TOURIST LINES AND MUSEUMS (Listed West to East)
BRITISH COLUMBIA Canadian Museum of Rail and Travel http://www.trainsdeluxe.com/
Revelstoke Railway Museum: www.railwaymuseum.com The Revelstoke Railway Museum started up its popular Coffee Club Sessions again, beginning on Friday, January 25th, 2013. The weekly sessions take place in our Business Car #4, which creates the perfect atmosphere for storytelling. The participants are able to share their stories of working on the railway and all museum guests are encouraged to take part, either by adding a story or two of their own, or simply by pulling up a chair, enjoying a coffee and treat and listening to the array of stories told. The Coffee Clubs are held on Fridays from 2 – 3pm. A calendar of upcoming sessions can be found on the Calendar of Events section of our website: www.railwaymuseum.com Here is a photo from one of the Coffee Club’s held earlier.
Also, for photos and videos taken during Coffee Club’s held in the winter of 2011/2012, visit our Virtual Exhibit on the Virtual Museum of Canada’s website: www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca. Our exhibit is titled “Tough Railroaders, Rough Railroad”. Kamloops Railway Historical Society: www.kamloopsheritagerailway.com CRHA - E&N Division West Coast Railway Association (WCRA) BCER #960 restoration update: Over the past couple of months, Mike, Bill and Rob continued to work on the cleanup and component preparation on the 960. There seems to have been a new or refurbished part added every week. Mike reports… We're back hard at it after a needed vacation break plus the Christmas turmoil. Rob had made great progress on 960’s needed underside cleanup, he then had to go out and find himself a real job, teaching physics at the university level... We much appreciate his hard work and hope to see him back once in a while come February. Bill and I are back at it and Bob Gordon often comes along to put in a full day’s work as well. We currently have a number of projects kicking along, the underbody re and re of course, but also this week the inside cab floor is now 100% de scaled plus Coral Sealed, after removing questionable wood under the massive switch control cabinet ...the long established mouse condos had to go of course! Underside brake rigging and hangers have been coming off and getting the full treatment, they will look new once re-hung. Bill continues to toil on the two chunky compressors which were removed and placed on shop floor (photo courtesy Mike McGaw) and he, plus others, are optimistic they will fire up - by end of January. Anyone, and I mean anyone, who has insight surrounding the compressors’ operation and a possible resurrection procedure, please drop us a line. Mike’s email is mike_mcgaw@telus.net.
BCER #960 is having a former diesel air reservoir tank rebuilt to Martin Jergens specifications who says we should see this by month end. One of the original tanks has met the grade and will also be utilized. Next 60 days involves working on brake cylinder, firing up one, possibly both compressors, having the entire underside finished up and Coral Sealed, with most of brake hangers and rigging et al back in place. I'm anticipating also we will have both air tanks back up on . Cab floor joists should be in the works with cab and deck cabling laid back in their shielded trays. Most importantly, the crew are hoping the winter is kind, so if we keep busy enough, we'll stay relatively warm in the chilly sometimes breezy MP shops. Anybody wanting to come up and do some real fun work for a day let me know. #960 is shown in charge of a passenger excursion train on Labour Day in 1953 photo by Andy Morin (courtesy Pierre Morin). Note the unit is in her red paint scheme which predates the BCER yellow.
RESTORATION WORK STARTS ON CP #8000: CP #8000 History: Canadian Pacific #8000 is of extreme historical significance, and was part of a Revolutionizing of motive power practices on the Canadian Pacific, significant in the decision for the railway to switch from steam power to diesel power. It was the “class engine” of an order for 13 Baldwin DRS 4-4-1000 locomotives, built by the builder in Eddy stone, Pennsylvania in December 1948. In an era where steam power still ruled supreme on the railways, CPR had a bold idea. It would assign the locomotives to the isolated Esquimalt and Nanaimo Division on Vancouver Island, convert the line completely to diesel, and see how this performed. #8000 and her sisters arrived and went to work and did the job. The Unit is pictured in the original paint scheme and in the 1960’s at Vancouver’s Drake St. yard in new “script” paint. (Photographers unknown)
After retirement from active service by CPR in 1975, the fleet was scrapped save #8000, which was retained by CPR for historical purposes. In the early 1980’s the unit was repainted into its first paint scheme by CP, had its traction motors removed and was fitted with roller bearings. However, things waned; the unit ended up outdoors and deteriorated. Thankfully, CP removed many of the precious detail items and stored them in their Montreal archives to ensure preservation. In late February 2007, WCRA was advised by CP of the award of the locomotive and terms for its donation which WCRA happily accepted. The archival parts and items were shipped from Montreal to Squamish, and the Railway ultimately moved the locomotive west.
