in Yellowhead County, Alberta. Situated in the Alberta foothills, the community was home to a substantial coal mine, and acted as a transportation hub for the Alberta Coal Branch. The community began after a group of British financiers founded the...
and Lovett. Coal mines were opened by GTP subsidiaries at Mercoal
Mercoal, Alberta
Mercoal, a former coal mining town, is located in the Yellowhead County of western Alberta, Canada. It was one of several communities along the historic 'Coal Branch' segment of the Canadian National Railway , which included Embarras, Robb, Coalspur, Coal Valley, Cadomin, Luscar, and Mountain Park...
, Cadomin and Mountain Park
Mountain Park, Alberta
Mountain Park is a ghost town in western Alberta, south of Cadomin, at the end of the historic 'Coal Branch' line of the Canadian National Railway, formerly known as the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway....
.
Embarras, along with other sidings on the Coal Branch Line such as McLeod River, Erith, Weald, and Oke were all ghost towns by the 1960s with the decline in coal mining as railways converted to diesel locomotives.
The Embarras siding housed a GTP type “E” station house on the north side of the tracks that was common on the Coal Branch Line. The station house was removed in 1968 and the railbed regraded, removing all traces of the station.
Prest Creek flows into the Embarras River
Embarras River (Alberta)
The Embarras River is a short river in west-central Alberta, Canada. The river likely derived its name from the French word for obstruction, because it is often obstructed by driftwood. -Course:...
near the station. E. B. Johnson and Son operated a sawmill on the site between 1940 and 1963. Remnants of several buildings can still be found on site today. There are no permanent residents but the site is still popular with users who can access the multitude of recreational activities in the area.