Freight Cars

CNR Caboose 78185
Built: 1929
Acquired: 1968

This car was built in the CNR Transcona Car Shops in Winnipeg. It is a typical CNR caboose complete with beds, coal bin, sink, water tank, desks, stove, oven, ice-block refrigerator and cupola seats with backs that flip to face the direction in which the train is running. Caboose 78185 was restored to its original condition in the winter of 1987-1988. 

Movie Credits:  “Days of Heaven – 1978”, “Why Shoot the Teacher – 1997” and “Monte Walsh – 2003”.

NAR Caboose 13025
Built: 1953
Weight: 47,300 lbs.
Acquired: 1983

This caboose was built by the Canadian Car & Foundry for the Northern Alberta Railways and numbered 13025. It became part of the CNR system following the amalgamation in 1981 and was renumbered to CN 78978. It currently rides on American Association of Railroads (AAR) double truss trucks with leaf springs. This caboose also had a generator which provided power for lights and a hotplate.

This NAR caboose is a bit different from the museum’s CNR caboose 78185. The most visible difference between this and other cabooses is the replacement of the cupola with bay windows.

CPR Box Car 156032
Built: 1911
Acquired: 1981 from CN

This car was built by Canadian Car & Foundry for the CPR as box car 422914. in the 195200 series as a machinery and automobile car. It was re-numbered by CP as 156032. The car was then purchased by the NAR in 1952 and used as a supply service car 179913.

In 2012, Agrium Inc. provided funds for a complete restoration of the car to as it was in CPR grain car service in the 1930’s. The grain car was repainted in 2014-15 as CPR 156032. It currently exhibits a grain display, grain elevator scale, false and solid crates, railway tools in crates and a pot belly stove.

Movie Credit: “Days of Heaven – 1978”

Alberta Grain Hopper ALBX 628006
Built: 1980
Acquired: 2020

This car was built by the National Steel Company for the Alberta Heritage Fund. It was given to CPR for grain transportation. It was acquired in 2020 from the Alberta Government, Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. The car’s last service was on the Battle River Railway.

One of the features of this car is that it was first in the series of cylindrical grain hoppers with eight hatches in its roof.

CNR Stock Car 172855
Built: 1912
Light Weight: 38,100 lbs.
Acquired: 1969 from CN

This stock car was built by Pullman Standard Car Company for Grand Trunk Railway as an outside braced box car. It was numbered 26169. After amalgation with CN, the car was renumbered it to 346349. In 1935, it was converted to a stock car and numbered 172755. At the time of conversion, the former K triple air brakes were replaced with AB brakes, and the arch bar trucks with AAR trucks. These stock cars not only moved livestock but were used to carry company material to outlying points from main stores or shops.

The car body was painted in 2012 and is currently being used for storage.

Movie Credit: “Monte Walsh – 2003”

CNR Box Car 509893
Built: 1930
Capacity: 2,990 cu. ft.
Weight: 44,400 lbs.
Length: 40 ft.
Acquired: 1968

This car was built by National Steel Car. It was primarily used as a grain car.

The car is equipped with Symington double truss trucks, 5.5 x 10 journals, plain bearings and has AB brakes. This type of box car had larger capacity than previous equipment due to its larger journals, cast steel sides on the trucks and improved steel underframing. It was the last major evolution of the box car. This design saw use until the close of World War II when it was rapidly replaced by the all-steel box car.

It is currently being used for storage.

CNR Box Car 512719
Built: 1931
Acquired: 1968

This box car was built by Canada Car & Foundry. 512719 and Its relative 509893 worked through the Great Depression by moving all kinds of cargo during World War II. However, they were most often seen in service at a country grain elevator being loaded with grain.

This car was painted in 1996 and is currently being used for storage.

CNR Box Car 557073
Built: 1973
Acquired: 2005 from Barrhead County.

The box car was built by National Steel Car for CNR as insulated box car 557073. It was last used in CN work service as 73636.

This car is currently being used for storage.

CNR Box Car 477871
Built: 1939
Capacity: 95,000 lbs. / 3712 cu. ft.
Load Limit: 95,100 lbs.
Light Weight: 46,900 lbs.
Inside Length: 40.6 ft.
Inside Width: 9.2 ft.
Inside Height: 10 ft.
Acquired: 1996

This car was built by Canadian Car & Foundry as one of the first modern steel sided car for grain service. It showed the change from wood to all-steel cars that occurred as the railways upgraded and modernized their freight equipment. This car was assigned to work service with number 72096 and then re-numbered to 72038.

