Winnipeg Railway Museum

Climb the stairs of the historic Via Rail Station to track 1 and 2, where you will discover 37,500 square feet of railway history and artifacts.See the Countess of Dufferin, the first steam locomotive on the prairies, also diesel and electric locomotives, rolling stock, maintenance of way equipment, the history of CN, CP, City of Winnipeg rail, the construction of the Hudson Bay Railway, the struggle of Women to enter the railroad industry, a large HO gauge model layout and finish with a visit to the railroad oriented gift shop.The museum is open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Winnipeg Railway Museum

Location within Manitoba
Established	1994
Location	Union Station , 123 Main St, Winnipeg , Manitoba , Canada
Coordinates	49°53′20″N 97°8′3″W  /  49.88889°N 97.13417°W  / 49.88889; -97.13417
Type	Railway museum
Key holdings	Countess of Dufferin
Collection size	6 locomotives, plus rolling stock
Founder	David Harris, Norman Leathers, Roger Letourneau
Director	Grae Hughes, Christopher Robinson, Douglas Moberg, Gordon Leathers, Harold Davies and Douglas Bell
President	Gary Stempnick
Public transit access	Winnipeg Transit
Nearest car park	Privately operated, surrounding station [1]
Website	wpgrailwaymuseum.com

Overview

The mandate of the Museum is to procure, preserve and promote the heritage and development of the railway in western Canada , in the regions between the Lakehead the Rockies , and between Saint Paul, Minnesota Hudson Bay The collection features the Countess of Dufferin (the first locomotive on the Canadian prairies), a variety of vintage railcars, cabooses , a Jordan spreader the history and artifacts of the building of the Hudson Bay Railway Churchill, Manitoba HO scale and a gift shop.

In 2015, restoration began on Winnipeg's last streetcar , Car 356, to be displayed at the Winnipeg Railway Museum.The museum exhibit hall is in fact disused platforms and tracks that have been parked with display locomotives, carts, and portable buildings with model-train sets on display. The staircase leading to the museum from the Via Rail station are the same that were used to get onto the platform when that section of the station was in use. The other stairs have been sealed and locked to this day. It is unknown what will happen to this terminal as the museum is likely to be moved.Long-term plans may involve moving the Winnipeg Railway Museum elsewhere in Winnipeg to make way for a rapid transit hub station where several ' Rapid Transit ' routes might meet.

Activities

Dedicated to the preservation of Manitoba's rail heritage, the museum has lots of information including charts, photos, artifacts, and displays. View the first steam locomotive on the Canadian Prairies, The Countess of Dufferin. Continue on and view an early-generation diesel locomotive just like the ones still used today. Explore the history of CN, CP, Hudson Bay and City of Winnipeg railways and the history of Women in Railroading. View a large HO model project under construction.There are 2 tracks filled from end to end of the museum which are both 750 feet in length. Tracks 1 & 2 which both contain actual trains and equipment. Then there are platforms 1 & 2 which are both filled with displays, artifacts and railway related vehicles, trucks, fire trucks from both railways.Time required to visit is 1 to 2 hrs, depending on interest.