CALGARY – Well-loved by generations of Calgarians, but badly damaged in the 2013 floods, the Bowness train is making a comeback thanks to the expertise of dedicated artists, who can’t say no to a labour of love.
“To find a way to do it, this is where a lot of the fun is – to find a way in, how to do something and duplicate what other people have done years ago,” said Allan Millard, who is one of the people restoring the Bowness train.
The train was swamped in the flooding, but had been well-used and loved for 60 years prior to the damage. The vehicle dates back to the 1950s, and is a replica of Canadian Pacific’s first diesel passenger locomotive. On its one-kilometre track, generations of Calgarians have taken a ride on the rails.
“The train is critical to Bowness; it’s part of what people remember of Bowness,” said Doug Marter, the city parks planning manager. “When I was a kid, I was there. I rode on the train; I took my kids there.”
Work began early this year to revive the train, both by restoring and creating the hundreds of parts it takes to run, so that future generations can continue to enjoy it.
“My kids are right into it, my daughters … they love this sort of thing because it’s a little bit of a legacy,” said Alec Joslin, who’s also working on fixing it up.
The city says it’s hard to estimate when the re-opening might be, when so many of the parts are being made from scratch, but workers are hopeful it will be back on track by next summer.
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