Own a piece of history – Elmira, P.E.I. miniature train up for sale, to be replaced

ELMIRA, P.E.I. — A protracted-standing attraction paying homage to P.E.I.’s railway historical past has been derailed.

The Elmira miniature prepare, a mainstay on the Elmira Railway Museum, has been decommissioned after nearly twenty years of service and is now being offered.

After a few years of touring guests across the grounds on their very own railway path, maintaining upkeep on the prepare has grow to be too troublesome.

“Attributable to its getting old situation, it was simply now not possible to maintain it operating,” stated Matthew McRae, govt director of the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Basis.

“It wasn’t some form of prepare that had been bought as a regular factor with customary components, it had been constructed nearly from scratch by Barry Maloney. In consequence, it’s extremely troublesome to keep up since you principally must jerry-rig the components.”

Principal attraction

The prepare was in-built 1979 by Barry Maloney and was operated by him on the P.E.I. Miniature Railway close to Alberton till the Nineties. Within the early 2000s, the Associates of Elmira board obtained the prepare for the museum as an on-rails attraction.

The choice to retire and promote the prepare didn’t come frivolously, because it was a fundamental attraction for a lot of who visited the museum through the years.

Nonetheless, earlier this yr, it was determined the prepare would get replaced with a more moderen highway prepare, stated McRae, which is able to seemingly be electrical energy and have rubber wheels so it may function with no observe.

McRae stated having the ability to apply it to pavement means it can have extra makes use of.

“It is going to function very a lot as a prepare would, it simply will not be on tracks,” he stated.

“Additionally, we may probably take it to a parade or take it off the observe we have now at Elmira’s if there was a purpose to take action. It is going to be extra cell, that’s for certain. It gained’t simply be restricted to the one trackway we have now there.”

CN Rail will likely be serving to safe the brand new prepare, which may value between $40,000 and $60,000, stated McRae, and can hopefully arrive by subsequent summer season.

“It’s not low cost, however with a bit little bit of assist from donors, sponsors and the province as properly, we must always have the ability to do this,” he stated.

“The extra pricey factor will truly be redoing the roadbed there so it will probably correctly help an electrical prepare. That will likely be a bit extra of an funding and we’re engaged on that now.”

Extra options

As for the miniature prepare, the Associates of Elmira is taking gives till Aug. 31 from potential patrons who is perhaps excited by buying it.

Whereas the prepare is now not working on the museum, McRae stated there are nonetheless loads of options for individuals to see and take a look at, such because the newly added handcar, which was created via a partnership with the UPEI college of engineering.

“It’s a functioning handcar like these seen in (the film) O Brother The place Artwork Thou or a few of these outdated Looney Tunes cartoons. Our guests are welcome to attempt it out. I do know I’m excited to present it a shot.”

The handcar arrived on the museum in July and permits guests to hop on and journey alongside a observe by pumping it with their fingers.

Different sights embrace the museum’s interactive speeder automotive, which additionally travels alongside a railway, the previous McDonald’s caboose and different displays.

McRae stated the museum is continually attempting so as to add new options or refresh what it has to supply a brand new expertise for many who have stopped in earlier than.

“I do know the miniature prepare was very a lot beloved by many individuals and we all know we had lots of guests right here the place that was one of many greatest attracts, however there may be nonetheless rather a lot to see up there,” he stated.

“There’s a new playground that we’ve arrange on the website, a train-themed playground which is barely a pair years outdated, in order that’s an incredible factor for teenagers. You’ll additionally discover there was some repainting and shifting of a number of the displays. We’re all the time attempting so as to add one thing new so individuals have a purpose to return again.”

Bids welcome

As for the miniature prepare, simply who will purchase it’s up within the air, stated McRae.

“It’s actually anyone’s guess. My first thought could be collectors or prepare afficionados. There’s no extra devoted group of individuals and no extra passionate group of individuals than prepare fanatics,” he stated.

Nonetheless, regardless of who buys it, McRae stated it can take some dedication to make it match to stay a public attraction.

“I don’t assume with out intensive work and funding that the prepare will likely be one thing somebody will use for a public system once more,” he stated.

“It might take lots of work for a public service, however I feel it may very well be of nice curiosity to somebody who’s into prepare historical past, mannequin trains or miniature trains. There are much more of these collectors on the market than one may assume.”