Iron Horse Park is a miniature ridable railway running multiple large scales operated by The Alberta Model Engineering Society. Iron horse park is one of the largest

gauge Gauge ( or ) may refer to: Measurement * Gauge (instrument), any of a variety of measuring instruments * Gauge (firearms) * Wire gauge, a measure of the size of a wire ** American wire gauge, a common measure of nonferrous wire diameter, es ...

railways in Canada. Run by volunteers, the park promotes education regarding the engineering surrounding railways, including both modern and old steam engines. The site offers "journeys" including 1/8th scale simulated trip from Airdrie to

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

, through Tunnel / Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain in the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

. The park is located in

Airdrie, Alberta Airdrie ( ) is a city in Alberta, Canada within the Calgary Region. It is located north of Calgary within the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor at the intersection of Queen Elizabeth II Highway (Highway 2) and Highway 567. The City of Airdrie i ...

, on land leased from the city to be used as an educational park. The city signed a lease renewal in 2013 to keep the ride operating until 2027. The history goes back to 1971 and has moved around Southern Alberta. Previously the raised track was located at Camp Gardner, Alberta. In July 2000, the ''

Calgary Herald The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network. History ''The ...

'' reported that vandalism of the miniature railroad had prompted increased security at the park.Mini railway vandalism forces more security
, ''

'' (July 11, 2000), p. B6. The park is open yearly on Sundays from May long weekend to Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, with occasional other special event days. Scales include: * Large (over 1.6 km) 7.5 in ground mounted track with switches * Smaller (900ft) of 1-1/4 in, 2-1/2 in, 3-1/2 in, 4-3/4 in, 5 in, and 7-1/4 in elevated track gauges

References

External links

* 7½ in gauge railways in Canada Airdrie, Alberta 1971 establishments in Alberta {{model-rail-stub