Summary

Solina Station was built by the Canadian Northern Railway in 1910 while construction was progressing eastward to Ottawa. It was named for the road it was built next to, but was actually located a staggering four kilometers from the community of Solina. Such a distance would have been especially inconvenient in a time before the wide adoption of automobiles. Despite its isolated location, it was a relatively large structure containing a waiting room, freight room and the station agent’s office which was located inside the bay window on the first floor. The second floor would have contained the station agent’s living quarters, a commonality for railway stations built in rural areas as it was a cheaper alternative to separate housing. While Solina’s station likely never saw a significant volume of passengers, it existed in a time when railway communication was handled by station agents through the use of telegraphs and handing written orders to train crews. Stations had to be built in regular intervals for this purpose, which may partially explain why this station was put in such a rural area. Goods from local farmers also would have likely contributed to the use of the station. The first train arrived at Solina Station on October 9th, 1911.

As a result of its dire financial situation, the Canadian Northern Railway was nationalized in 1917 and merged into newly-formed Canadian National in 1923. The Grand Trunk Railway had encountered similar financial issues around the same time and it was merged into CN the same year, creating duplicate routes between Toronto and Napanee. The Grand Trunk route was chosen as the most desirable as it served more large communities and its entire length was double-tracked. After the Canadian Northern line was abandoned, Solina station was sold off and converted into a private residence. Its exterior has been somewhat modified but largely remains the same as it was built. It still exists today unmoved from its original location.

  • An undated photograph of Solina Station, likely while it was still open to passengers. Several unidentified children and an adult stand on the platform. Photographer unknown.
  • A 1982 photo of Solina station as a private residence. Photo by Dave Spaulding.

Condensed Station Info:

Location:Served By:Current State:Date Built:Date Demolished:
Solina RoadCanadian Northern (1911 – 1918)
Canadian National (1918 – 1937)		Repurposed1910N/A