Restoring Venosta 

After retirement, Venosta (still under its CP Safety Car identification) was transported to the POMO Museum. To achieve this, the coach shell was separated from its two wheelsets (or bogies, to use the technical term), which were lifted by crane onto flatbed trucks, transported to the museum site, and then placed by crane to their current exact spots. The coach shell was then placed back onto the bogies. 

Restoration of the railcar began in the autumn of 1987, with the assistance of volunteers from the Port Moody Heritage Society and the West Coast Railway Association. The restoration effort was massive and had several challenges. For example, much of the interior had water damage, it needed new electric wiring for the heating, and new lighting systems were required. The car was cleaned, new carpeting was added, a fully functioning washroom was added, new fibreglass insulation replaced the old horsehair insulation from the 1920s, and finally the exterior was restored to CP Rail’s vintage Tuscan Red paint scheme with gold leaf text lettering, at which point it was renamed back to Venosta. 

To keep up the historical charm, two restored sleeping compartments were decorated with historical artefacts. One compartment shows the top and lower berths set for night use. In the second compartment, the lower berth has been converted into a couch for day use, and the upper berth is recessed into the wall. Past these compartments, a recreated dining area was designed for rental and public use. 

The restoration was finished in 1992, and a special ceremony was celebrated to officially re-open Venosta to the public in September of that year.

In 2012, a new canopy was built over Venosta to protect it from the weather. The steel canopy was built with a vintage design and was generously paid for by a joint grant from the City of Port Moody and the Federal Government. Today, Venosta now stands on static display as the POMO Museum’s crown jewel.