Though the Hillsborough railway depot burned in 1994, the tracks and railway yards remained in place. A replica station has been built, representative of many that may have been found throughout New Brunswick, and now houses the majority of the smaller railway artefacts in the museum's collection. It's the outdoor collection, however, which sets this museum apart. The collection consists of no less than 27 pieces of rolling stock, including passenger cars, freight cars and maintenance-of-way equipment. Following is a rundown of the rolling stock:
Locomotives
Steam locomotive ex-CNR 1009 - 2012 was its 100th birthday
Diesel-electric locomotive ex-CNR 1754
Diesel-electric locomotive ex-CNR 8245
Passenger Train Equipment
First-class passenger car ex-CNR 4275 - originally GTR 2335 – will be 100 years in 2014
Passenger car ex-CNR 5297 "CRESCENT"
Passenger car ex-CNR 5229 "CASCADE"
Colonist car ex-CNR 2737 "CHESTERFIELD" - originally Pullman 6175 – It will be 102 years old in 2013.
Other Passenger Equipment on Site
Dining car 6733 "SUNSET" (originally CNR Coach 5433)
Lounge car 1000 "VALLEY VIEW" (originally CNR Observation Car 1077 “Fort Francis”)
Lounge car 1002 "MOUNTAIN VIEW" (originally CNR Observation Car 1079 “Fort George”)
Sleeper 2079 "SAINT JOHN RIVER" (originally NYC 10161, “Agawan River”)
Maintenance-of-way Equipment
100-ton steam crane ex-CPR 414324 – 2013 is its 100th Birthday
Crane idler car ex-CPR 412722 – originally CPR flat car 307603
Jordan Spreader ex-CNR 51040
Fire tender ex-CNR 52147 – originally tender from CNR 6173
Boxcar ex-CNR 506469 – outside braced boxcar, used as Division’s Tool Car
Double-ended snowplough ex-CNR 55698
Flatcar ex-CNR 662101
Ballast car ex-CNR 104095 – built to patented design “Improved Hart Convertible Car”
Other Equipment
Caboose/van ex-CNR 78727
Caboose/van ex-CNR 79082 – owned by a CRHA member
Baggage car ex-CNR 8605 – originally ordered for the Canadian Northern Railway
Tank car 36377 – originally Union Tank Car – next to the ex-CPR Steam Crane
Tank car 36025 – originally Union Tank Car – on the Display track with flat car
Equipment for Restoration
Flanger/snow plough ex-CNR 56471 – built using the frame of CNR box car 413949
Railway Post Office Car ex-CNR 74993 – originally Mail & Express car 9734
Boxcar ex-CNR 508140 – an outside braced boxcar used in OCS service as 74857
Hillsborough is located in a unique geographical area, selected by the New Brunswick Division of the Canadian Railroad Historical Association to be the home of eastern Canada's primary railway museum. Why this site?
Hillsborough experienced a horse-drawn albertite railway and the Albert Manufacturing Company's narrow gauge gypsum railway before it was connected to New Brunwsick's ever-growing standard gauge railway system at Salisbury in 1877. This comunity is recognized as home to one of North America's first oil wells (1860s), as well as the mining of shale oil.
Come learn about railway construction, its operations, and their dedicated workers. The Museum's group of buildings highlights a multitude of railway artefacts and a large photo collection that celebrate the Province's railway history. Come view artefacts such as the ex-CNR locomotive #1009, a 4-6-0 built in 1912, one of only two steam locomotives in the province. As well, come view another unique artefact - Canada's only remaining double-ended snow plough, built in 1939 by the CNR.
From the New Brunswick Railway Museum