Large Scale Central

The Winnipeg Railway Museum & Union Station

Prototypes
#1

Winnipeg was a festive place last weekend, not only was there the Rights Fest - on occasion of the opening of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights - it was also Rail Fest Days.

The museum occupies Tracks 1 and 2 of Winnipeg’s Union Station, very handy arrangement. In order to avoid all the hoopla aka have some space to shoot pictures, we went there on Friday.

Pictures coming up as soon as they come off the memory chips and have been massaged.

On the CMHR; the grand opening with the dignitaries was on Friday, complete with a security chopper flying in constant circles and oodles of police on stand by.

Saturday and Sunday was reserved for the “common people” and designated tour times had been arranged, for which tickets were available well in advance.

And then there was the Walk-Up line; just like stand-by at the airport except … it was out in the open, a major downpour developed and the water kept rising.

We decided to leave it for “next time” when all the exhibits are finished and the novelty has worn off.

CMHR at night.

#2

I have visited the railway museum several times. Winnipeg is a major servicing stop for “The Canadian” so passengers have approximately 2 hours to explore the museum the entrance to which is steps from the escalator off the train. They have quite a good selection of equipment and displays. The staff of volunteers are friendly and knowledgeable.

#3

Stuart Moxley said:

…

The staff of volunteers are friendly and knowledgeable.

Right you are and good for a laugh too.

#4

The first item that caught my attention was an old track plan of the area East of Union Station

That “harp” adjacent to the Red River used to be the freight section of Union Station. Today it is an entertainment district called “The Forks” since it is right beside the confluence of the Assiniboine and Red River.

Flowing North to Hudson Bay (Arctic Ocean) it is prone to flooding both in the USA as well as Canada

#5

Hmmmm… what a paint job!

#6

All this one requires is flanged wheels

#7

Modern track. All along the section between Hinton and Winnipeg there were mountains of old wooden ties piled up. But there is a lot more to do - strictly going by the ride quality once we were out of the mountains.

(http://www.rhb-grischun.ca/NA-Fora/LSC/WTM05_s.jpg)

They probably lost count quite some time ago.

Speaking of mountains; if they would pile the potash mining tailings a bit differently they could have nice ski hills out on the flat prairies.

#8

Display of rail cross sections.

The prototype had/has a better selection than the modeler.

#9

That reminds me of the only disappointment we had in Canada on one visit ,

We were in Vancouver , and wishing to get pictures of trains , went to the main station and politely asked if we could enter the station to take pictures .

We were rather unpleasantly told to shove off . Turns out they thought we were terrorists . So I asked if I could buy a train ticket and then take pictures and was told if I didn’t stop being a nuisance , they’d call security .

Deeper into Canada , we recounted this episode and it turns out the Vancouver people in uniform were ALL , without exception , jobsworths , that is according to the country folk .

We also got pictures of trains out in the mountain country .

The rest of the people we met then and on other occasions were true ambassadors for their country , something I try to be when in foreign countries .

We must try to get to the museum when we go back to Canada , it looks very good .

Mike

#10

Some of the items are in excellent, reconditioned shape.

#11

(http://www.rhb-grischun.ca/NA-Fora/LSC/WTM08_s.jpg)

The Countess of Dufferin. The first locomotive on the prairies. It changed hands many times and CPR tried very hard to get it back, to no avail.

(http://www.rhb-grischun.ca/NA-Fora/LSC/WTM09_s.jpg)

#12

Good pictures .

I like museums that show the whole story .

Mike

#13

Had to look up ‘jobsworth.’ That’s a good word to have. Even Bill Gates and his vaunted Spellcheck didn’t know it, and I had to fight to use it. :wink:

#14

Cab of the Countess, nicely labeled to limit the questions.

(http://www.rhb-grischun.ca/NA-Fora/LSC/WTM14_s.jpg)

Oh yeah, they painted it green.

#15

Steve Featherkile said:

Had to look up ‘jobsworth.’ That’s a good word to have. Even Bill Gates and his vaunted Spellcheck didn’t know it, and I had to fight to use it. :wink:

One encounters the type all around the globe, nothing to do with geography, everything to do with a) personality b) approach and … c) sunspots

#16

As I’m sure you know well, HJ.

#17

Steve Featherkile said:

As I’m sure you know well, HJ.

Absolutely; I very seldom run into “the type”, but my approach is a little different, too.

Look the railfan part, talk the railfan part and act the railfan part; works for me, but your mileage my differ.

Service stop at Jasper (1.5hrs): walk up to the head end, video the third engine being dropped from the train. Then walk the length of the train snapping a picture of each car, get back on the dome/observation. One of the crew asks: “How did you get here?” (Access to the platform had been closed)

“I walked on, after walking the length of the train taking pictures”

“Really?”

“Yep, usually I shoot from over there” (Middle of the turning wye)

Crew with a wink and a grin: “I better keep an eye on you”

So, yeeees I really know well.

#18

Other than the CP? Oh yeah!

(http://www.rhb-grischun.ca/NA-Fora/LSC/WTM12_s.jpg)

#19

(http://www.rhb-grischun.ca/NA-Fora/LSC/WTM13_s.jpg)

BTW I didn’t make notes of what exactly the exhibits are, but I’m sure someone will know the type, year etc. of the trucks.

#20

(http://www.rhb-grischun.ca/NA-Fora/LSC/WTM15_s.jpg)

(http://www.rhb-grischun.ca/NA-Fora/LSC/WTM16_s.jpg)