McAdam New Brunswick - For Kathleen McKinnon, trips to the McAdam Railway Station are among her best childhood memories.
 
She was living in Toronto at the time, but would come to McAdam to spend summer with her father's family.

"The excitement for my adventures after getting off the train, the train was part of that excitement because I knew right after I got off that train it was going to be an exciting time while I was here for the summer," she said.
 
On Saturday, McKinnon was one of dozens of visitors who stopped by the train station, which no longer welcomes trains, but has since been converted into a museum.
 
"It still smells the same," she said.
 
"It's very nostalgic for me. I'm almost in tears."
 
Over the last 18 years, the commission that now oversees the station received close to $3 million to restore the building to its former glory.
 
That money came through government grants, community fund raisers, and fees for renting out the museum for events.
 
The railway station was built in 1900 and is a national and provincial historic site as well as a designated Heritage Railway Station.
 
"It's one of the grandest railway stations left in our nation," said Frank Connell, who has been involved in efforts to preserve the station since passenger rail service to McAdam ended in 1994.
 
He now serves as treasurer of the McAdam Historical Restoration Commission, which operates and manages the station.
 
The bottom level of the building has been completely restored, including the dining room with its original hardwood floors from 1912 and red painted walls.

But the work is far from over.
 
The top two levels, which used to house a hotel and living quarters for staff, still need a major facelift, renovations he said could cost about $13 million to complete.

"We know we have to take the journey slow and easy with planning," he said.
 
"We have done architectural drawings for the building for the future. We want to make sure that everything we do will be for the future."
 
Last year, the roof of the station was completely replaced, which cost the McAdam Historical Restoration Commission about $400,000.
 
About half that money was raised by the station, while Parks Canada contributed $195,805, and the provincial government contributed $30,000.
 
The station welcomed about 30,000 visitors last year.
 
Sarah Petz.