Auxiliary Train Crews

Ever wondered what used to happen after a train accident?

A crew, known as the Auxiliary, was called in to clean up and put the trains back on track. Members of these crews could be gone for weeks at a time and sometimes had to work around the clock to make sure the track was clear!

Recently five retired members from the BC Rail Auxiliary visited the Railway & Forestry Museum. Janusz Palanin, Bruce Minchin, Joseph E. Vivier, Harold Sandberg and Antonio Barata got the opportunity to revisit their rail past by touring the diner, bunk, tool cars, and crane that they once lived and worked in. They were also interviewed by the museum’s curator and archivist, sharing their stories as a basis for a future exhibit about the Auxiliary.