The Guelph Historical Railway Association is pleased to announce the acquisition of passenger coach 3216 from the Southern Ontario Locomotive Restoration Society/Waterloo Central Railway. 3216 was built in 1954 by the Canadian Car & Foundry for the Canadian National Railway as a first-class coach, for use on CN’s Super Continental passenger trains. In 1965, it was rebuilt into a Café/ Snack Bar car, along with 76 seats, as part of CN’s modernization effort. It was sold to VIA Rail and was rebuilt again in 1980. By the 1990s these coaches were entirely retired by VIA rail.
Read our full release about the 3216 Acquisition here.
See more pictures and history of 3216 on our collection page here!
The GHRA is planning a full restoration of the interior and exterior of this coach to bring it back to its earlier CN appearance. This will be an extensive project for our group. Work will begin as the COVID-19 pandemic eases and local restrictions allow. If you would like to get involved and support our work, consider purchasing a membership to our organization or donating to us. We are also seeking volunteers who can help us with this restoration. Anyone with, or would like to learn, carpentry, upholstery welding and other skills are invited to join our group.
Our immediate plan is to begin the restoration with a replacement of the floor and windows. To achieve this we will need plywood, insulation, screws, carpeting, windows and frames. As the restoration progresses, we will also need paint, sheet steel, fabric for upholstery, and more. Sponsoring our group by providing some of these materials would dramatically reduce the time and cost to restore this coach. If you would like to contribute and become a sponsor, please contact us.
As our work begins we will be sharing regular updates on our website and our Facebook page, so make sure to follow us there!



