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Last Spike of Flin Flon-The Pas railway on display at museum

The Flin Flon Station Museum is hosting a temporary exhibit of the Last Spike, on loan from the Archives of Manitoba. This spike was driven by various notables in Channing to mark the completion of the rail line from The Pas in 1928.
The spike that marked the completion of the rail line from The Pas to Flin Flon in 1928.
The spike that marked the completion of the rail line from The Pas to Flin Flon in 1928. It will be on display at the Flin Flon Station Museum.

The Flin Flon Station Museum is hosting a temporary exhibit of the Last Spike, on loan from the Archives of Manitoba.

This spike was driven by various notables in Channing to mark the completion of the rail line from The Pas in 1928.

This railway was constructed under the direction of Harry Falconer McLean, a legend in his own right.

Once the money had been raised in New York to develop the Flin Flon deposit, materials needed to be brought in to build the mine-smelter complex. Initially, materials were dragged in over a winter road by Linn tractor trains, a slow, inefficient process.

McLean was contracted to build the rail line and given 18 months to complete the project. He accomplished this feat in nine months.

Rather than putting down a proper roadbed for the line, the tracks were laid directly on the frozen ground. The result was a barely serviceable railway that could be used to bring in the steel and machinery required for this major construction project.

Once the ground thawed, extensive rebuilding was required to keep the line useable.

The railroad was virtually the only access to Flin Flon until the early 1950s, when the highway to The Pas was completed.

The public is invited to have a look at this commemorative exhibit and learn more the railroad at the museum’s grand opening on Sunday, June 25, 2 pm. Cake and refreshments will be available, with a free admission with a silver collection.

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