Tag Archives: railroad

West Junction Historical Society and Archives

Conservation / Preservation:

Archives

The Archives contains

  • Photographs of area residents and buildings, including photographs from the TTC and City of Toronto photograph collections.
  • Files on local people, places, and events.
  • Reports, maps, photographs, documenting the history of the local rail yards and CPR engine house.
  • Audio interviews with area residents documenting life in the early twentieth century Junction and the area’s transportation history.
  • Back issues of the Society’s newsletter, The Leader and Recorder.
  • Detailed area building histories.
  • Rare books and directories, including a special, fire insurance Goad atlas which depicts the Junction in great detail.
  • clippings from old, out-of-circulation Junction newspapers.

artefacts

This society maintains a small collection of artefacts documenting the history of the Junction, including trophies from local sports teams, and goods produced at local factories.

Public Programming

Lectures

Approximately eight public lectures on area and Toronto history, to coincide with membership meetings.

Tours

Occasional walking and driving tours west Toronto. The society typically partners with Heritage Toronto to organize a tour at least once per year.

Publications

Occasional publications on the history of the Junction neighbourhod. The Society also regularly publishes a journal for Society members, The Leader and Recorder.

Digital Exhibits

Searchable database of photographs from the Archive’s collection of photographs and digital copies of The Leader and Recorder.

Toronto Railway Historical Association

Conservation / Preservation:

Artefacts

This museum houses a collection of artefacts relating to nineteenth and twentieth century railway history, including a roundhouse, an 1896 railway station, an 1894 interlocking tower, a steam locomotive, cabooses, passenger and freight cars, a gatehouse, cranes, and railway machine shop equipment and machinery.

Archives

A nascent archive will ultimately offer an extensive library of railway-related material. The collection will be made available online. A special collection will be dedicated to the history of the United Aircraft TurboTrain, Canada’s fastest train, which operated between Toronto and Montreal from 1968 to 1982. Presently, the collection includes internal Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railway documents, drawings, artefacts, and other ephemera.

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

  • Visitors can explore and interact with several displays, including, the restored Canadian Pacific Railway John Street Roundhouse, and several historic locomotives and passenger and freight cars, with signs and plaques documenting their origin and history.
  • A ride on a miniature railway through Roundhouse Park
  • The TRHA Facebook page is updated daily with information about museum events as well as photographs and information about Toronto railway history.
  • Occasional public lectures on railway history.