The railroad was the largest, single employer of PEI – a steady source of well paying jobs.

The trains got through in all but the worst weather, and life in many communities revolved around the railway station and the bustle that surrounded arrival and departure times. The railroad was the largest, single employer of PEI – a steady source of well paying jobs. Communities prospered or faded, depending on how close they were to the main line. Reciting the stations along the line – in order – became a favourite memory exercise for Island schoolteachers.