I keep reading, with great interest, about the railroad being built in Winnipeg and would like to know what years this took place Hi Mary, According to George Bryce in History of Manitoba "With a few and unimportant exceptions, the railway system of Canada cannot be said to have commenced until after the passing of the Railway Act of 1849...." "So, whilst in 1852 Canada could only boast of about thirty miles of railway, she has (in 1886) over ten thousand miles." "In 1875 the Pembina branch, sixty miles long, on the east side of the Red river, was graded. On November 3, 1878, the great opening day had come......a train started from St. Boniface to carry a special party...to witness the "driving of the last spike" a few miles north of the boundary line near Emerson [that is the boundary line between Manitoba and USA]." "Among the Manitobans present were: Senator SUTHERLAND James H. ROWAN, Consul TAYLOR G.B. SPENCER A.G.B. BANNATYNE Capt. SCOTT W.H. LYON T. NIXON G. BROWN, Alex. LOGAN Thomas HOWARD D.W. STOBART G.S. McTAVISH W.F. ALLOWAY J.F. BAIN S. BLANCHARD A.F. EDEN Jacob SMITH J.S. McGUIRE C.N. BELL The train officers were: F. HAYWARD, conductor; C.D. VANAMAN, engineer, J. DONAVAN, fireman. The train consisted of a locomotive, three flat cars and a caboose." "The new era of affairs was usehred in by the railroad. It made possible a journey from Ontario to Winnipeg in three days." Mary, this is the only place I have read the above, although I'm sure it's documented somewhere besides this book. Manitobans, however, generally consider the highlight of the railroad story was the arrival in Wpg. of the Countess of Dufferin - but now that I think of it, this steam engine arrived, I believe, by boat! However, I would think would not be unfair to say the railroad boom in MB was 1875-1890 or so. Bette in Victoria