The Canadian Museum of Rail Travel

Created and operated by the Cranbrook Archives, Museum and Landmark Foundation, the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel is dedicated to the collection, restoration, and conservation of several train sets of different eras.

• The 1887 Pacific Express.

This set so far contains car #52 of 1883 (the very first passenger car built for the CPR), and baggage #736, built in 1877.

• The 1907 Soo-Spokane Train De Luxe.

Cranbrook was a main stop for this train which operated between Minneapolis and Spokane, but through Canada. So far, cars include the Curzon (tail-end observation-library-buffet-compartment car and a sister to the car Cranbrook which was demolished in 1933), the baggage car 4144, and first class coach #621. Curzon is classified as Canadian Cultural Property.

• The 1929 Trans-Canada Limited

To-date the Museum has assembled and restored eight (8) cars of this magnificent train, baggage car #4481 (formerly combination #4481 and presently the car used by the Model Railway Club) combination/baggage/sleeper car #4489, dining car Argyle, solarium-lounge car River Rouge, day parlour car #6751, and sleepers Rutherglen, Somerset and Glen Cassie.

• The 1936 Chinook.

This set so far contains first class coaches 1700 and 2104 (which are also operative and used extensively by the CPR under an exclusive agreement with them), and mail-express car #3612.

• The 1955 Canadian.

So far, two historic General Motors diesels for this train have been obntained (both Canadian Cultural Property) The rest of this stainless-steel train is is still in use by Via Rail, but we are in constant touch with the Government of Canada.

• Other business, and interpretive cars are included as well.

Although the business car British Columbia was not part of the "Trans-Canada Limited", it was constructed in the same era (1928) and is of the same heavyweight steel construction, so the Museum added it to its collection. Unlike the other cars received by the Museum, the British Columbia required no restoration work as it had survived intact and thus contains all of its original fixtures and most of its original furnishings. It had a conservation treatment of its original varnishes in early 1990.

The car-of-state Strathcona, (also Canadian Cultural Property) built in 1927 for the CPR's Board of Directors is on display as is the planned moving-illusion car Redvers.

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