One of Western Canadian railroading’s most historic locomotives now calls the West Coast Railway Heritage Park its home. WCRA has made a decision on the cosmetic restoration plan for display and interpretation of the role that this locomotive had in changing Canadian railway motive power forever. CP #8000 Restoration: With CP 8000 now in the Motive Power Shop, Greg Robertshaw and Richard Courage performed a thorough evaluation of unit. They have now turned to investing their volunteer time working on the project, and have been making great strides in making repairs necessary to prepare her for static display. Initially work has been focused on the front end where collision repairs were needed. CP #8000 is shown at Nanaimo, BC back in 1974 wearing the Tuscan Red and grey script paint scheme. (Photo: M. Lawrence from Deane Motis collection).
Kettle Valley Railway Society (KVSR) http://www.kettlevalleyrail.org/ Rocky Mountaineer - Vancouver, BC http://www.rockymountaineer.com/en_CA_ON/ Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Museum – Surrey, BC. The NRHS BC Chapter’s restored heritage coaches were used on the “Vancouver North Pole Express” event in early December at Pacific Central Station in Vancouver. With the support of VIA through the staff at the VIA Vancouver Maintenance Centre, a special move was made November 22nd to bring the classic coaches plus a Steam Generator Car from the warehouse in New Westminster to the VIA terminal. They sent out the VIA F40PH-2d 6456 pick up the short train. So here we get a rare view of the 6456 visiting the Ex VIA FP9u 6300 at the entrance to the warehouse. (The 6300 wasn’t accompanying the rest of the train this trip due to other commitments). After exchanging pleasantries, the 6456 pulls the string of cars from the warehouse and out onto the CN line at Braid Street. The consist was as follows: VIA 6456, Steam Generator Car 15448, Coach 601 (Mount Cascades), Coach 803, Coach “Grand View”, and Coach 301, as seen here at Mile 145.2 on the CN New Westminster Sub. British Columbia Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
http://caboosecoffee.blogspot.ca/2011/08/welcome-to-caboose-coffee-my-new-blog.htm ALBERTA Royal Canadian Pacific Luxury Train http://www.royalcanadianpacific.com/schedule.html Alberta Railway Museum – Edmonton, AB http://www.albertarailwaymuseum.com/ Alberta Railway Museum – Bieseker, AB The museum has two MLW switchers: Ex-CP RS-23 8017 (ex- Saskferco - Belle Plain, Saskatchewan), and Ex-CN S13u 8704 (donated by CANAC). Alberta Central Railway Museum - Wetaskiwin, AB http://www.abcentralrailway.com/ The Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions – Stettler, AB Rocky Mountain Railway Society: Alberta 2005 Centennial Railway Museum Society) Galt Historic Railway Park http://www.galtrailway.com/home/ SASKATCHEWAN 
Ogema Heritage Railway Association The Southern Prairie Railway rosters one GE 44-tonner #15 (ex-MEC 15). The Southern Prairie Railway has leased former Neptune Bulk Terminals Alco T6 #804 from the Kettle Valley Railway Society. SPR are negotiating the purchase of nine former AMT (ex-CP) 800-series commuter coaches that had spent time in the USA on a tourist train in Indiana. You can follow the Southern Prairie Railway on Facebook for upcoming events and the reactions from the many riders they had this year. http://www.facebook.com/southernprairierailway?fref=ts MANITOBA Winnipeg Railway Museum: www.wpgrailwaymuseum.com ONTARIO
Southern Ontario Locomotive Restoration Society:
On behalf of the Southern Ontario
Locomotive Restoration Society (SOLRS) and the Waterloo Central Railway we would
like to ask for your assistance in raising awareness of our first winter steam
locomotive excursions.
News updates can be found here: www.waterloocentralrailway.com/news.
Niagara Railway Museum Check out their Flanger Repairs The Bytown Railway Society – Ottawa, ON http://www.bytownrailwaysociety.ca/about.htm The Bytown Railway Society 2012 Canadian Trackside Guide is “SOLD OUT, but previous issues are available at: http://www.bytownrailwaysociety.ca/about.htm Chatham Railway Museum http://www.chathamrailroadmuseum.ca/ Huntsville and Lake of Bays Railway Society http://www.portageflyer.org/ Elgin County Railway Museum Toronto Railway Heritage Association While CNR 4-8-4 Northern 6213 and GP7 4803 are the big draws at Roundhouse Park, the video shows the moving of the Last Ossawippi Railway car from Orillia, ON in December.
