For those wondering, historical/rail associations across Canada consider Dauphin's rail turntable, the last one remaining in Manitoba, IMPORTANT!!

The Dauphin Rail Museum reached out and received 7 letters of support in January from The Manitoba Historical Society, Canadian National Railway Historical Association, Canadian Railroad Historical Association, Canadian Northern Society, Bytown Railway Society, Winnipeg Rail Museum and all agreed that this artifact has historical significance and should remain.

These letters were sent to the Mayor, Council and City employees prior to the January 20, 2024 Council Meeting.

The Manitoba Historical Society wrote:

"Thank you for your correspondence concerning the potential removal of Dauphin’s railway turntable, what research shows us at the Manitoba Historical Society is the last such infrastructure in the province.  We understand that the City of Dauphin, owner of the turntable and adjacent railway roundhouse, is considering the turntable’s removal. As your organization well knows as a proponent of the preservation and interpretation of Dauphin’s remarkably fine and complete railway heritage, this would be a tremendous loss to the people of Dauphin and all Manitobans.

The story of our past informs us of our present and future. It does not have to be abstract or conceptual when, with good stewardship and luck, we can see and touch the remnants of earlier times. In the case of this last turntable in Dauphin, people can view a technology that is a source of wonder and pride. It is
an experience particular to Dauphin, home also to the roundhouse and provincially designated train station. The hattrick!

The Manitoba Historical Society supports the preservation of the Dauphin railway turntable and urges every attempt be made to keep it intact. While we understand that the space it occupies is sought after for the city’s public works, we trust that all other viable alternatives, that do not impact the turntable, have been considered.

If there is no viable alternative to keeping the turntable as it is presently, the compromise proposal of the Dauphin Rail Museum—to turn the turntable 90 degrees and fill in half of the pit on the building side—is a solution the Manitoba Historical Society supports so long as any changes would be made in
such a way as to allow for future reversibility."

The Rail Museum also proposed, after the City indicated that they wanted to fence off the entire Public Works site for safety reasons, that if only we could have supervised access 2-3x/year for walking tour purposes, etc...that would be adequate.  The City said also an outright NO to this proposal as well.