Railway Roots creates a new platform for exploring Durham's past

Whitby, Ontario – Step aboard an augmented reality experience and discover Durham Region’s rich railway heritage. Railway Roots is a brand-new immersive self-guided journey that brings to life stories of the people and places who were connected by the rail network. 

Guiding the journey is Conductor Bradley, an avatar who welcomes visitors with stories of how the railway shaped Durham’s rural communities, alongside fascinating tales that include a resourceful conductor who cooked meals for stranded passengers in a snowstorm, students who hopped trains to get to school and a thriving factory that built everything from musical instruments to coffins.  

Visitors can plan their trip at DurhamTourism.ca/RailwayRoots, where they can learn about the seven participating locations and download the free AVTR¹ app. At each stop, look for Railway Roots signage and scan the QR code to begin the experience. 

The stories featured in Railway Roots are just one chapter in the broader history of the rural communities and landscapes that make up the area today. Each stop serves as a starting point for further exploration of local history, museums, heritage sites and attractions. 

Railway Roots is the result of a collaborative effort between Durham Tourism and Central Counties Tourism, combining local history and innovative technology to create an immersive visitor experience that inspires exploration. 

Quotes 

“Railway Roots brings moments from Durham’s past to life in an engaging new way. We hope both residents and visitors are inspired not only to experience the augmented reality journey, but to also explore the communities, museums and historical sites that make our rural communities unique.” 

- Stacey Jibb, Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Manager, Invest Durham 

“The historic societies from Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge provided amazingly rich content, which resulted in fascinating stories from a time when the railway connected communities.  Small community museums and heritages sites are often overlooked by both visitors and residents and, through cutting edge programs like Durham Region Railway Roots, we plan on changing that.” 

- Chuck Thibeault, Executive Director, Central Counties Tourism 

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