Thank you volunteers! The museum remains temporarily closed, but you can still find us online through our social media accounts. Keep reading to take a peek at what our volunteers got up to this year.
Volunteers working on the railway
While our in-person restoration activities were significantly reduced due to COVID-19 safety measures, our wonderful team of volunteers were still busy this year. In fact, they racked up over 4000 hours of volunteer service! Restoration and maintenance projects included both the CNR and TH&B cabooses, and Nova Scotia. Maintenance was done on the Fowler Boxcar, Jackman, and our Fairmont speeder. Significant progress was made on our 1929 Canadian Pacific solarium-lounge car, Cape Race.
The work begins
Beginning in February this year, our 1929 Canadian Pacific solarium lounge car was moved into Stall 15 of the Roundhouse. Watch it here on our YouTube channel. Originally called River Laird, Cape Race was converted into a sleeper car (while still retaining the signature solarium lounge) in the 1940s.
Several years ago, Cape Race’s bedrooms suffered extensive water damage from a leaking roof. After that, work on the roof began in 2013 and the car was safely winterized and weather-proofed. This allowed us to display Cape Race outside.
Making progress
Inside Cape Race are a sunny lounge and buffet kitchen area. There are four small rooms at one end of Cape Race. These four passenger compartments were the subject of most of our volunteers’ attention this summer. Working as a physically-distanced team was a new challenge, but our volunteers rose to the occasion! Firstly, water damaged paneling and moldings were removed, repaired, replaced and refinished in each of the four original compartments. Then, new wiring circuits were installed to connect the lights. Interior windows – frames and all – were rebuilt. In the lounge, window curtains have been installed.
Cape Race returns outside
After a final maintenance check, Cape Race was returned to its spot on display outside of the museum, just in time for a summer of guided tours. Thanks to our summer staff team, guided tours through Cape Race were led daily. During tour season visitors can climb aboard and take a peek at the volunteers’ restoration progress. Visitors can learn more about the car while on a tour. Cape Race helps us tell stories of Black Sleeping Car Porters in Toronto, and is an important part of our collection.
In the passenger railway industry, one of the key crew members were Porters (now referred to as attendants). Porters were the individuals who served the upper class passengers on their travels, prepared their sleeping compartments, and catered to their guests requests
In Toronto, Porters were almost exclusively Black Canadians. Their service aboard sleeping cars is crucial to telling the story of marginalized Canadians in the railway industry. You can learn more about Porters at Union Station through our online exhibit, Uncovering Union.
Thank you volunteers
Our volunteers were so resilient and willing to lend a hand during a year that called for a lot of flexibility. The present volunteer group embodies the spirit of the team that founded TRHA back in 2001. Their passion for sharing Toronto’s rail history is unmatched!
While we have explored the work of our onsite restoration volunteers here, there is a large group of volunteers who had been working remotely behind the scenes this year. Consequently, a big thank you goes to our marketing volunteers, our exceptional volunteer tour guides, the Operations Team, HR Team, and Board of Directors. Above all, thank you all for your hard work this year!
Join our volunteer team
Looking to give back in 2021? Searching for a new at-home hobby? Join our volunteer team! In other words, browse our current remote volunteer opportunities here. You can email Mike Bedford, Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteer@trha.ca for more information.
