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Transcona

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This article was published 26/06/2024 (573 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been a long time coming, but a permanent protective enclosure for the historic CN 2747 was officially opened on June 19.

Rick Walker, Transcona Museum board president, thanked donors to the capital campaign, which raised more than $620,000 over the past three years to protect the historic engine, a preserved 2-8-0 Consolidation type steam locomotive, which was the first steam locomotive built in Western Canada at the Transcona Shops in April 1926 for the Canadian National Railway.

“CN 2747 has now been preserved and protected in Rotary Heritage Park so that future generations can better understand and appreciate the historical significance of this steam engine and its importance in Transcona and Winnipeg’s history,” Walker said.

CN 2747 was retired in 1959 after 33 years of service and placed on permanent outdoor display in Kiwanis Park (now, Rotary Heritage Park, 735 Kildare Ave. W.) in March 1960. In 2015, the Transcona Museum acquired ownership of the engine from the Midwestern Rail Association (which acquired the locomotive in 1981 from the Kiwanis Club). Since 2017, the museum has been doing necessary preservation work on the engine.

“As the co-chair of the 2747 committee I had the pleasure of working with a strong committee of talented individuals who were focused on success,” said Peter Martin. “Things like this don’t just happen. If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right. We have worked together for the last few years, and I am very proud of our accomplishment which would not have happened without the financial support of our community and neighbours. The engine 2747 will now be protected and available for future generations to enjoy.”

“We would not have reached our goals without the support we received from the Province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg and CN,” added Alanna Horejda, museum curator and co-chair of the CN 2747 committee. “Their support illustrates the importance of CN 2747 for not only our community, but for the rest of the province and the country.”

Local dignitaries, including Radisson MLA Jelynn Dela Cruz, Winnipeg mayor Scott Gillingham, and Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) were on hand for the grand opening. Both the province and the City of Winnipeg were among top supporters of the project, financially, with the province providing a $75,000 Building Sustainable Communities grant, a $15,000 Community Incentive grant and $71,869 from the Arts and Culture, Small Capital grant program, while the city provided over $200,000 in land dedication reserve funds to various aspects of the project, including paving the trails to structure.

“It’s impossible to tell the story of Winnipeg without telling the story of Transcona,” Gillingham told the crowd of approximately 100. “And it’s impossible to tell the story of Transcona without telling the story of the railway.”

“We stand on the shoulders of giants,” Wyatt added. “It’s an amazing piece of history here in our community.”

Former Elmwood-Transcona MP Daniel Blaikie, who helped broker a deal with CN to sponsor the project to the tune of $200,000 over four years, and Adam Beck, senior manager of CN’s Transcona Shops, were also on hand for the event.

“A lot of folks in our community have an attachment to this engine,” Blaikie noted. “It’s a testament to the work ethic of the people of Transcona.”

While the capital campaign has wrapped up, and the structure is now open for the public, there is still work to be done on the engine, Horejda added, including cab repair, replacement of missing dials, levers, and other parts, as well as adding interpretative signage.

She also noted that over 800 hours of volunteer work has already gone into the restoration of the engine. As such, 10 per cent of the funds raised during the campaign have been earmarked for a CN 2747 endowment fund, to keep the engine in good repair in perpetuity.