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Canadian Pacific #374

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Photo credits: (1 &2) Alena Krizek (3) Canadian Mint

1. Every May #374 is pulled out of the roundhouse
2. The festivities are to mark the first train crossing of Canada which #374 had the privilege of doing.
3. #374 as it appeared on the June 1999 Canadian quarter

The following website does have historic, as well as, newer pictures of locomotive 374: Steam Locomotive 374

For more photos, see the Southern BC Locomotives page on the Overflow Website. 

First locomotive to haul a train into Vancouver

If you would like to know the history of this locomotive click on the link: Locomotive 374, A Historical Summary.

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Pacific Great Eastern #2

Photo Credit: Roman Krizek, March 14, 2005

This locomotive started with the Howe Sound Pemberton Valley & Northern company of Squamish as #2. This company became Howe Sound & Northern and later Pacific Great Eastern (now known as BC Rail). In 1920, it was put into logging service with the Comox Logging & Railway Company on Vancouver Island in Ladysmith. In 1965, it was transferred back to Squamish where it was put on static display. In 1993, #2 was moved to the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. The West Coast Railway Association is hoping to restore it back to operational status in the future if the boiler is in good standing.

For more information on this locomotive  go to: Pacific Great Eastern #2 on the West Coast Railway Association's website: www.wcra.org

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Canadian Pacific #2860 (The Royal Hudson)

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Photo Credits: Roman Krizek

1. April 14, 2007. First big trip since the late 1990s after the boiler rebuild. Just prior to leaving Squamish for Vancouver. Al Broadfoot checking the air pump.
2. April 15, 2007. The Royal Hudon's arrival in White Rock to celebrate White Rock's 50th birthday.
    

Built in June 1940, #2860 was in the last group of five Royal Hudsons built by Montreal Locomotive Works for the CPR. #2860 spent most of her short active career on the CPR mainline between Vancouver and Revelstoke. The locomotive was retired in 1956 when diesels took over the mainlines.

In 1964, a group of rail enthusiasts found #2860 sitting on a scrap line in Winnipeg. With the intention of having the locomotive the centerpiece of a railway museum in Vancouver, the locomotive was saved and brought to BC where it was occasionally on display while plans for the museum were being developed. Unfortunately the museum ever became a reality and was put into storage in CPR's Drake Street roundhouse in Vancouver. It wasn't until the 1970s that BC Premier Dave Barrett came up with the idea for a steam tourist excursion on BC Rail. So the Royal Hudson was restored to service under the direction of Robert E. Swanson. In 1974 the locomotive was back in operation, five days a week, on excursion service between Vancouver and Squamish. #2860 also made a few promotional trips to the US and around Canada. In 1999 the locomotive was taken out of service due to needing repairs to the boiler. In 2002, the new government decided to drop all excursion service on BC Rail and loaned the #2860 to the West Coast Railway Association to look after the locomotive. The #2860 was relocated to the West Coast Railway Heritage Park where it eventually underwent a boiler rebuild and was put back to operational status once again. unfortunately, the locomotive will not be out as frequently as during its time at BC Rail. For the time being, the locomotive will be used for limited use only with hopes to expand its operations in the future.

The Hudson that earned this class the status "Royal" was #2850 which pulled the Royal train across Canada. However, #2860 also hauled royalty and was fortunate to give Queen Elizabeth II a ride from North Vancouver to Squamish in the late 1970s during its tenure at BC Rail.

For more information on the Royal Hudson and its history, go to the unofficial homepage: Royal Hudson 2860

Other preserved Canadian Pacific Royal Hudsons include:

The only preserved Canadian Pacific non-Royal Hudson is #2816, which is operational and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta.

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BC Mills, Timber and Trading #3 ("Old Curly", a.k.a. "Emory")

Photo credit: Josef Krizek - March 13, 2005

For more pictures and information go to: "Old Curly" Locomotive

#3, or Old Curly as it is nicknamed, is the oldest surviving locomotive in BC. It is one of the very first logging locomotives on the west coast. It was built in San Francisco. #3 originally worked in Peru and then San Francisco.  It then came to BC and worked for the D.O. Mills & Co as #2 and was known as Emory. It then worked on the construction of the CPR through the Fraser Canyon, still as #2 and known as Emory. The locomotive then worked for Royal City Saw & Planing  and was renumbered to #3. in 1888 it worked for B.C. Mills Timber & Trading as #3. In 1926 it worked for Hastings Saw Mill Co. as #3. In the late 1920s the locomotive was restored by the CPR. In 1931, the locomotive was placed on static display in Hastings Park (PNE). In 1973 it was relocated to the Burnaby Village Museum where it has been since.

