The museum is home to the 'Royal Hudson' locomotive, which pulled the royal train for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during their 1939 tour of Canada.
The collection features the oldest surviving Canadian-built locomotive, the 'Dorchester', which dates back to 1836.
The site includes a reconstruction of a 19th-century railway station and a dedicated switch tower.
Many of the museum's artifacts were acquired through major donations from Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP) railways.
The museum holds a specialized library and archives center housing rare blueprints, manuals, and photographs.
Exporail, the Canadian Railway Museum, houses the largest collection of railway artifacts in Canada, spanning over 10 hectares. The collection includes over 400 railway vehicles and more than 250,000 archival objects related to the history of rail transportation in the country. Visitors can access several historic passenger cars and locomotives located within the Angus Pavilion. The site offers seasonal rideable miniature train experiences and heritage streetcar rides along a dedicated track. The museum preserves significant examples of Canadian engineering, including steam locomotives, electric streetcars, and early diesel engines. It operates as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of railway heritage.
The interior of the Angus Pavilion, which allows for wide-angle shots of multiple historic locomotives side-by-side in a well-lit environment.
Check the schedule for the heritage streetcar operation before arriving, as it depends on weather and staff availability.
Wear comfortable walking shoes, as the site covers a large outdoor area with multiple pavilions.
Allocate extra time to explore the indoor pavilion thoroughly, as it contains the majority of the fragile, historic train cars.
Trying to see every single item in the archives without prior research, as the sheer volume of artifacts is overwhelming for a single visit.
The museum operates on a seasonal schedule; it often moves to reduced operating days during the winter months and may be closed on certain weekdays off-season.
