This workshop, offered in 2024/2025, was open to all ages and highlighted fun facts and details throughout the various eras of train and railroad development. The textbook the course was based on, Train – The Definitive Visual History, is rich in visuals and details of hundreds of models.

The course followed the eras as presented in the book, with each workshop in a consecutive drop-in series, with the following topics:

1804-1838: The steam-powered locomotive is invented! The British-made locomotive called The Rocket was highlighted, and its influence on railroading worldwide was discussed.

1839-1869: Tracks tie Eastern and Western USA together, and Britain’s The Tube is born. Steam engines start appearing around the world. Steam engines of note were discussed that appeared during this era.

1870-1894: Steam engines started to look super cool in this era! Different track gauges were in use in Britain. Meanwhile, Canada was connected from East to West and steam engines were being purpose-built for logging, passenger use, and so on.

1894-1913: Did you know electric trains really started taking off in this era? Not only that, passenger cars started looking pretty fancy. The Paris Metro, New York Elevated Railway, and the Trans-Siberian Railway all came to be in this era. As you can imagine, locomotives during this era also were developing rapidly!

1914-1939: This era is super exciting! Locomotive technology was rapidly on the rise. The Orient Express comes to be, and guess what? Thomas the Tank was a real locomotive from this era!  

1940-1959: This era begins to see quite a lot of diversity, with diesel coming on board, as well as the spread of electric trains. We looked at some familiar models like the diesel F7, and also learn some fun facts about one of the world’s most luxurious trains, The Blue Train of South Africa! Oh, and let’s not forget about some famous steam engines, like UP’s 4-8-8-4 Big Boy!

1960-1979: The high-speed passenger train is born! We discussed their development across Japan and Europe.  Also, the first direct passenger train across Australia begins in 1970!

1980-1999: High-speed trains really stay on track now! Lots of new technology! We discussed some familiar diesel models, like the SD-60 seen across North America. Let’s not forget the opulent palace on wheels travelling through India!

2000 onward: Here we see the best of everything emerge — or re-emerge! Steam revival and a revisit to rail as road congestion drives us to look at alternatives to get from A to B.