For more information go to: "Old Curly" Locomotive

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Chough

Photo Credits: Roman Krizek, March 11, 2006

Chough (pronounced chuff or choff) was built in 1968 by Mr. Wilhelm ven der Heiden. Built in Holland, the little locomotive saw service in Scotland, Wales, England, and now, in Canada at Bear Creek Park in Surrey, BC. After completion, Mr. van der Heiden sold the engine to Mr. Ivan Scott. In 1970 it was taken to the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway in Kent for testing. At that time it was unofficially named The Dutchman. The locomotive spent time at various locations throughout the United Kingdom until finally being sold to Kevin McCluskey who moved the locomotive to Canada in 1996.

Timeline:

On a side note, there is another BC steam locomotive that spent some time at the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch railway during the late 50s to the mid 60s. It's Fort Steele's Dunrobin which was supposed to be the centerpiece of a museum but was later sold to a Mr. Spencer of Victoria, Two years later, it was donated to the provincial government and relocated to Fort Steele.

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Canadian National #2141 (Kamloops Heritage Railway, "Spirit of Kamloops")

Photo Credits: Roman Krizek (photos taken at the 2002 Kamloops Heritage Railway's Railway Day)

For more photos, see the Southern BC Locomotives page on the Overflow Website. 

Information from a pamphlet:

"Help Restore Steam Locomotive 2141

Locomotive 2141 was built in 1912 for the Canadian Northern Railway by the Canadian Locomotive Co. in Kingston Ontario. 2141's early years were spent in Alberta and Saskatchewan, pulling passenger, mixed and freight trains. Originally fired by coal, she was converted to burn oil in 1948. This lengthened the time between stops and reduced the fire hazard potential. Prior to retirement 2141 could be found working near Cowichan Lake on Vancouver Island, pulling log flats and mixed freight. After its last run in July 1958, Kamloops Mayor Jack Fitzwater saved the locomotive from being scrapped. Kamloops purchased the locomotive for $2,000, and installed it in Riverside Park on October 29, 1961."

#2141 was retired in Victoria. Victoria was offered the locomotive but declined. As stated above, it was Mayor of Kamloops Jack Fitzwater that took action and got the locomotive to Kamloops.

Restoration began in 1994 and was completed in early 2002. #2141 now gives rides on CN's interchange track and every ride is overcome by Bill Miner and his gang of train robbers.

For more information, pictures, and technical data go to: Kamloops Heritage Railway

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Comox Logging & Railway Co. #16

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Photo Credit: Josef Krizek (September 2003)

History and another picture at: WCR #16

The Chas. R. McCormick Lumber company bought this engine new. In 1944, it went to Comox Logging & Railway Company in Ladysmith and became #16. In 1960, it was retired. Four years later it went to the West Coast Railway Association in Vancouver. In 1967, it was leased to the Alaska Railroad to help celebrate Alaska's centennial. Between 1971 and 1980,  #16 served with the Victoria Pacific Railway giving excursions along the old CN trackage (now known as the Galloping Goose Trail). In 1980, it went to Squamish and is now undergoing restoration by the Kamloops Heritage Railway in Kamloops. It was originally a saddle tank locomotive. The saddle tank was removed by Comox Logging & Railway. A tender was added, as well as concrete weights in place of the saddle. It will be restored with out it's saddle tank and will once again pull a tender, although a new tender will have to be constructed as the old was not good anymore.

For more history go here: Locomotive #16 - A Brief History.

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Mayo Lumber #3

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Photo Credits: Roman Krizek (October 9, 2006)

This locomotive spent all of its working life with the Mayo Lumber Company at Paldi on Vancouver Island. In 1952 it was retired and in 1967 it was restored and donated to the British Columbia Forest Museum in Duncan. In 1987 it undergone another cosmetic restoration. The Kettle Valley Railway Heritage Society (now known as the Kettle Valley Railway Society) was looking for a locomotive to run on the only remaining trackage left of the KVR in Summerland. The BC Forest Museum decided to restore her to operational status and in 1995, she arrived in Summerland. #3 was originally  a wood burner and was the first Shay in BC to use super-heated steam. #3 gives rides from the Prairie Valley Station to Trout Creek roughly a 10km trip. Future plans are to extend the ride to Faulder which is 6km from Prairie Valley Station.

For more information about this locomotive got to this page: The Locomotive on the Kettle Valley Steam Railway website.