This box car is currently being used for storage.

NAR Box Car 17092
Built: 1911
Light Weight: 40,700 lbs.
Acquired: 1982

This outside sheathed box car was built for the Canadian Pacific Railway and numbered 199801. It was rebuilt in 1924 with Dreadnaught pressed steel ends in a “reverse Murphy” pattern. In 1944, NAR purchased the car and converted it to a material car 17092. Some of the car’s features include arch bar trucks with 5 x 9 journals and plain bearings, and truss rod supports.

The car was repainted in 2015 and is currently being used for storage.

CNR Refrigerator Car 46230
Built: 1929
Length: 45 ft.
Acquired: 1969 from CN

This car was built by Eastern Car Company for the Canadian National Railways as box car 201286. It was renumbered to 208046. The car was acquired by NAR and numbered 7584. CNR then renumbered it to 46230. It main feature is insulated double walls with ice compartments at either end. Ice is loaded through roof hatches at the car ends. The interior has hanging rods in the roof for meat carcasses. The body is wood sheathed and it has a steel underframe. 

This refrigerator car is currently being used for storage.

CNR Gondola 58285
Built: 1930
Length: 40.6 ft
Acquired: 1997 from CN

This gondola was originally built as box car 509363 by National Steel Car for CNR. In December 1975, under order AK12-75, the car was cut down and converted into Gondola 58285 for work service. It was lettered as a High Speed Accessory car and MWF as well.

The gondola is currently being used for storage.

CNR Covered Hopper 53339
Built: 1956
Acquired: 2008

The hopper was built as CNR 135466 and renumbered to 352419 in 1967. It was then transferred to work train service as 53339 in April 1984. It main feature is that is has the first series of slab-side covered hoppers with six hatches in the roof.

It currently contains locomotive sand.

NAR Tank Car 16040
Built: 1920
Acquired: 1982 from CN

16040 was used as a water car and then for diesel fuel for track side equipment. 

CNoR Flat Car 28251
Built: 1909
Light Weight: 38,000 lbs.
Acquired: 1982 from CN

This flat car was built by the Dominion Car and Foundry for the Canadian Northern Railway and given number 28251. It became CN 650090. When it went into work service, it was renumbered to 57383. It has been painted and lettered for the Canadian Northern Railway. It is currently on display with the Hart Parr tractor and a set of discs on top.

Movie Credit: “Days of Heaven – 1978” 

APRA 400
Built: 1914
Weight: 44,400 lbs.
Capacity: 6768 imperial gallons or 80,000 lbs.
Acquired: 1968

This car was built by Canadian General Tank Company and numbered 1102. This car made a significant contribution to the success of Canada’s war effort during both World Wars and to the post war development of the country. It ended up in service under PROCOR Ltd. ownership and has since been lettered APRA 400.

Movie Credit: “Days of Heaven – 1978”

CNR Tank Car 51625
Built: 1885
Capacity: 6191 imperial gallons
Light Weight: 35,600 lbs.
Acquired: 1984

This steel water tank car was purchased second hand in 1911. It has a steel centre sill and frame.

NAR Flat Car 15511
Built: 1911
Acquired: 1985 from CN

This car was built for the Canadian Northern Railway as box car 661595. After catching fire in May 1949 at Mile 216 on the Slave Lake Subdivision, it was rebuilt as a flat car and numbered 15511. The flat car’s trucks have coil springs and 5.5 x 10 journals with plain bearings. The trucks also have 1909 patent dates.

This flat car is currently being used for rail storage.

NAR Flat Car 15015
Built: 1910
Weight: 35,400 lbs.
Length: 36 ft.
Acquired: 1973 from CN

This car is another example of a light duty flat car like 15511 above. Its main features include a steel centre sill and bolsters with wood stringers and wood deck, steel end sills with pole pockets on each corner and K-type air brake equipment. It is smaller and lighter than normal. The car has arch bar trucks and 4.5 x 8 journals with 1911-20 wheels.

It is currently being used for storage.