Volunteering at the Toronto Railway Museum

Our hard-working volunteers work on restoring our collections and also on preparing exhibits and preparing new displays. They also help us interpret our exhibits to the public. The museum development has been significantly accelerated through the efforts of dozens of committed and enthusiastic volunteers. If restoration does not suit you, there are several other ways in which a volunteer can help out. Tell us which areas you might be interested in by filling out our volunteer application form.

Our Volunteer History

Since 2015, over one hundred volunteers have engaged in various interpretation and restoration projects:

  • The Roundhouse Park Miniature Railway, a 7¼ inch gauge track that winds for a ½ kilometre through the site, was built entirely by Toronto Railway Historical Association volunteers. Development of Diesel Cab Simulators
  • Monthly Union Station Tours from 2006 to 2012
  • Restoration of the Elwell-Parker mobile crane
  • Development and installation of the Historical Plaques in Roundhouse Park
  • Complete restoration of the previously-decrepit 1913 Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo caboose, which is seasonally open to visitors and is one of the most popular exhibits at the museum.
  • Full restoration of Cabin D, the interlocking tower built by the Toronto Terminals Railway in 1896.
  • Restoration to operation of the 1944 Alco-built CPR S-2 switching locomotive No. 7020, the first CPR diesel to operate in the Toronto area.
  • Installation of several interpretive displays inside the Roundhouse and in the four structures that make up the historic railway village.
  • Restoration of 0-4-0 Porter Fireless Locomotive
  • Exterior restoration and on-going interior restoration of Canadian Pacific “Cape Race” Heavyweight Solarium-Lounge Car

On-Going Volunteer Activities

The Toronto Railway Museum relies on a variety of hard-working volunteers in areas such as :

  • Governance (Board of Directors and Executive Officers)
  • Administration (including volunteer coordination, systems administration, cataloguing)
  • Docents (meeting visitors, interpreting artifacts and exhibits in the Museum and throughout Roundhouse Park, and sharing their knowledge of the artifacts or of Toronto’s transportation history.
  • Restoration and Operations (including maintenance and repairs)
  • Marketing (including  attractions development, market research, promotions and merchandising)
  • Research (railroad history, personalities, early Toronto)
  • Communications (photography and image management, social media, web site.