Little engine that could

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This article was published 22/07/2014 (4094 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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The iconic miniature steam train at the Assiniboine Park is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and to commemorate this event, its owner and operator, Timothy Buzunis, is throwing it a party — and you’re invited.

On July 29, Buzunis would like you, his e-steamed guests, to come along for a ride around the historic Assiniboine Park track to celebrate the 50th year since his late father brought the famous locomotive to Manitoba.

It was 1964 — the Rolling Stones headlined their first world tour, Muhammad Ali (still going by Cassius Clay at the time) beat Sonny Liston for the World Heavyweight Championship, and the first Ford Mustang made its debut.

It was also the year that Peter Buzunis brought a little coal-burning steam train to Winnipeg.  

“They had a record crowd of about 10,000 people on opening day… the fare back then was just 25 cents,” said Buzunis. “The train has always been under our family, it has never been owned or run by anyone else. It has ran on this same track for these past 50 years.”

The train, the American 4-4-0, was built in 1964 out of Wyano, Penn. by the Crown Metal Corporation. There were approximately 50 examples of the train that resides in Assiniboine Park, and only a handful of them were of a coal-burning nature, which Buzunis’ is.

“In Canada there were only two. My father brought both of them to Canada,” Buzunis said. “One of them was in Edmonton during the Klondike Days, that was the only time of the year that it ran. But we have since sold that train, back in the 1970s.

“This is the only coal-burning steam train in a city park in all of Canada and it was the type of train that opened up the Wild West in Canada back in the 1800s.”

The little train in the park has seen some rather larger-than-life figures in its seats over the years. Paul McCartney, Richard Gere, James Seymour, Ed Asner and Nia Vardalos have all hopped aboard for the ride while visiting Winnipeg.

“I’ve got some of their autographs,” Buzunis said. “It’s been in a lot of movies, it’s been in the national news and, of course, it’s been in all the local papers and on local television stations.”

The event on July 29 will have free hot dogs, drinks and birthday cake for customers who take a ride on the train’s 50th birthday party. The cost is $2.75 per person. The ride takes around 10 minutes and leads you on a scenic view of the park.

Patrons will also have a chance to make a donation for a good cause.

“My dad passed away from kidney failure back in 2007, he was 90 years old,” said Buzunis. “We will have the Kidney Foundation here on the day as well in his memory. He’s the whole reason why the train is here and celebrating 50 years.”

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