The Alberta Railway Museum celebrates a RED LETTER DAY for Canada this Canada Day long weekend. On June 28, 1886 the first trans-Canada passenger train left Montreal for Vancouver, arriving July 4. This Canada Day long weekend marks 125 years of this first train to the Pacific coast, uniting Canada sea to sea.

In honour of this Red Letter Day, the Alberta Railway Museum will be running our "Made in Canada" passenger train, offering rides back in time. Board the train to head west and experience 125 years of travelling on the rails in Canada.

On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 1, 2 & 3, enjoy a train ride, and then tour the grounds to see the railway equipment of yesteryear. Marvel at how a steam engine could travel over three thousand kilometers on two skinny rails Walk through restored railway cars, climb up into the locomotive and be the engineer, or be the conductor waving from the caboose.

Cold drinks, snacks, ice cream, and railway souvenirs are available in the station. Picnic tables are located on the grounds. Bring a picnic and stay for the day.

Admission:

Adults - $5.00
Seniors and students - $3.50
Children (3-12 years) - $2.00
Children under 3 free

Train rides are available on the long weekend for $4.00 / person.

The Alberta Railway Museum is located in northeast Edmonton at 24215 -  34 Street NW and is open Canada Day weekend, July 1, 2, & 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Phone 780 472 6229 or 780-718-0299 for further information or directions.
www.AlbertaRailwayMuseum.com

Here is the website to a beautiful photo of 73.  Thanks Stephen for emailing me about it.
http://www.blueonbluephotography.com
Click  on metal, scroll down to Rail Museum
Herb

We had a very wet day at the museum today and Terry, Dennis, Niale and I along with Don, Jim, and Nathan decided that Father's Day celebrations would be cancelled.  The mud that would be tracked into the station, washrooms, and display cars would take about a full day to remove.

I have put a message on the answering machine.


The amount of water on the ground and in the parking lot makes it impossible for us to host any visitors, let alone a Father's Day Celebration.  The Clairview Rocks Community Festival was also cancelled.  Stephen was going to represent us there and garner some interest for the museum. We had expected to see over 400 visitors as a result.

In the meantime we are making great progress INSIDE the shops and buildings. Clean up, re-organize, repair and remove (these three "r" s are different).

At least we don't have to water the lawn, garden and trees!

Herb

If you have not been out to the museum recently, then you are in for a surprise. The station has been painted inside, the new gift shop is fully stocked with lots of interesting items and the trim on the outside of the station has been repainted.  A new coffee, tea, hot chocolate, soup and noodle machine has been installed. The Station Cafe is open - a place where you can sit and eat your picnic lunch and enjoy your hot drink.  It is the former waiting room and has a wonderful gallery of historic photographs and prints that was arranged by Janet and Roland.
The baggage room has been re-organized. The freight room also has some new displays.
Please visit the Volunteer Centre - formerly the bunkhouse. It has been freshly painted inside and has become a meeting place and lunch room for our volunteers.  There are tables, a microwave, a water cooler, a fridge and comfortable seating. 
Space has been reserved at one end for Terry to re-locate the Operations Office, complete with a computer.  Another computer is also there for the use of volunteers.  Thanks to Stephen for the donation of a laser printer.

John B . will be setting up a railway locomotive simulation in the open area in Pelee Island.  John give a demo of the software beginning at 1100 on Father's Day.

We had the Goldwing Motorcycle Club on Sunday. About 40 bikes - many of them in the $30,000 range. Thanks Stephen for hosting the visit and doing the tours.

The City trucks are hauling clay fill for the grounds beyond the Quonset hut to give us the needed height to expand our operations when the time comes.

The first of the corporate railway donations has arrived.  Alta Steel donated a switcher and a rail-mounted crane. The boom arrived by truck on Friday.  The rest is to follow - by rail! Brad, Dave and Don unloaded it and it is beside the track west of Soneff Junction.

Come out and visit - you'll like the changes.