Description of Historic Place

The Engine 29 and Firetruck Display Building is located on Saunders Road next to the Village Fire Department in a community green area. This rural railway station-inspired building houses and displays a locally-built replica of the last working steam engine in McAdam as well as McAdam's first firetruck.

Heritage Value

The Engine 29 and Firetruck Display Building is designated a Local Historic Place for housing and displaying a locally-built replica of CPR Engine 29 and McAdam's first firetruck.

The replica of CPR has local historic significance for having been built by local retired railway workers. This 2/3 scale replica represents the last working steam engine in McAdam. CPR Engine 29 worked out of McAdam for many years and was cared for with pride by the local men. It is a local village symbol that represents the glory days of steam railroading, the very reason that McAdam exists. McAdam originally requested the real engine, but the Canadian Pacific Railway decided to place the shell of it in front of their head office in Calgary. The railway men contend that if she had been given to the Village of McAdam, she would still be running today. Not to admit defeat, the men built their own replica of Engine 29.

The firetruck located on the site is considered to be of local historic interest as it was built by the local firemen in 1941, marking the beginning of the McAdam Volunteer Fire Department.

Constructed circa 1980, the building’s design evokes a rural train station with overhanging eaves, shingles and vintage “Railway Crossing” sign.

Source: McAdam Village Office, Historic places Files, “Engine 29 and Firetruck Display Building”

Character-Defining Elements

The character defining elements of the Engine 29 and Firetruck Display Building include:
- 20x 42 foot cedar shingle clad building;
- gable roof with cedar shingles and Plexiglas sky lights;
- 5 large Plexiglas display windows with large shed doors;
- vintage “Railway Crossing” sign;
- steam engine weather vain.

The character-defining elements of McAdam's first firetruck include:
- locally built on a 1941 Chevrolet chassis;
- wood construction except for chassis and engine cover;
- retired, but still functional.

The character-defining elements relating to Engine 29 include:
- 2/3 scale replica of Engine 29, exact in every detail;
- built on a working bus chassis;
- working replica that travels to many functions and parades representing the village and its railway history.