Photo is from 2023 where I had students from a University in Texas assist with cleanup of the turntable pit.

Here is the text of the Press Release issued by the Museum earlier this week.  In subsequent days we will post some of the letters of support received from across Canada

PRESS RELEASE
March 31, 2025

Manitoba’s last remaining rail turntable in the birthplace of Canadian Northern Railway (Dauphin, Manitoba) is scheduled to be removed forever

Dauphin’s rail turntable, located at the City Public Works Shop at 22 Jackson St. (former Roundhouse), is an 84 foot, approximately 40 ton steel structure that has existed as part of our rich railway history dating back to 1906.  It represents a bygone era that built both Dauphin and Western Canada and is the last existing rail structure of its kind in Manitoba.  The turntable as of March 2025 has been deemed expendable by the City of Dauphin, with very limited consultation, and is scheduled for full removal this upcoming summer.

The turntable in 1993, was preserved through the efforts of 17 community members (much like the restoration of the Dauphin Rail Station) that raised the money to purchase the land from CNR.  The City in turn, purchased the turntable and leased the land to Fort Dauphin Museum.  For the past several years, the Dauphin Rail Museum has attempted to have the turntable transferred onto our lease so we may look after and further develop the site properly.  These efforts have been futile.

In December 2024, we were notified, along with Fort Dauphin Museum, of the City’s plan to completely remove the turntable.  An in-person meeting was held and a counter proposal was given that would provide much more room to the City and their vehicles at the Public Works Shop and still keep the turntable intact and preserve its historical value and legacy.

Seven letters of support from across the country (BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec) documenting both the historic importance and value of this artifact have been attained and provided to both Mayor and Council.  A live interview was also provided on CBC Manitoba Weekend Morning Show to follow up on our story highlighted by Gordon Goldborough’s “Abandoned Manitoba”.   Despite all of these efforts, the City responded that the full removal of the turntable would be in the Summer of 2025 so that the shop may “function better”.

A campaign to continue to try and preserve the turntable in its original and current location has been undertaken by the Dauphin Rail Museum including an online petition created through Change.org.  (https://chng.it/FR4gqRHKF9

Dauphin’s rail history dates back to 1896 where the first train arrived on a small local railway (Lake Manitoba Railway and Canal Company) that was purchased, owned and operated by Sir William Mackenzie and Sir Donald Mann.  This event would spark a moment that would forever change the landscape of immigration, settlement, agriculture and commerce.  Their efforts would culminate in a 9,500 mile transcontinental system called Canadian Northern Railway.  Dauphin is the birthplace of that railway.

The Dauphin Rail Museum exists to preserve, interpret and present the right railway history of Dauphin and the Parkland area.

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For more information, please contact:
Jason Gilmore - President of the Dauphin Rail Museum
(204) 202-4622    thedauphinrailmuseum@gmail.com