Two other former Mayo Lumber Company locomotives still exist. The #4, a Pacific Coast Shay, is located at the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park in West Virginia, USA. I have included this locomotive on this website. If you would like to see it connect here: Other BC Locis and go to Mayo Lumber #4. Mayo Lumber #5, another Pacific Coast Shay, is located at Fort Steele Heritage Town and is now #115. A description of this locomotive can be found lower down on this page. 

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Canadian Pacific #3716

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Photos by Roman Krizek (1) October 9, 2006 and (2) July 7, 2007

#3716 was built in 1912 by Montreal Locomotive Works for Canadian Pacific Railway. Originally it carried number #3916 and was a class N3b coal burner. In 1929 it was rebuilt to class N2b and was renumbered #3716. During most of its active working life it was stationed in Cranbrook and worked the Crowsnest area of CP's BC Southern Line. The locomotive was eventually converted to oil. After retirement, it sat unused for a few years until being purchased by the City of Port Coquitlam - thankfully saving it from being scrapped. During the early 1970s the provincial government decided to create a traveling museum train, somewhat similar to the American Freedom train that traveled the United States during the 70s. The museum train was to travel around the province of British Columbia. It was decided that the main motive power for the Museum Train would be #3716. #3716 was purchased by the provincial government from the City of Port Coquitlam and restored to operation in 1975 at CP's Drake Street Roundhouse in Vancouver. The Museum Train lasted from 1975 to 1979. The government's other steam locomotive, #1077, hauled the Museum Train on Vancouver Island and in parts of the lower mainland. #3716 had the honors of pulling the train around the rest of BC. After the Museum Train, #3716 was used as back-up to the Royal Hudson #2860 on BC Rail's Royal Hudson excursion from north Vancouver to Squamish. While at BC Rail, #3716 appeared in a number of movies as well as TV commercials, including The Grey Fox, The Journey of Natty Gann, and recently, a Kellogg's Vector Cereal commercial. In 2001, BC Rail shut down it's steam locomotive operation, and shortly after, all its passenger services due to low ridership. In 2004 the provincial government sold BC Rail to Canadian National but has retained ownership of the rail line to Prince George. The Royal Hudson #2860 found a new home at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish but a home was still sought for #3716. The Kettle Valley Steam Railway in Summerland was looking for a second steam locomotive and was successful in obtaining #3716 in 2003. The locomotive was disassembled in North Vancouver and required three tractor trailer trucks to relocate to Summerland - since the Kettle Valley line is no longer connected to CP's mainline. Over the next couple of years, reassembly and restoration  on the firebox took place. The locomotive made it's inaugural run on May 22, 2005, thus continuing another chapter in #3716's career.

For pictures, history, and technical data, go to the unofficial homepage: 3716

For more information go to the Kettle Valley Steam Railway's website.

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Solvay Process Co. #51 (Three Valley Gap #93)

Originally a saddle tanker (click on Solvay Process Co. #53 or #63 below to see how it would've looked with a saddle tank), this engine spent its life in Syracuse, New York working industrial switching duties for the Solvay Processing Co. as #51. It was on display at Rail City in Sandy Creek, New York and then sold in 1993 to Gordon Bell, owner of the Three Valley Gap Chateau and Ghost Town Museum, hence the renumbering to #93 - to correspond with the year of the purchase. This locomotive never had a spark arrestor. It was just installed as a decorative piece.

Other locomotives in this fleet include:

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Calcasieu Paper #5

Photo Credit: Roman Krizek (June 25, 2007)

This 1912 prairie Baldwin locomotive originally worked for Industrial Lumber in Louisiana as #101. It was later renumbered to #5. It was then sold to Calcasieu Paper and operated in Elizabeth, Louisiana. The last time this locomotive operated was in 1964 when a Mr. Witbeck ran it on the Calcasieu Paper Co.'s spur after the locomotive was retired. Although five years older, this is the sister locomotive to Fort Edmonton's #107 which also worked for the Calcasieu Paper Company. At some point both locomotives came to Alberta. #107 went to Fort Edmonton, while #5 was kept in a steel barn in Lougheed, Alberta and was owned by Mr. Ronald Bergseth. In the spring of 2005, Gordon Bell took ownership of the locomotive and relocated it to his railway roundhouse at Three-Valley Gap Lake Chateau and Heritage Ghost Town. While under the ownership of Mr. Bergseth, the locomotive carried the road number #69.

