16 July 2013 St. John's - Railway Museum and Cape Spears

This morning I needed to get the oil on the truck changed, got some parts that I needed for the fifth-wheel, found Carlos's regular dog food at PetSmart (in Newfoundland!), and bought a new set of tires for the truck. St. John's has mall stores: Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond, Staples, Target, and WalMart.

Today we found the Newfoundland Railway Coastal Museum located in the The Old Railway Station. The station, built with Newfoundland granite, was opened in 1903 and after long service, was closed in the mid 1990's. It was rescued and restored, and now exhibits the 100-year history of the Railway and Coastal Boats in Newfoundland.

The museum consists of forty-two themed exhibits that describe the building of the Railway and Coastal Boat Service, a 90-foot full scale diorama of the actual rail cars of the "Overland Limited" that operated from St. John's to Port aux Basques, an automated model railway that travels through detailed reproductions of scenic points on the "Overland Limited," and scale models of locomotives and coastal boats.

In the 1700's many immigrants came to Newfoundland for the "King Cod." They settled in hundreds of "outports" (out from St. John's) and their only means of travel and communications was by sea. Later the Railway and Coastal Services were needed to deliver passengers, mail and freight to and from these outports.

In 1898 a narrow gauge (42 inches) railroad extending 548 miles from St. John across Newfoundland to Port aux Basque was completed and the first train made the crossing in the same year. Robert Gillespie Reid was the contractor who finally completed the railroad and his company extended numerous branch lines into remote fishing villages. Reid ran and maintained the railroad until 1923 when it was taken over by the Newfoundland government. When Newfoundland became a part of Canada Confederation in 1949, the Canadian National Rail Road assumed control of the railroad. The railroad was always in financial trouble and continuously needed a cash infusion from the government. The railroad was abandoned in 1988 partly because of its sad financial condition and partly because highways that were completed across Newfoundland could carry cars and trucks at a much lower cost.

Later in the afternoon we visited the Cape Spear National Historic Site including the lighthouse, a World War II Coastal Defense Battery, and the most easterly point of land in North America.

Cape Spears Lighthouse

 One of Cape Spears Coastal Defense Batteries

The barrel of one of the coast defense cannons

 Most eastern point in North America sign at Cape Spears

 Marge and Jerry

 Patrice and Phil at the most eastern point in North America

The Cape Spears Lighthouse is the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland. It began operation in 1836 and the first light was shipped from Inchkeith, Scotland. It consisted of seven curved reflectors that rotated so as to provide 17 seconds of light and 43 seconds of darkness. In 1912 a Fresnel lens replace the original light. It was first lit by oil then by acetylene in 1916, and finally by electricity in 1930. In 1955 the light system was moved to a new lighthouse very close to the original lighthouse. The original lighthouse has been restored to reflect the light-keepers residence of 1839. 

During World War II a coastal defense battery, equipped with two 10-inch guns was constructed at the Cape to protect the entrance to St. John's Harbour. Underground passages connected the gun sites to magazines and equipment ready rooms. From 1941 to 1945 American and Canadian troops were stationed at the defense site and the remains of their barracks, mess halls, and canteens can be seen on the site. 

Views from the most easterly point were spectacular. Large Atlantic Ocean waves constantly pound the shore and whales and icebergs can often be seen from this vantage point. No whales or icebergs were seen today but the waves were really kicking up.

We ended our day with a dinner at "Montana's," an upscale BBQ restaurant in St. Johns. You would have thought you were in the US. Some beer and great food provided a fitting ending to another day in paradise.