A piece of Alberta’s agricultural history is making its way to the Nanton Grain Elevators this week.
After four years of working to reinvigorate and reimagine the Nanton Grain Elevators, a historic grain car is scheduled to be delivered to the site’s display track on Friday (May 30).
“We're very excited to be repurposing part of the elevators, restoring the elevators, getting them into a state where they can be self-sustaining, and a gathering place for people to come and experience our history and our agricultural past,” said Leo Wieser, Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre Society President.
Wieser explained that the grain cars are unique to Canada.
“They were purchased and built by the federal government and leased out to the railways to assist the farmers in getting their product to the terminals and to market,” he said.
In 2022, the society requested an early grain car from the federal government.
“They very kindly donated one of the last existing grain cars. It's been all over Canada, and now it’s in Calgary awaiting pickup,” Wieser said.
To make the move, two cranes will lift the grain car from either side onto a flatbed truck, it will then be craned onto another flatbed, and it will all move down the highway.
“We don't want people too, too close because that's heavy lifting and heavy machinery,” Wieser said. “We do welcome people to come and watch in Nanton, we don't know the exact timing, but we ask that they keep a safe distance as it all occurs.”
Acquiring the grain car was important for the museum to preserve the history of agriculture in the region.
In the past, there were about 2,000 grain cars running along the tracks, but over the years, the number has continued to decrease.
“We literally saved this one from the scrappers. This is the last three or four in the area,” Wieser said. “It's disappearing and it's disappearing really fast.”
The society’s goal is to recreate the experience of when the elevators were in operation, with a rejuvenated rail land.
“When someone drives down the highway, they will see the elevator and the rail cars that would be there,” Wieser said. “We're trying to give a more fulsome experience of what agriculture of the period would be like.”
Although the grain car was donated, moving the piece is an unbudgeted expense of approximately $16,500 for the year.
Going forward, the society is encouraging any corporations, companies, and individuals who are interested and able to donate.
“We're looking for people to help because we've got a lot of things going on, and we're trying to stick around for another 100 years,” Wieser said. “If it's not a rail car, we're getting into repurposing some of the elevators, and that's a much larger price tag.”
Anyone interested in donating is encouraged to email Info@nantongrainelevators.com.