Toronto Railroad Museum – Toronto, Canada
What is It – Toronto is a city with an international culture and a vibrant downtown. But like many North American cities, it grew up as a center for industry and transportation. Throughout the 19th and 20th century, Toronto was a gateway for the region and developed a large rail yard to serve the Canadian Pacific Railway. By 1929, the need to expand further became apparent so the city filled in the waterfront and constructed a state-of-the-art railroad terminal there.
The distinctive feature of the Toronto railyard was its huge turntable and maintenance buildings which were capable of servicing dozens of engines at a time. An engine would be switched onto a special siding which could be turned and connected to a track leading to one of 32 separate bays. It was considered the most advanced shipping facility in the world. However, after years of servicing engines and managing freight shipments all over Canada, a large facility was no longer needed and the railyard closed in 1986. Several decades later, the area has become an integral part of a revitalized part of the city that includes the CN Tower, the Rogers Centre, and a convention center, along with fashionable condominiums and apartments.
Beginning in 1994, a public private partnership involving the City and the local Railway Historical Association developed the Toronto Railway Museum at the site. The museum preserves the rich railroad heritage of the region and incorporates some other entertainment attractions including the Steam Whistle Biergarten and a social area targeted to millennials known as the Rec Room. There are several interesting attractions on display. First, the turntable and its track remain operational on the site and hold a diesel engine. Second, the entire interior of the 32 garages of the roundtable building has been renovated. It displays photos, models and interactive information about the workings and history of the railroad to visitors. Outside, a wide variety of objects including passenger cars, cabooses, steam engines, water, and coal towers and other railroad equipment can be viewed up close. For children, there is a popular miniature railroad which they can ride on around the site.
Interesting Facts – Many cities have struggled with the issue of how to preserve their history and develop attractions that will be interesting and relevant to present residents. The way Toronto has done so has added to the attractiveness of the community and complemented other attractions. Local coffee shops are everywhere in downtown Toronto. .
How to Get There - The Museum is conveniently located across the street from the Rogers Centre on Lake Shore Boulevard, so it is within walking distance of most downtown hotels. It is also close to the Gardiner Expressway which is the main highway between the city and the airport. Toronto has direct flights to most east coast U.S. cities on Air Canada and other major carriers.
When to Go – Located on Lake Ontario, Toronto has comfortable weather with temperatures above 65 degrees on most days from May to September, but showers are also common. Winters can be chilly from December into early March with rain or snow likely several days each week.
Cost - During the summer, admission is 10 Canadian dollars for adults, and 5 Canadian dollars for seniors and children. A visit will usually last 60 to 90 minutes.