The Toronto Railway Historical Centre
We want to thank the thousands of visitors who rode the Roundhouse Park Miniature Railway and donated artifacts and financial contributions to the TRHC during our 2011 season. Your support will make it possible for us to continue to celebrate and interpret Toronto's fascinating railway history. We are currently a volunteer organization and all funds are used to support the goals of the Toronto Railway Historical Association, as outlined below.
Operating Schedule
The Toronto Railway Heritage Centre is open Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from April to October. From November to March the Roundhouse Park Miniature Railway may occasionally operate on weekend afternoons subject to fine weather and volunteer staff availability. In 2011, the mini-rail was also operating on weekday afternoons during July and August. Opening date and operating hours for next season have not been established yet and will be posted on this web site when a decision is made. There may be occasions between now and then when special events will be held at the Roundhouse. These will be announced on this website so check back here regularly. The website is updated on an almost daily basis.
Volunteering at the TRHC
Our hard-working volunteers will be busy all winter restoring our exhibits and preparing new displays for the 2012 season. The museum development has been significantly accelerated through the efforts of over 50 committed and enthusiastic volunteers. We are always looking for new volunteers and no special skills are required other than a willingness to work. If you are interested in volunteering to help us operate or to assist us in our restoration efforts, contact us through this webpage.
Features of the Toronto Railway Heritage Centre
- Walk through the restored 1929 Canadian Pacific Railway John Street Roundhouse.
- Enjoy a trip on the half-kilometre miniature railway through Roundhouse Park.
- Increase your knowledge of Toronto's railway history with a self-guided guided walking tour of Roundhouse Park by following strategically placed interpretive plaques.
- View a dozen historic locomotives, passenger and freight cars with signs explaining their history and origin.
- Sit down to a computer-simulated ride in the cab of an actual diesel locomotive.
- Take a ride on the operational 120-foot long turntable.
- Have a seat in the engineer's cab of Canadian National Railways steam locomotive No. 6213.
- Explore CNR 1953 diesel locomotive No. 4803.
- Walk through the restored 1896 CPR Don Station.
- Visit the 1896 Grand Trunk Railway Cabin D interlocking tower.
- Get a work out on the pump hand cart!
The TRHA was established in 2001 to work with the City of Toronto to establish a railway museum at the John Street Roundhouse. The TRHA is incorporated and is a Federally registered charity. Its primary purpose is to promote the development of the Toronto Railway Heritage Centre, which will:
- Communicate the history of railways in Toronto.
- Identify, celebrate and facilitate the study of the creative, technological, social and industrial achievements of Torontonians who have contributed to the development of railways in Canada.
- Assemble, conserve and preserve artefacts and objects relating to the development of the railway industry.
- Undertake research to construct and maintain a comprehensive record of Toronto's railway history.
- Make that record available to Canada and the world via internet technology.
- Working in partnership with the City of Toronto and other stakeholders, our organization of over 50 volunteers have played a major role in the development of the museum which opened at the end of May in 2010.