Student Activity #7: Locomotives, Lettuce, and Love Letters

The day after the quilt show and fiddle supper, I make my way through London to St. Thomas. I’ve never visited St. Thomas before and I am surprised what a huge railway terminal it has! As I sit in the waiting room for my connection to Toronto, I reflected on how much easier travel has become since the arrival of the railroad. The average speed of a locomotive is about 50 kmh while the average speed of a horse-and-buggy is about 12 kmh. My little trip from Lucan to St. Thomas would have taken most of the day, even in good weather; travelling by train got me here in just over 2 hours.

I decide to strike up a conversation with my fellow travellers. They include:

• Jim, assistant stationmaster from St. Thomas, who is on his way to Toronto to deliver plans for a larger train depot. Jim’s opening comment to me is “St. Thomas is going to be the Railway Capital of Canada!”
• Zachary, a young farmer from Union, who has come into St. Thomas to seek out new markets for his cash crops.
• Fred, a corporal, who has just been posted to the 32nd British Regiment Garrison and is waiting for his ride to the barracks. Fred is missing his fiancée Elisabeth.
• Catherine, a schoolteacher from Woodstock, who has been visiting her mother in Port Stanley
• Sam, a blacksmith, who has travelled to the area seeking work. Sam worked on the Victoria Bridge and Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge.

This would make a great story about how train travel is changing Canadian life! I get out my camera and notebook.

Your task: Help Will organize his impressions and facts for his article.

On each looseleaf sheet, include: the interviewee’s full name [you can create fictional surnames] two facts about how the railway has changed his/her life quote from interviewee

Will’s notes: Print/copy/draw images to represent the 'photos' of Will's fellow travelers. Would Will have attached these photos to his notes?