Trip 021 - April 29, 2010 (Thursday)

Railway Heritage Park

Squamish BC Canada

Distance From Vancouver: About 85 km via Highway 1 West and Highway 99 (Sea-to-Sky) North, then, as you are driving on Highway 99 North through Squamish, follow signs from Highway 99 for 4 km after turning left onto Industrial Way.

Liked: Very interesting railway artefacts, old photos.

Of note: $10 admission fee for adults, industrial area next to some exhibits.

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Backroad Mapbook (2010 edition) Coordinates: Page 22 (Squamish) B6.

Related Website: Railway Heritage Park - Official Site.

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We were en route to watch the eagles in Brackendale, when a sign on Highway 99 pointed in the direction of the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. So, off we went and spent quality time exploring nicely restored train cars with numerous artefacts and old photos inside.

1. We are on Highway 99 North in Squamish, getting ready to turn left onto Industrial Way.

Highway 99 British Columbia Canada in Squamish

2. A few more turns (the signs will guide you), and four kilometers later we are at the entrance to Railway Heritage Park.

Intersection of Highway 99 and Industrial Way Squamish BC Canada

3. If the place is closed, or you have to choose between seeing the exhibits or having a meal today, then this train outside the main gate is still yours to explore.

Railway Heritage Park Entrance Squamish British Columbia Canada

4. Before going inside, read the rules of engagement.

Railway Heritage Park Rules Squamish British Columbia Canada

5. Here is the building hosting the cashier and the gift shop.

Railway Heritage Park Main Building Squamish BC

6. Inside the building.

Railway Heritage Park gift shop

7. Admissions price info. There is a mini-train your kids can ride, if it is in service.

Railway Heritage Park Admissions Price

8. A neat painting inside the building.

Train painting inside the main building of Railway Heritage Park Squamish BC

9. Outside, there is a photo-op for the ladies.

Photo-op cut-out Railway Heritage Park Squamish British Columbia Canada

10. Once you get to the exhibit area, you can use a map of the place (a cashier gives it to you) to choose where to go. There are three tracks on which various cars with exhibits are located. Some cars are under renovation.

Railway Heritage Park Squamish BC

11. First, we visited a mail car. Mail to various locations would be picked up and then sorted out inside the train as it was moving.

Mail Car inside Railway Heritage Park Squamish British Columbia Canada

12. Here is an old photo of the train mail workers sorting the mail out.

Old photo of a train mail car

13. This is the interior of "Cowichan River" CPR Coach. A bunch of lanterns and photos on the left. A conductor's table is seen on the right.

Railway Heritage Park Squamish British Columbia Canada

14. This trainman has at least 15 years of service, as indicated by 3 silver bars on his sleeve cuff.

Trainman at the Railway Heritage Park Squamish BC Canada

15. In the CPR Coach "Kootenay River" we found smartphone's great-great-grandfather.

Old payphone

16. In the P.G.E. 1817 car we see a caboose, which is a cafeteria on wheels attached to trains to feed the train crews.

Train crew caboose Railway Heritage Park Squamish British Columbia Canada

17. Consuming a meal is a serious business.

Train crew caboose scene

18. Next is P.G.E. 1821 car, full of useful safety messages.

Train safety poster Railway Heritage Park Squamish British Columbia Canada

19. One of our favourites - a snow plow. Inside you can read a story about one plowing expedition, where the plow had to pull back, gain speed, and then hit a large pile of snow on the track. As that pile was next to a settlement, the residents were warned to stay away. Yet, one boy was reported missing after the plow hit the pile of snow. A search party found the boy buried in the snow, alive and well. A man with a broken leg was also found buried in the snow, and it was noted that were it not for the boy being missed and looked for, the man most likely would not have been found, and might have frozen to death.

Train snow plow Railway Heritage Park Squamish BC

20. Having explored the train cars on all three tracks, you can proceed into a large hangar, where you would find a restored train car used by executives, and also a restored train car used to ferry immigrants from their ports of arrival to various Canadian destinations.