Caption: THE GRAND OLD LADY! When the Michigan Central Railway completed it's line through Southwestern Ontario between Windsor and Fort Erie (the Canada Southern), it built it's finest and largest structure at St. Thomas. Complete with an extensive yard and railway shop, it housed the HQ for the railway as well as being the largest station located in Ontario. From Elizabeth Wilmot's book "When Any Time Was Train Time", she wrote that the St. Thomas station's entire length took up a whole city block! There is definately no other station like it.
Eventually, the decline and unsteady ownership of the Canada Southern led to it's demise, and after owners such as the New York Central, which became Penn Central - then Conrail to CP and finally CN, the station lost some of it's architectural features and eventually was boarded up for good. Not the same outcome for the former railway shops, as they now house the Elgin County Railway Museum.
But all was not lost for the station. A group came forward with a plan to restore the station. Slowly though the last few years, the station received a new roof, and work began restoring the interior to it's former glory. Today the station can be used as a banquet hall, as work still continues to have it fully restored. Sadly, the remaining rail was torn out only a few years ago. The Canada Southern is no more, except fro the few feet of steel that remain in front of the station and run over to the museum.
The museum is well worth the visit with it's various rolling stock, artifacts, signage, etc. The station is still photo-worthy, while majority of the former roadbed is now a trail for bikers and those who enjoy a good walk.