York Durham Heritage Railway
A three car dinner train set is now for sale and includes 2 other coaches that
were never converted for dinner train service. 2 cars are dining / table cars
and one is a coach with tables in between seats. One of the dining / table is an
operational cab car. Five cars total consist. Table cars seat 72 and coach car
seats 84. All of the cars are converted RDC coaches which includes a truck
rebuild in 1992. Trainset has RDC 1, RDC 2 and RDC 3 equipment. Train has 175KW
Stadco gen (800 hrs), NW Rail Electric locker, handicap bathrooms, stainless
food prep areas, self contained air compressor, and shore power transformer.
Some restaurant equipment also included. Reference #4200 http://www.trains-trams-trolleys.com/home/4200_1.htm
Halton County Railway Museum Northern Ontario Railway Museum & Heritage Center - Capreol, ON http://www.northernontariorailroadmuseum.ca/ The Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre recently secured former Temiskaming & Northern Ontario Railway locomotive #219. Without the museum's hard work, the locomotive would have been sold for scrap.
With #219's future assured, the Museum is now in need of money to move the locomotive to Capreol, ON and to restore it. They are part of Aviva's Community Fund and you can help without spending a penny! Follow the links to find out how you can vote for Aviva to help fund the restoration of #219. Voting starts today! For more information: http://thomasblampied.blogspot.ca/2012/10/vote-to-help-219.html The Canada Science & Technology Museum - Ottawa, ON. http://www.imagescn.technomuses.ca/ http://www.imagescn.technomuses.ca/railways/index.cfm Galt Historic Railway Park http://www.galtrailway.com/home/
The Palmerston Railway Heritage Association http://www.palmerstonrailwaymuseum.ca/ CLC CNR 2-6-0 #81 is on display nearby the museum Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario (RMEO) South Simcoe Railway http://www.southsimcoerailway.ca/
The Guelph Junction Railway Museum QUEBEC
EXPORAIL – CRHA http://exporail.org/en/welcome-to-exporail/ Exporail will be open Saturdays and Sundays February 2nd to the 24th, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It will also be open during weekdays for group tours by reservation. Special winter discount: There will be a special 10% discount off the admittance fee during the month of February, 2013. All through the month of February, we will feature a tour through CNR Rotary Snow Plow 55361, Did you know that the rotary plow was invented by a Canadian dentist? The Dominion of Canada has joined the Dwight D. Eisenhauer and other A4 locomotives at the National Railway Museum in York, UK. The locomotives have been shipped to the National Railway Museum for a period of two years. They will take part in the 2013 celebrations commemorating the 75th. anniversary of Mallard's world record speed run for steam. The Dominion of Canada is being cosmetically restored to ‘as built’ condition with side valences, blue livery and stainless steel numbers and lettering; its original CPR bell and whistle will also be added back. This is made possible by funding from the National Railway Museum in York, and donors in Canada.
The November - December issue of Canadian Rail features a fascinating article on the Great Northern Railway's 'Third main Line' to the Pacific coast at Vancouver. The Photo Gallery also features the GN in British Columbia. Canadian Rail is mailed to members and is available at better hobby shops across Canada.
Hull - Wakefield Steam Train - Gatineau, QC NEW BRUNSWICK Moncton Transportation Museum:
The New Brunswick Railway Museum Hillsborough, NB http://www.nbrm.ca/en/index.shtml NOVA SCOTIA Nova Scotia Museum of Industry - Stellarton, NS http://museum.gov.ns.ca/moi/en/home/default.aspx Memory Lane Railway Museum - Middleton, NS http://memorylanerailwaymuseum.com/ Train Station Inn - Tatamagouche, NS Orangedale Railway Museum - Orangedale, NS http://www.novascotiarailwayheritage.com/orangedale.htm USA CALIFORNIA: The Orange Empire Railway Museum NEW YORK:
Bridge Line Historical Society - Delaware and Hudson RR CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE BRIDGE LINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S HOME PAGE Delaware & Hudson painted CP GP39-2 7312 leads the CP/US Marines Toys For Tots train northbound past the vintage engines and cars of the Saratoga & North Creek RR at Saratoga Springs, NY on Sunday, December 9, 2012. The bridge over the tracks was packed with railfan photographers. A little sunshine peeked out just as the train approached the bridge. Photographed by John Bazan, December 9, 2012.
ILLINOIS Monticello Railway Museum http://www.mrym.org/ MINNESOTA The Iron Horse Museum - Chicago City, NN http://www.ironhorsecentral.com/ PENNSYLVANIA Lake Shore Railway Historical Society http://www.grape-track.org/home Steamtown National Historic Site: http://www.nps.gov/stea/index.htm
OVERSEAS
Cornwall, England, United Kingdom
Check us out on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/helstonrailway
Re-opens to the public Easter 2013. Volunteers will be working over the winter period getting ready for next year.
©CRO February 2013 |
