New Brunswick Railway Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Salem and Hillsborough Railroad |
|
|---|---|
| Locale | New Brunswick, Canada |
| Terminus | Salisbury Hillsborough |
| Commercial operations | |
| Built by | Canadian National Railway |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Preserved operations | |
| Reporting mark | SHRR |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | (?) |
| Closed | 1970s |
| Preservation history | |
| 1982 | Opened |
| Headquarters | Hillsborough |
| Website | |
| New Brunswick Railway Museum | |
The New Brunswick Railway Museum is a cool place in Hillsborough, New Brunswick. It's owned and run by a group called the Canadian Railroad Historical Association. This museum shows off the last steam engine from a railway line that used to be called the Salem and Hillsborough Railroad (S&H). This old railway line was later replaced by Highway 114.
Contents
How the Railway Started
The Salem and Hillsborough Railroad began in 1982. It was created by a group of people who loved trains. These volunteers and retired railway workers took over an old train track. This track used to belong to Canadian National (CN).
The Old Train Line
The track ran from CN's main line near Moncton and Saint John at Salisbury. It went east to just past the village of Hillsborough. This was about 20 miles (32 km) long. CN used this line to serve a gypsum quarry. But the quarry closed in the late 1970s. Because of this, CN decided they didn't need the track anymore.
Opening to the Public
The first test trains ran on the Salem and Hillsborough line in 1983. Then, in 1984, the railway officially opened to the public. People could now ride these historic trains!
Historic Steam Engines
The S&H railway used to run some amazing old steam locomotives. These included Canadian National (CN) Number 29 and Canadian Pacific (CP) Number 1009. These engines had been used in New Brunswick until the early 1960s. That's when both railways switched completely to diesel engines.
Another Locomotive
A third steam locomotive, Sydney and Louisburg (S&L) Number 42, was also used for a short time. This was in the early to mid-1980s. However, it soon had to be taken out of service. It needed important repairs to its boiler. Later, Number 42 was sent back to its owner, the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry.
Train Rides for Visitors
From 1984 until 2004, the S&H offered regular train rides. They had coach trains and even dinner trains for tourists. These trips went between Hillsborough and a place called Salem. Salem was about halfway between Hillsborough and Salisbury.
A Big Fire
On September 16, 1994, something sad happened. A fire broke out at the railway. It destroyed the engine-house, which is where the trains were kept. Several engines and carriages were also damaged or lost. The fire also ruined offices and important historical records.
Becoming a Museum
After 2004, the railway changed. Since 2005, the site has become a static museum. This means the trains don't run on the tracks anymore. Instead, the New Brunswick Railway Museum now uses the old excursion train as its main display. It's a great place to learn about railway history!
See also
- List of heritage railways in Canada
- List of museums in Canada
