Manitoba’s last Canadian Northern Railway turntable bridge was removed in Dauphin, Manitoba at the site of the original 15 stall roundhouse, in August 2025. Funding is needed at a project estimate of $75,000 to help commemorate the community members who initially preserved the turntable in 1993 and the history of rail employees of Dauphin over the past 130 years with a monument to this structure.
The City of Dauphin will accept donations by cheque, cash or debit and provide a subsequent tax receipt for your donation. Their mailing address is 100 Main St. S, Dauphin, MB R7N 1K3. You must provide a return address and write “turntable” in memo if paying by cheque. They have also agreed to match funds up to $10,000 for this project. Donations of over $250 will have recognition on a donor wall which will accompany the structure.
The original structure, dating back to 1906, was an 84 foot, approximately 40 ton steel structure that originally moved steam locomotives into the roundhouse for daily repair and storage and later acted as a means of rotating and changing the direction of diesel locomotives in a limited space. In 1997 this site was purchased by the Town of Dauphin from CN with the financial help of 17 community members .
Prior to the removal the Dauphin Rail Museum requested an approximate 23 foot portion of the bridge and driving motor be preserved to allow for the design and installation of a memorial to this structure in CN Park, just adjacent to CNR Place. The Dauphin railway station is a Manitoba Historic Site and an historic railway station of Canada, originally built in 1912 by Canadian Northern Railway and is known as Manitoba’s most beautiful rail Station.
With a financial contribution from the City of Dauphin, the Dauphin Rail Museum consulted with Stantec Architecture Ltd. in Winnipeg to develop a visual rendition of the monument. This structure will create a distinct interactive and interpretive historic structure not seen in Manitoba which will be more accessible to the public than its previous location.
Dauphin’s rail history dates back to 1896 where the first train arrived on the Lake Manitoba Railway and Canal Company that was owned and operated by Sir William Mackenzie and Sir Donald Mann. This event sparked a moment that changed the landscape of immigration, settlement, agriculture and commerce. Their efforts would culminate in a 9,500 mile transcontinental system called Canadian Northern Railway. Dauphin is the birthplace of that railway.
The Dauphin Rail Museum exists to preserve, interpret and present the rich railway history of Dauphin and the Parkland area.
