Nova Scotia, on Canada's Atlantic Coast, is also called "Canada's Ocean Playground". The Province is steeped in a rich and varied history, as its original Mi'kmaq people were joined by French Acadian settlers, British Loyalists, Scottish Highlanders, German and French Protestants, Irish peasants fleeing famine and later by Italian and Polish miners.

          The Province boasts many firsts, including the first responsible government (as opposed to British colonial government) in Canada, the first free press in Canada and the oldest university outside Britain in the former British Empire. Nova Scotians have a rich maritime history having built the world's largest wooden ship and the North Atlantic's fastest fishing schooner. Samuel Cunard, founder of the Cunard Steamship Company was born in Halifax. Fortress Louisburg and the Halifax Citadel are excellent restorations which portray life two hundred, or more, years ago.

          Nova Scotia also has a rich and varied railway history, boasting one of the earliest railways in Canada to use steam locomotives (at the Albion Mines in Pictou County) and what was once North America's most intensively worked coal railway (the Sydney and Louisburg RR). "The Ocean Limited" was introduced in 1904 by the Intercolonial Railway to provide first-class passenger service between Halifax and Montreal. Remarkably, history can still be experienced today in Nova Scotia. Now thoroughly modernized, VIA Rail's "Ocean" continues to provide this service and is perhaps unique in being a named passenger train that has run for over a century.

          The Nova Scotia Railway Heritage Society is delighted to help introduce you to some of the railway history of Nova Scotia and to some of the museums in which you can relive past railway glories of one of Canada's most history-rich provinces. Kindly browse through the remainder of this site to learn about these museums. If you need more information, please contact the President, Jay Underwood.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: We are proud to announce that the Nova Scotia Railway Heritage Society's website was the winner of the Canadian Railroad Historical Association's 2005 Media Award.

RAILWAY HERITAGE
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CALENDAR:

18 September 2011 (Sunday):
Orangedale 125th Anniversary Day - show and sale (1:00pm to 4:00pm). Admission is free for the day, but donations to support the museum gratefully accepted. There will be live musical entertainment, canteen service, free tea, coffee and birthday cake. Everyone welcome!

14 October 2011 (Friday):
Afternoon - Celtic Colours Program of Storytelling. Join us for storytelling in the station. Railroaders and enthusiasts will recall the glory days of railroading. Refreshments available. Stay for a supper at the Smith Community Centre from 5 to 6 followed by "Orangedale Whistle" an evening of storytelling and music the United Church beginning at 7.30 p.m.

29 October 2011 (Saturday):
OrangeRail 2011 - Join friends at the semi-annual railfan gathering from 11 through 5 at the Orangedale Museum for a program of slides and images, tales of the rails and potluck meals.

All this happens at the Orangedale Railway Station, Orangedale, Cape Breton located 5 minutes from Exit 4 of the TransCanada Highway, Route 105. For more information on the above events contact Bill Linley by email: orangedale.station@gmail.com
or Martin Boston 902-756-2539.

EVENTS:

15 October 2011 (Saturday)
TRURO MODEL RAILROADERS ASSOCIATION 34rd Annual Fall Model Train Show 0900 - 1600 Nova Scotia Community College - Truro Campus 36 Arthur Street, Truro, NS
Information Howard MacLellan at pai@eastlink.ca (902) 897-0642
www.truromodelrailroaders.com

5 November 2011 (Saturday)
27th Annual Saint John Model Train Show Saturday 0900 - 1600 Island View Lions Club 8 Market Street (Behind Ken Val Co-Op) Quispamsis, New Brunswick.
Information: Bob Boudreau
http://sites.google.com/site/sjfallshow/

3 & 4 December 2011
(Saturday 09:00 - 16:00 & Sunday 10:00 - 15:00) Model Railroad Show Dartmouth Sportsplex, Wyse Road, Dartmouth.
Information: Marc Hemphill

3 December 2011 (Saturday)
4th Annual Fredericton Model Railway Show 0900 - 1600 Fredericton High School, 300 Priestman Street, Fredericton, NB
Information Paul Burgoin

Slide Show sponsored by Nova Scotia Railway Heritage Society held second Thursday of each month excepting July and August at 19:00. St. Margaret's of Scotland Church Hall, Robie Street north of Lady Hammond, Halifax. Information: Bruce Hollett gbhollett@eastlink.ca