As a historical association, one of the things we strive to do is preserve delicate and important items of our past. One of the most vital aspects of preservation is paperwork and paper artifacts. Paperwork, books and any other paper medium were and are the reason railways operate like a finely tuned clock.
While lanterns and lighting, or silverware convey a way of life and tools of the trade, paperwork provides context to it all. Direct connections to how the railways operated, and communicated with each other, passengers and every aspect of the railway. Items like rulebooks and timetables, show how railway operations were done.
In total, paperwork can give more information about the industry than anything else. It is crucial that historical documents and paperwork be preserved so we can see how life was like many years ago. The GHRA has an extensive collection of paperwork, something we would like to be able to display in the future.
Below is just a small amount of the different Items in our collection
Click on the images below to view more information and additional Items in our collection. Check back as we continue to add more to our website! If you have any questions about our paperwork collection, please get in contact with us.
Click on the images to see more information and items!
Time Tables

Timetables

Timetables were and still are one of the most important documents to the railways. They detail every location, train, schedule contact and everything else vital to a railways operation. Since the first railways were in operation, there has been timetables.
A Public Timetable is one designed to be sent and used by the public, containing passenger train times, and usually a map of the railway.
Rule Books

Rule Books
On the railways, information books were one of the most plentiful books around, covering all aspects of the railways, from operating rules, baggage handling to wages. There was a small book for it.
Grand Trunk Railway Rule Books

These books are from the grand trunk railway. The rules book dates from the 1890s and used until the 1910s. As it was a rule book, all employees governed by the rules in this book needed to have one, as such there are a number of names written in the front, as it got passed from one employee to the next. Employees did not own the book, and were expected to keep them in good condition.
The other book covers wages and rules for telegraphers and their assistants. Telegraphers were an important part of the railway operations, sending messages between stations and towns.
Date(s): 1890s-1918
Canadian National Railway Books

This is a small selection of the different CNR information books in the GHRA collection. CNR had these books for every single aspect of the railway, rules, wages, tariffs, baggage handling, agreements with unions, if something could be put in a booklet, it was.
Date(s):Various, 1920-1980.
CNR Paperwork
Books/Booklets

CNR Books/ Booklets
The CNR made many booklets to cover all different aspects of railway operations. Below are a few of the booklets in the GHRA collection.
1950's Station Employee Manual
This manual was distributed to all stations on the CNR network, it was the rule and guide book for all station employees. It covers everything from mannerisms, dealing with complaints, how to keep a tidy station, ticket sales, tariffs; anything a station employee could encounter.
This particular book came from the London, Ontario station.
Date: 1956
Passenger Car Equipment Diagrams and Illustrations
This Binder was distributed to the Passenger Sales & Service, and the Passenger Equipment Development departments. It contains diagrams, pictures and details of every piece of passenger train equipment owned by CN. Details include build dates, modernization dates and changes, numbers, first aid and fire extinguisher locations.
Inside there are a number of loose additions, and internal CN communications that do not fit on the binder rings
Date: 1960-1970s
1979 Royal Tour Employee Booklet
This booklet was given to employees and security of the 1979 Royal Tour train, over the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence regions of the railway. Included in this booklet is every detail of the event, where the train would pass other trains, itinerary of stops, where every person was located on the train.
Date: 1979
Promotional Material

Promotional Material
Press kit for the creation of VIA Rail Announcement
This folder is a press kit, given out for the announcement of the creation of VIA Rail. Originally, VIA rail was a division of CN, before being spun off into a separate crown corporation.
This folder contains a speech from the CEO of CN rail, detailing the creation of VIA Rail, plus a number of different announcements of passenger rail service improvements. Also two press photos of the new VIA rail paint scheme, and VIA Rail Turbo train.
Date: 1976
Forms

CNR Forms
Robbery Report Forms

This is a package of Robbery Report forms used by the CNR in the event of an item being stolen. Unfortunately, theft was a common problem on the railways, so forms like these were quite important.
This form would have been filled out by a CNR police officer or agent.
Date: 1925