Mark your calendar for SteamFest 2010. This year's Symphony of Steam takes place at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park Saturday and Sunday Sept. 11 and 12.
Highlighting SteamFest is a ride on the classic Royal Hudson. There is also full access to all Heritage Park exhibits, many special extra exhibits, classic cars and optional rides.
Regular admission rates to the Heritage Park apply for everyone this year, making for a special bargain.
Included in this year's SteamFest experience is the exciting new CN Roundhouse & Conference Centre, which is now open and offers new exhibits for every visitor. Inside, one will see a variety of the best of our heritage railway collection in a vibrant new environment.
While the building itself is well worth a visit, so are the exhibits inside. These will continue to evolve over time, but they currently include the Royal Hudson, the 1890 business car British Columbia and the newly restored PGE Troop Sleeper car #722 in the Grand Hall. Inside is a great exhibit on the Pacific Great Eastern Railway with large video screens showcasing the restoration of the car by our great group of volunteers.
There is also some visual history on what it took to take a train over the spectacular line north of Squamish and how some of the equipment was maintained in years past. The Troop Sleeper gets its name as it was originally built to move troops in the U.S. during WW II.
After the war, the PGE purchased several of these cars and it is to this post war era that the car has been restored. It is a very unique railway car and has had an exceptional restoration job.
Also not to be missed is a photo exhibit on Woodfibre over the years presented by the Squamish Historical Society and the 1937 Ford railway inspection car in the Roundhouse's John Hardie Mitchell Gallery.
And finally, the West Coast Railway Heritage Park welcomes Squamish resident David Thomson as its new general manager.
We welcome Dave to the new role at the Heritage Park, and we also bid Susan Steen adieu with best wishes as she relocates to Kelowna.
Dave is settling in very quickly and wants everyone to know they are welcome as both guests and volunteers at the Heritage Park.
For more information on what's happening at the West Coast Railway heritage Park, go to www.wcra.org or call the Heritage Park at 604-898-9336.
