About This Site

This site is targeted for students aged 9 to 11, though people of all ages will enjoy the fascinating history of Canadian trains presented here. Discover stories of those that built the railway and those that used it: the workers, pioneers, hobos, school children, tourists, royalty -- the list goes on an on. Meet some of the First Nations people whose traditional way of life was changed forever with the coming of the railway. Listen to old songs about trains and hear the sounds of the railway. Photographs, illustrations, advertisements, posters and first-hand accounts tell the story by people who were there. Student activities are included in Educational Resources. Suggested Books and Links have been provided for those who want to learn more about trains in Canadian history.

The Kids' Site of Canadian Trains was researched and written by Dale Simmons.

Dale Simmons has been an editor and writer at the National Library of Canada for the last 12 years. Her writing has appeared in various newspapers including the Ottawa Citizen, as well as McClelland & Stewart's Stories from the Ice Storm (1999). She has a particular interest in children's literature and has reviewed children's books for various publications. She is also the author of the National Library's website Passageways: True Tales of Adventure for Young Explorers.

Materials for this site come from the collections of the National Library of Canada as well as other institutions and individuals.

The National Library would like to thank the Canadian National Railway Company, Canadian Pacific Railway, VIA Rail Canada, Canada Science and Technology Museum, Glenbow Library and Archives, National Archives of Canada, Gordon McLean and Nils Huxtable for their contributions.

The Library also gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance of the Department of Canadian Heritage, whose Canadian Cultural Online Program (CCOP) made this work possible.