Brian and Cheryl from the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, Cranbrook, British Columbia, are Our To-day’s Tourist Guides

Brian and Cheryl are husband and wife, working at the Cranbrook Museum of Rail Travel. He issued the entrance tickets and programs (shown above) and then said addressing to us: “There she is, the dancing girl, your tour guide”.

Before proceeding to the Museum we talked a little.

Janko (1): Brian, can you remind us some historical facts about the Crowsnest Railway Route (1898-1998), centennial, as I myself am a CPR retiree, spent 32 years of my life there?

Brian (2): In 1874 the Crowsnest Pass was discovered by Michael Phillips from west to east.

1: I started to work at Angus shops in Montreal in 1976.

2: But in 1886 coal was discovered in Crowsnest pass. In 1888 Col. James Baker of Cranbrook secured a provincial charter for the “Crowsnest & Kootenay Lake Railway”.

In 1896 new Federal Government was elected (Laurier) which resulted in the Crowsnest Agreement, and planning for the CPR route through the Crowsnest Pass.

1: I remember that in 1898 Crowsnest Line was completed from Lethbridge to Kootenay Landing on Kootenay lake. The CPR Kootenay Lake steamer “Moyie” was launched on Kootenay Lake to connect trains on each end.

2: Yes. In 1905, a strategic connection was made between the CPR line south of Cranbrook near the border town Yahk, to Spokane, called the Spokane International. This line made connections in the east with a CPR subsidiary, the “Soo Line”, running south from Moose Jaw to Minneapolis/St. Paul, and points last in the USA.

1: The old times became alive: in 1907 a very fast and luxurious, called the “Soo-Spokane Train Deluxe”, operated from 1907 to 1913 between the two American points, and through Canada following the Crowsnest Route.

In 1908 CPR began the kootenay Central RR from Colvalli through Fort Steele to Golden and joining the CPR mainline there. At the map Crowsnest Railway route, centennial, one can see all what we talked about, to the left is our receipt you’ve given to us, Brian. Thanks a lot. And now where is your dancing girl?

2: Here she is. Cheryl, please, meet the group of tourist

Cheryl (3): The Canadian Museum of Rail Travel was established in 1977 which collects, restores and displays sets of vintage passenger trains, highlighting the luxury passenger tarin era from the late 1800s through the first half of the 20th century. Let’s take a tour around.

Watch show: “The Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, Cranbrook, BC, on October 26, 2011”

Image 1 of 30

1: I remember I traveled by CN in one of the cars like this.

All memories came back all of a sudden, road scenes and youth sensations.

Watch our photo expose:” Road Scenes to-and-from Cranbrook”

no images were found

Thanks a lot, Cheryl and Brian.

Listen to:John Denver, Country Roads