I try to support various railway-related organizations, either through money, time or exposure, to help them on their missions to preserve and promote railway history. Here are a few that I support. I hope you will consider supporting them. If you have your own favourite museum or organization, please promote them in the comments. The … Read more
No matter how you celebrate the end of December – or if you celebrate it at all – I hope you have a wonderful time and best wishes for 2022 and beyond. Thank you for stopping by and we’ll see you again in the new year.
You may know that I collect railway paperwork, specifically timetables and train orders. I have a pretty large timetable collection, and for years I’ve shared some scans online (links below). Recently I’ve been drawing a map for a project that Richard Manicom and Bill Linley are working on. I’ll likely share the map here in … Read more
Here are a couple of negatives I purchased on a popular online auction site. I don’t know who the photographer or photographers are. GWWD 101 GWWD 101 was a GE 44-ton industrial locomotive, built in September 1949 and purchased new by the Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway. My 1983 “A Trackside Guide to Canadian Railway … Read more
As my 54th birthday approached, my wife suggested that we do something to commemorate it. In these pandemic times, it’s hard to plan anything too extravagant, and to be honest 54 is not really a milestone birthday… not like my 50th! (psst, my book makes a great Christmas present) Until then, my only plan was … Read more
The Winnipeg Railway Museum was told this week that it will have to close by the end of 2021 to facilitate repairs to Union Station, where the museum is housed. This apparently came as a complete surprise to the museum and they are working on how to reopen and where.
I’ve produced a 2022 Canadian Train Calendar – a great gift idea for a railfan you know, or for yourself!
The Toronto Railway Museum is located at the former CPR John Street roundhouse in downtown Toronto. It features an eclectic collection of locomotives, passenger cars and more from the Toronto area, together with interpretive displays explaining their significance. I visited it in August 2021 and took some photos. Here are a few. The impressive coaling … Read more
There have been some form of electric streetcars or trams operating in Toronto since 1892. Initially they were under the auspices of the Toronto Railway Company; the Toronto Transportation Commission (now the Toronto Transit Commission or the TTC) took over in 1920 and has continued to operate the streetcars / trams / light rail vehicles since then.
September 30, 2021 is the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Canada had 140 federally run Indian Residential Schools from 1831 to 1998, and the harm caused by these schools reverberates today. This day was created to honour the children of residential schools, their families and communities.