History

Our Timeline

A brief look into the history of the Alberta Railway Museum and the Alberta Pioneer Railway Association operating since 1968 proudly preserving Canadian railway heritage in Edmonton, Alberta.

1962

Canadian Railroad Historical Association (CHRA) forms an Edmonton chapter. It is named CHRA Rocky Mountain Branch.
Members clean and maintain Canadian Northern Railway (CNR) Steam Engine 1392 located at the Edmonton Exhibitions Grounds as it was neglected.

1964

Northern Alberta Railway (NAR) Steam Engine 73, built in 1927 in Kingston, Ontario, is saved from salvage and donated to CHRA. NAR 73 was the last remaining locomotive from NAR. By 1967, NAR 73 was in operation as it was repaired with parts from other NAR locomotives.

1968

Alberta Pioneer Railway Association (APRA) is formed from members of the CHRA Rocky Mountain Branch.
The Association’s first collection of cars and locomotives is housed at the Cromdale Car Barns of Edmonton Transit System (ETS) located at 116th Avenue and 80th Street in Edmonton.

1971

CN donates locomotive CNR 9000, a diesel-electric locomotive after logging 2.5 million miles in revenue service from 1948.

1972

APRA purchases the St. Albert Railway Station built in 1909 by the CNR as part of the Sangudo Subdivision. The Station was relocated to the museum grounds.

1974

Intercolonial Railway Baggage Car 736 appears in the documentary miniseries “The National Dream: Building the Impossible Railway” with Pierre Berton about the construction of Canada’s transcontinental railway.
CNR 1392 is operating under steam for the first time in 16 years.

1975

APRA relocates all rolling stock to the present site of the Alberta Railway Museum (ARM) in Edmonton from ETS Cromdale Car Barns. The site is part of the former CNR Coronado Subdivision.

1976

Construction is completed on the “Dunvegan Shop” which is used to repair railway cars and storage.

1977

CNR Caboose 78185 and Combine 7379, both acquired in 1968, appear in the movie “ Why Shoot the Teacher?”.
ARM officially opens to the public known as APRA Park with steam and diesel operations using Locomotives 1392 and 9000.

1978

CNR 1392 appears in the movie “Days of Heaven”.

1979

NAR 73 becomes a static display due to a major boiler leak in the flues.

1980

Alberta Government acquires CNR 6060 by donation. Calder Shop built by the Alberta Government to house CN Steam Engine 6060 while participating in Alberta’s 75th Birthday steam train excursions.
The first Wedding ceremony is held on-site at the museum.

1981

CNR Combine 7379 and Baggage Car 736 appear in the movie “Silence of the North”.
Construction is completed on the “Calder Shop” which is used to store CN 6060.
APRA officially owns the land that the museum site occupies, and the City of Edmonton has annexed the land from Sturgeon County.
NAR Caboose 13025, built in 1953, is donated to the museum.

1984

APRA acquires the Gibbons Water Tank that was built in 1919.

1985

CN 6060 is given to the Rocky Mountain Rail Society in Stettler, Alberta and undergoes restoration.

1986

CNR 1392 and CN 6060 takes part in STEAMEXPO ’86 held in Vancouver, BC.

1987

CNR Locomotive 1392, Combine 7379 and Stock Car 172755 appear in the movie “The Gunfighters”.

1989

Locomotive 1392 appears in the movie “Bye, Bye, Blues” filmed in Alberta.
The museum officially renamed itself to the Alberta Railway Museum.

1993

APRA celebrates its 25th Anniversary.

1996

CNR Locomotive 1392 and Combine 7379 appear in the TV series “Jake and the Kid” shot at the museum.
Locomotive 9000 appears in the miniseries “In Cold Blood”.

2001

The Discovery Center is opened in NAR Baggage Express Car 1460 displaying the story of Northern Alberta Railway along with supporting the Alaska Highway and Canol projects.
CN 9000 participates in the Jasper Station re-opening celebration by Parks Canada as the station transferred ownership from CN to Parks Canada.

2003

APRA celebrates its 35th Anniversary.
CNR Locomotive 1392, Caboose 78185 and Stock Car 172755 appear in “Monte Walsh” filmed in Alberta.

2005

CNR 1392 takes part in Alberta’s 100th birthday Centennial Train Excursions to Slave Lake, McLennan, Peace River, the museum and Boyle.

2006

APRA archive collection moves from the City of Edmonton Archives to the Provincial Archives of Alberta.

2008

APRA celebrates its 40th Anniversary.

2009

The museum celebrates the 100th Anniversary of CNR St. Albert Station.

2013

CNR 1392 celebrates its 100th birthday.

2014

NAR Locomotive 302, a diesel engine built in 1959, is donated to the museum. NAR 302, named Chief Moostoos, is the First Nations Chief who signed Treaty 8 which was the last treaty to be signed in Alberta. NAR 302 was later restored that year.

2016

The museum holds its first “Night at the Museum” which invites photographers as the museum is transformed into a scene of the past where models are in costume.

2017

CNR 1392 participates in Rails and Tales, a Canada 150th year celebration event held in Stetler, Alberta.
NAR 73 is officially purchased by APRA after ending a lease agreement with the Canadian Railroad Historical Association for one dollar. Volunteers and Veterans were on hand to celebrate and share stories recounting their experiences with the locomotive.

2018

Birthday celebrations: CNR 9000 (70 years old), NAR 1460 (70 years old), NAR 1220 (75 years old) and CP 5000 (55 years old).
Alberta Pioneer Railway Association celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

2019

NAR Flanger 16601 restoration is complete and back in the display line up. The St. Albert Station and two more building have their roofs re-shingled with cedar shakes.

2020