Roundhouse Museum Train

The West Coast Railway Association has a couple of museums. One is in Yaletown at the Roundhouse Community Centre. It’s home to the CPR Engine 374 locomotive.

The non-profit’s other museum is the much larger Railway Museum of British Columbia in Squamish.

The museum in Yaletown is the Engine 374 Pavilion. It’s open all year and admission is free. On the May Long Weekend the museum hosts a Special Event at the Roundhouse marking the anniversary of the occasion when Engine 374 first arrived in the Lower Mainland back in 1887.

To learn about the museum in Vancouver, either continue reading or visit the West Coast Railway Association‘s website. To learn more about the largest railway museum in Western Canada, see our article about the Railway Museum of BC or visit the wcra.org website. If you like trains, you’ll love both of these places!

This article contains the following information about the Engine 374 Pavilion:

Location and Hours | About CPR Engine 374 | Annual Celebrations | Tips and Advice | Other Information

Engine 374 Pavilion Railway Museum at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Vancouver

The Roundhouse Community Centre is home to a special piece of Canadian history. It’s where the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) Engine 374 is kept. Managed by the same volunteer organization that runs the Railway Museum of BC, the museum at the community centre is smaller than the one in the Sea to Sky Region, but still very interesting and well worth checking out.

The museum in Yaletown is open throughout the year. Folks can admire the restored train and even climb onboard and explore the interior. There’s a whistle and bell to interact with as well. The museum also features educational cards in multiple languages, along with historical photos of the train in action. There’s a wooden train set for kids to play with too.

Admission to the Engine 374 Pavilion is free, but donations are highly appreciated.

To learn more, visit the West Coast Railway Association‘s website.

Location and Hours

The Roundhouse Community Centre is located at 181 Roundhouse Mews. It’s near David Lam Park in downtown Vancouver’s Yaletown District. The museum is a short walk away from the False Creek Seawall, which is always worth a visit. There are lots of great restaurants in the area too.

The Engine 374 Pavilion is open almost every day throughout the year. The attraction only closes on Christmas Day and New Year Day. When open, hours of operation vary depending on the season. In the winter the Engine 374 Pavilion is usually open from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Summer hours, on the other hand, are normally from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm.

About CPR Engine 374

Engine 374 was the first passenger locomotive to pull into Vancouver. It arrived on May 23rd, 1887. This marked the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway which took ten years to construct. The train was in use up until 1945. It was then moved to Kitsilano Park as a play structure for children. A restoration project followed and the refurbished train was featured at Expo 86 (i.e., the World Fair in Vancouver in 1986). It’s now on display at the Engine 374 Pavilion at the Roundhouse Community Centre.

To learn more, visit the West Coast Railway Association‘s website.

Annual Celebrations

The arrival of Engine 374 in 1887 is celebrated at the museum to this day. Around May 23rd each year, there’s a day of free festivities for all ages. The event normally runs on the Sunday of the Victoria Day Long Weekend from around 11:00 am until 3:00 pm outside the community centre. The event features family-friendly activities and live music. Engine 374 is also steamed up for the day and folks can blow the train’s whistle.

For more information about the annual event in May, see our article about the Engine 374 Train Anniversary Celebrations.

Tips and Advice

The following tips should help you make the most of your experience at the museum.

TIP #1: The Roundhouse Community Centre is located in a beautiful part of Vancouver. As of early 2024, underground parking is available for $4 per hour until 6:00 pm each day. After that, parking is $7.75 for the night until 11:00 pm. There is also lots of street parking in the area.

TIP #2: Take public transit or ride your bike if you can. The Yaletown-Roundhouse SkyTrain Station is only a block away, and bike racks are available just outside the community centre. Plus, you can cycle along the False Creek Seawall as far as Stanley Park in one direction before or after your visit, or to as far as Granville Island and the Vancouver Maritime Museum in the other.

TIP #3: Although admission to the museum is free, be sure to donate if you can. The Engine 374 Pavilion is run by volunteers without any help from the city. Donations help keep the collection up for the public to admire. To donate now, visit the West Coast Railway Museum website.

TIP #4: Pets aren’t allowed into most of the community centre building, but they are welcome in the Engine 374 Pavilion. Bring your leashed furry friends with you!

TIP #5: Yaletown is famous for its restaurants. There are lots of great ones in the area. If you like Italian food, a nice place to check out is Tutto at 901 Homer Street. It’s less than a 10-minute walk from the Roundhouse Community Centre. There are lots of restaurants on Mainland and Hamilton Streets too, close to the SkyTrain Station.