Owner of Assiniboine Park train looking for new ownership
The miniature steam engine in Assiniboine Park is on the track for new ownership.
The train has been operating since July 29, 1964, and Timothy Buzunis, the owner and operator, said his dad brought it to Winnipeg brand new from the United States.
Buzunis said he has been running this train all his life and at the age of 62, he said it is time to move on.
"It's getting to the time where physically I am getting tired. I also want to enjoy my life a little bit. I haven't been able to spend a proper summer since I was a kid. I haven't rented a cabin, I haven't gone golfing, I'm committed to the park seven days a week. It's just a time for a change," said Buzunis.
Buzunis said the train, and everything that comes with it, are up for sale, with him saying there is no one in his family to pass it on to.
He said making this decision wasn't easy.
Timothy Buzunis is seen walking on the tracks of the steam engine in Assiniboine Park. May 18, 2022. (Source: Scott Andersson/CTV News)
"This train, I was four years old when my dad bought it. I remember going to the border and watching the train come over the border. I always remember the train being part of our family."
Buzunis said he is listing the train for $649,000, calling the price point a steal since he has recently put a lot of money into the train to make it run like brand new.
"I can tell you eight years the exact same train in Birmingham, Alabama, with no infrastructure, no contract, no location sold for $550,000 U.S."
Buzunis said this train is no longer made and said only 50 still exist. Of the 50 still in existence, two are in Canada; the train in Winnipeg and one in Edmonton, which Buzunis' dad also brought in.
If someone were to purchase the train, they would also be acquiring the tracks and all the buildings in Assiniboine Park.
So far, Buzunis said he has had two inquiries from groups in the United States, but he is hoping to keep the train in Winnipeg, adding he would even take less money for it to keep it in the city.
"For my dad's legacy, for our families' legacy. This park was a part of our family. I spent every summer of my youth here right up to my adulthood until now."
Even while he waits for a new owner, Buzunis said the train will be in operation this summer and hopes to get the train on the tracks next weekend.
Whenever the train is sold, he added he will stick around to help the new owner and teach them everything he knows so they can continue the success.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.