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Revelstoke Railway Museum ‘lights up’ with new COVID-19 safety protocols

3D printed train signals helps guests navigate the museum
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The Revelstoke Railway Museum’s new curator Laura VanZant shows off the organizations new train signal lights to help guests move safely through the building. (Liam Harrap/Revelstoke Review)

The Revelstoke Railway Museum installed train signal lights this summer to help guests navigate the building and slow the spread of COVID-19.

“They’re working really well. People love them,” said Laura VanZant, curator.

The museum teamed up the Revelstoke Idea Factory to make something unique and go beyond directional arrows.

The train signals were made by the idea factory’s 3D printers. The same printers made face shields for the local hospital last spring to help with a critical shortage of personal protective equipment at the start of the pandemic.

“They help with route finding,” VanZant said. Green means go, red indicates wrong direction and yellow signals caution.

The idea factory has also made capacity lights for other businesses in town, such as Ray’s Butcher. Green lights mean there’s still space available inside and red indicates the store is full.

“It’s great to have any idea made into a reality,” said Jason Zimmer, spokesperson for Revelstoke Idea Factory.

READ MORE: COVID-19: Revelstoke 3D printing face shields for local hospital

READ MORE: City of Revelstoke launches Tech Strategy 2.0

The organization is hoping to move into the same space as the Revelstoke Fabrication Lab. The lab is expected to open this fall, above the visitors centre.

The Fab Lab will be a technical prototyping facility that will stimulate entrepreneurs, youth, women and local businesses to develop and commercialize new marketable products through better access to digital manufacturing technologies and tools. Training staff will be on site to provide structured programs and workshops for users to gain technology skills and access equipment.

A 3D printer and scanner are among the list of equipment to be featured at the Fab Lab.


 

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liamm.harrap@revelstokereview.com

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