Event Photos

Elgin County Railway Museum Strategic Planning Presentation Sun Oct 25

Over seventy-five people gathered at the CASO Station at 2pm on Sunday October 25^th to hear about strategic planning being undertaken by the Elgin County Railway Museum.

The Michigan Central Railway shop, constructed in 1913 as a maintenance repair facility, is a large piece of St. Thomas's remaining built railway heritage.

It is the home of the Elgin County Railway Museum.
Members have diligently restored its collection of large rolling stock as well as acquiring many other interesting smaller railway artifacts.
Open only in the summer, the Museum hosts guided tours, railway events and model railway shows
The Museum also brings to St. Thomas the ever-popular Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine.

In 2005, a part of the roof of the Elgin County Railway Museum was ruled unsafe. Water could get into the building, it was unheated, and its many broken windows gave an impression of abandonment. The Corporation did not own the building but was leasing it from CN. A study of the feasibility of purchasing it, of raising enough funding for roof replacement and restoration, or finding a different site, became paramount. The resources to complete this analysis were mustered and it was undertaken over the past two years.

On Sunday, a Public Support Analysis report was presented by consultant Susan Fortin-Smith and an Architectural review and proposals were presented by Tim Castle of SJMA Inc. Several architectural drawings illustrated a suggested plan for restoration to meet current safety standards, retain areas for train restoration work, and provide public space for visitors to visit and learn about St. Thomas and Elgin County's railway heritage.

For more information about the museum, visit http://www.ecrm5700.org

Above: View of Elgin County Railway Museum from CASO Station (Top); CASO Station restoration work on south platform (Bottom).