Warden, George

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George Warden (1918-1972)

George Warden (1918-1972) was a DAR conductor who assembled a private DAR museum in Kentville. Warden was the son of a DAR engineer, John Warden. He started as a DAR brakeman in 1941 and retired as a conductor in 1971. He began his DAR collection while still working on the DAR. At first located in the the basement of his home at 85 River Street in Kentville right beside the Kentville Railyard, Warden acquired many DAR photos, documents and even the ticket window and counter from the old Windsor Station. When Warden retired in 1971, the D.A.R. gave him Combine No. 3252 for use as a railway museum. Tracks were laid to park the combine in Warden's yard and Warden opened it to the public as a private museum. However, he died a year after his retirement on August 12, 1972. His widow offered to give the museum to the town of Kentville but was turned down. The Musquodoboit Railway Museum in Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia acquired the car and Warden's collection. Both have been preserved, although the Musquodoboit museum has often struggled with inadequate maintenance resources.

We welcome any further stories and history about George that illuminate his life with the Railway.

Gallery

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  Ballast train under George Warden's charge at the Round Hill Ballast Pit with locomotive No. 929, drop-side ballast cars and a Lidgerwood Rapid Unloader, circa 1950-1956.

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  A DAR locomotive and snow crew at Falmouth in the big snow of 1905, a photo copied from the George Warden collection.

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  Combine No. 3252 at the Musquodoboit Railway Museum Mar. 14, 2011.

References

• Wallis, Glenn. "Order Number 801, CP Rail Extra 3252 North!" Canadian Rail, September 1974, 2-11.
• Ken Miller, "A Railroader's Home Museum", Halifax Chronicle Herald, January 30, 1970.
• George Warden Collection, Musquodoboit Railway Museum, File 76.1
• SRS News, Vol II, No. 5, December 1975, Pg 4, "George Warden Collection Donated to Musquodoboit Railway Museum".