Launch of a new permanent exhibition on railway safety at Exporail: Stop, Look, Listen: Incoming Train?
SAINT-CONSTANT, QC, April 28, 2016 /CNW/ - Stop, Look, Listen: Incoming Train?, a new permanent exhibition on railway safety produced by Exporail, the Canadian Railway Museum in collaboration with Operation Lifesaver, was inaugurated today in the presence of public figures from the world of transportation and municipal life as well as from the culture, tourism and media industries. This initiative promoted by CN is intended primarily for children aged 3 to 7 years old and their parents. It aims to encourage families to be vigilant around railway tracks and to teach young children to safe practices near railway facilities. This project was made possible through financial support from CN as well as other players in the rail industry, including the Agence métropolitaine de transport (AMT).
The exhibit, presented at Exporail's Hays train station as an interactive course with railroad-themed decor, facilitates the understanding and application of safety messages. Joined by their parents, young visitors take on the role of apprentice locomotive engineer, using their imagination, senses and motor skills to complete eight challenges. It teaches them to detect danger when approaching train tracks and to recognize the safety signs and devices surrounding them. The whole visit provides an interactive, educational, fun and preventative railway safety experience. The museological approach was developed by the teams at Exporail and Operation Lifesaver under the museographical direction of Carrier Communication & Design.
According to C. Stephen Cheasley, President of the Canadian Railroad Historical Association and Exporail, "This exhibition is part of Exporail's educational mission and will provide our family clientele with an authentic railway safety experience on site. We kindly thank all our partners that supported the project, in particular the teams at Operation Lifesaver and CN for their collaboration in putting together this exhibition."
The Stop, Look, Listen: Incoming Train? exhibition meets a need for increased public awareness with regard to trespassing on railway tracks. According to Sean Finn, Executive Vice-President, Corporate Services and Chief Legal Officer at CN: "Railway safety is a shared responsibility, but it is especially important to CN. On one hand, we want to save lives and prevent accidents. On the other, as a leading railway company, our success directly depends on our ability to transport our merchandise safely. This being public-rail safety week, we could not have asked for a better time to launch this exhibition that will encourage children and adults alike to adopt safe practices around railway tracks."
Michael Bourque, President and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada, reiterated the importance of being vigilant around railway property: "Rail safety is our number one priority. Through this exhibition, the public will gain a better understanding of safe behaviour around railway tracks, and we are proud to be a part of that. I would like to thank CN for launching this initiative, for which I was very proud to act as the honourary president during the funding campaign."
For his part, La Prairie MP Jean-Claude Poissant expressed his delight at the fact that this new children's exhibition will enhance visits to Exporail, which are already greatly enjoyed by the public. "I am especially pleased about this exhibition given that it addresses railway safety, a theme that is a key priority within our government." He also stressed the major role Exporail plays in the preservation and enhancement of Canadian railway history and in the area's cultural tourism.
Exporail would like to thank the donors who made this project possible: CN, Agence métropolitaine de transport, Cando Rail Services, Montreal Port Authority, Sydney Coal Railway (Logistec Corporation), Ontario Southland Railway, Tshiuetin Rail Transportation and The Canadian Heartland Training Railway Services Inc.
About Exporail, the Canadian Railway Museum
Located on the South Shore of Montréal, in Saint-Constant/Delson, Exporail showcases the largest collection of railway material in Canada, with over 160 vehicles, 10,000 artefacts, 200 archival fonds and collections and over 1,000 miniature trains. Visitors are taken on a fascinating journey into the world of railroads: they can climb aboard selected vehicles on exhibit and relive the experiences of passengers of the past. In summer, they complete their visit with a ride in an antique streetcar, on a miniature railway, or aboard a passenger train. Exporail is a project of the Canadian Railroad Historical Association, a non-profit organization.
www.exporail.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Exporail
Twitter:
@exporail
About Operation Lifesaver
Established in Canada in 1981, Operation Lifesaver (OL) is a national public-rail safety program sponsored by Transport Canada and the Railway Association of Canada. Through partnerships with provincial safety councils, police, railways, the trucking industry and community groups, Operation Lifesaver is dedicated to saving lives by educating Canadians about the hazards surrounding highway/railway crossings and trespassing on railway property. In addition to its Public-Rail Safety Week, Operation Lifesaver spreads its message of "Look, Listen, and Live" throughout the year as part of several initiatives, including interactive websites for kids, educational modules for new and professional drivers and social media pages on Twitter and Facebook. OL network volunteers also deliver over 500 presentations and activities across Canada each year.
www.operationlifesaver.ca
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/operationgareautrain
Twitter: @oplifesaver
SOURCE EXPORAIL
CONTACT: Source and press contact: Bruno Cordellier, Communications Officer, 450 638-1522, extension 249, bruno.cordellier@exporail.org
