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
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Biscuits with possible plastic pieces, metal found in ground pork: Here are the recalls for this week
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.