West Coast Railway Heritage Park, Squamish

The West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish, British Columbia gives visitors the opportunity to explore and view the interiors and exteriors of the many rail cars in the Museum. Open to visitors these cars have an array of interesting exhibits and artifacts dating to the golden age of railways. CREDIT: Venture Vancouver, SOURCE: www.venturevancouver.com

The West Coast Railway Heritage Park is home to dozens of rail cars some which visitors can explore and others waiting to be refurbished.

STATS

HOURS

RATES

Type:

Museum

Season:

All Seasons

Weather:

All Weather

Time:

3 hours

Cost:

What to bring:

Camera, Questions, Sense of Curiosity

Opened in 1994, the West Coast Railway Heritage Park is a stop for all train enthusiasts (and people wanting to learn about these impressive machines). With dozens of cars, some restored to allow visitors to view artifacts and even a miniature train, the Park is one of Western Canada's largest collection of items from the golden age of the Railway and serves as a popular destination for all ages and providing a rich history with restored historical gems such as the Canadian Pacific Executive Business Car, Mail Car and most notably, the Royal Hudson - one of British Columbia's iconic symbols.

Located in Squamish, British Columbia on the edge of the Squamish River, the West Coast Railway Heritage Museum is an interesting adventure amongst the mountains which were once the biggest challenge to the expansion of the Railroads this mountainous Canadian province.

The Heritage Park also functions as a museum, with dozens of rail cars and exhibits available for visitors to explore. Visit the Mail Car which was an important link for towns in rural areas far from the main cities. Here, postal employees worked the rails sorting mail and delivering it towns along the railway. This restored car is full of fascinating information, pictures and artifacts. Another of the Park's best rail cars to visit is the 1890 Canadian Pacific Executive Business Car - decorated in plush leather seats, beds, carpets and flowered wallpaper - a time when being wealthy allowed people to enjoy luxury as they travelled the rails.

The Park's crowning glory is the Royal Hudson, one of the last five of these steam locomotives to be built. After 16 years of pulling trains in the 1940s to 50s from Vancouver to Revelstoke, the train was retired in favour of newer diesel trains. In 1974 the train was purchased by the government of British Columbia and commissioned for a picturesque route from North Vancouver to Squamish which ended in 1999, making the train one of the most recognizable icons of the West Coast. Now retired, the train is part of the Park's collections and makes infrequent trips along the route it famously rode for 25 years.

The West Coast Railway Heritage Park is operated by the West Coast Railway Association (WCRA) which was founded in 1961 by a group of railway enthusiasts, who amassed a collection of engines, cars, cabooses and artifacts. In 1994 the group was granted a 12 acre site which became the West Coast Railway Heritage Park on which sit dozens of rail cars to explore as well as the Squamish Station - built 95 years after its original plans were drafted as well as a roundhouse, storage for restored cars, and the Brightbill Heritage House built in 1937. As well, visitors can purchase tickets for the miniature railroad which takes visitors along a 3km route through the Park.

One of the most impressive collections of trains and artifacts in Western Canada, a visit to this Heritage Park will bring out the train lover in everyone.