This coming long weekend is the second Open House at the Niagara Railway Museum Inc. The shop will be open Saturday to Monday, 9am-5pm daily. There will be artifacts, model train layouts, and other displays. The shop is open rain or shine, and is wheelchair accessible. the NRM is also taking part in the Fort Erie Friendship Festival for the first time. We will have a joint display with the Amusement Park Historical Association of Niagara. Come look for the white tent to check out both displays.

Please also be advised, the Gilmore Rd exit off the QEW is CLOSED. You may have to exit at Bowen Road (1 exit north, coming from Niagara), and turn left. Take Bowen to Thompson and turn right again. Take Thompson to Gilmore and turn left, and you’re back on track.

The first open house at the NRM for 2012 has now past.? We had great weather, and great displays, but the crowds were down.? For this event we had the entrance through the actual office of the shop, which will be the future artifact display area and main entrance.?The Southern Niagara Model Railway Club and Ontario Northland Railway Historical & Technical Society had thier displays and layout at the shop, and I thank them for taking part. We were unable to have any of the motorcars running for this event, but we are working on it for our next open house on the July Canada Day weekend.

Before our open house, I took a trip to Sandusky Ohio on the Victoria Day weekend, and went a little past to Bellevue Ohio to the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum.? The Museum wasn’t open, but I was able to see much of the equipment.? There was one locomotive in particular I wanted to see, Canadian built Wabash F7a #671, one of only 2 Canadian build Wabash F units in existence, both of which are in the US.? 671 sits right beside the NS mainline, and is in decent condition, but the rust is starting to show.

In restoration news, the doors of one hood of HEPC E-7 have been removed, sandblasted, and returned to the engine.? They are to be installed shortly, and are currently in primer paint, waiting for the rest of the hood to be finished.? HEPC steam engine #46 has also recieved some attention. On June 2, she recieved a new coat of flat black paint on the water tank.? Makes quite a difference, and will look great when the smokebox is painted.

Other work is progressing at the shop, such as painting of the door frames, and a general clean up of the area.? The old machinery that has been stored inside the office was removed before the open house, and has opened up a lot of space, which will allow us to plan the future. Thanks to Attar Metals for thier help with the clean up, and continued assistance.

Restoration continues at the shop, and we are always looking for new members, no skills required. Please email us for more information.