Big red caboose

Aug 07, 2014

The Railway Heritage Park located in the village of Sharbot Lake is fast becoming a popular destination for visitors to Central Frontenac. The site was developed by members of the Central Frontenac Railway Heritage Society (CFRHS) over many years.

There are now two new Railway Heritage Park signs on Road 38 that point visitors to the park and they are likely what is bringing in more visitors now. On the Saturday of the long weekend, August 2, close to 40 people explored the park and caboose and the hundreds of railway heritage artifacts. The caboose is open during the summer every Saturday from 11 am-3pm and is free of charge.

The appeal of the park knows no age limit. Young children are fascinated by the caboose as most have never seen one let alone been inside one. For that matter most adult visitors to the area have never been inside a caboose either, so it is a unique experience for the whole family.

Older visitors, especially those who have had connections to the railway in the past, often take a seat inside the caboose to pore over the eight binders that contain in-depth information and memories about the K& P Railway, historic photos of Sharbot Lake, and local family histories. One binder is dedicated to the numerous trains and stations that used to exist in the area.

The caboose's lovingly restored and carefully maintained space, which was designed and dedicated to the imperative tasks of its former inhabitants, is a historic gem from days gone by. It has two look outs that are accessed by ladders, a conductor's chair, a tiny but serviceable kitchen with built in table and chairs, a double burner stove top, sink, and small cabinets filled with dishes. There is an old oil stove and an old station agent's chair from the former train station in Clarendon.

The remainder of the indoor space is dedicated to displaying numerous old railway artifacts, which include an old CN radio and radio microphone, a Morris telegraph, an old track side phone, plus various lamps, lanterns and torches used by the crew. The large train order hoops used to hold train orders that were placed on the hoop by the station agent and retrieved by the engineer tell of a long ago time.

Outside in the park stand many larger artifacts including various carts and wagons, signals and signs, and a length of track that immediately entices young and old to test their skills by seeing how long they can walk on the rail before losing their balance. Newest to the outdoor display is a rail motor car in good working order, which was recently donated to the society.

Members of the Central Frontenac Railway Society are continuing their work on the park. This year they will be focusing their efforts on completing the patio located on the back side of the caboose. Also completed this year was an eight-minute video created with the help of the Township of Central Frontenac, specifically staff member Jessie Mills, which includes footage of the society's president and vice president respectively, Sally Angle and Gary Giller, who speak of the CFRHS, the park and its history. The video can be viewed on the society's Facebook page (Kick and Push-Sharbot Lake) by clicking on the video link posted there.

For those who have yet to visit, the Railway Heritage Park is definitely a must. Picnic tables located in the park make it a great place for visitors to enjoy lunch while exploring the unique railway history of Sharbot Lake and area.