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Canadian Pacific #5468

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Photo Credits: Roman Krizek

#5468, a Mikado, is a P-2k class locomotive. This engine is an oil burner and pull freight and passenger trains from Revelstoke to Kamloops and also made runs to Glacier. #5468 was retired in 1953 and stored in Delson, Quebec. In 1993, #5468 returned to Revelstoke as part of a 25 year lease. There are only three of these locomotives left.

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Canadian Pacific #6947

Photo Credits: Roman Krizek (May 4, 2006)

For more photos, see the Southern BC Locomotives page on the Overflow Website. 

A sign attached to the cab says:

C.P.R. Locomotive #6947

(originally #1737) of the 2-8-0 Consolidation class was built at the Montreal Locomotive Works in 1908 for the Canadian Pacific Railway. It spent its first years as a mainline locomotive before being re-numbered #3537 and assigned to branch lines. From 1926 to 1928 it worked here in the C.P.R's Kootenay Subdivision. In 1928, the locomotive was converted into a switching engine of the V-4-A class and re-numbered #6947. The pilot axle was removed at this time making it into the 0-8-0 configuration. #6947 served the C.P.R. in the Winnipeg and Moose Jaw yards until 1959 when it was sold to the Manitoba and Saskatchewan Coal Co. where it finished its working life after six decades of service. In 1998 this engine was purchased by Wrightway Charter Co. Ltd. of Sandon and moved to this location for restoration as a permanent exhibit of an early 1900's freight train. #6947 remained a coal burner until the end of its career. The weight of the engine including tender is 261,000 pounds.

For information about the ghost town of Sandon, click on the following link:

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Grant Smith & Co. #30

Photo Credits: Roman Krizek

For a black and white photo, go here: Grant Smith & Co. #30

If anyone has anymore information about this locomotive, please contact me: preservedsteambc@hotmail.com

INTERESTING FACT: At one point in this little engine's career, it worked with the BC Forest Discovery Center's #25 0-4-0T+T "Samson" when #25 worked for Grant Smith and Co. as well. Both engines were built in 1910 and both are products of the Vulcan Iron Works.

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MacMillan Bloedel #1077 "Herb Hawkins"

Photo Credits: (1)Roman Krizek July 2, 2006 (2)Cam Trueman, August 27, 2006

This is the last built-in-Canada logging steam locomotive in operation. #1077 is probably the only locomotive in BC that has been in continuous active service and hasn't had any down-time for static display or a major rebuild.

Built in 1923 as a wood-burner, it served with the Cathels & Sorenson logging company in Port Renfrew with road number #1. It transferred to the Renfrew Logging company and then to Hemmingsen-Cameron company, also of Port Renfrew. The #1077 worked in Port Renfrew only for a couple of years and was put into storage in a shed. The company thought it was too big for their usage. It was then sold to the Victoria Lumber and Manufacturing Company and renumbered to #7 and relocated to Chemainus. The locomotive was converted to burn oil. Later V.L. & M. Co. renumbered the engine to #1077 and put it to work at the Nanaimo Lakes camp. MacMillan Bloedel eventually bought the company and retired the locomotive in 1969, making it one of the last steam locomotive in active service in North America. M & B sold the locomotive to the provincial government. If the government didn't purchase the locomotive, #1077 would've ended up at Calgary's Heritage Park.

Prior to being put into service on the Government's Museum Train, the locomotives boiler was rebuilt by Herb Hawkins at CP's Drake Street Roundhouse in Vancouver which eventually became the Expo 86 site and currently a community center. At this time, three other locomotives were getting rebuilt at the Drake Street Roundhouse, they were: ex CP Royal Hudson #2860 (for use on the run to Squamish), ex CP #3716 (for use on the Museum Train), and ex Pacific Coast Terminals #4076 (for use at Calgary's Heritage Park as #2024). As a dedication to Herb Hawkins, the #1077 now carries his name.

#1077 was relocated to Fort Steele in 1990 and put into service in 1992.

#1077 has appeared in such movies as The Grey Fox, the Disney movie The Journey of Natty Gann, and Shanghai Noon, TV spots include the pilot episode of the Henry Winkler produced Dead Man's Gun, an Arby's commercial, some History channel specials, and a National Geographic special. #1077 also made an appearance at Expo 86's Steam Expo event in Vancouver.

For information and photos, go to my Steam Locomotives and other Railway Rolling Stock of Fort Steele website or go directly to the 1077 webpage.

Canfor #115 (Railway Appliance Research Ltd #115 "Robert E. Swanson")

Photo Credit: Roman Krizek, August 26, 2006

#115 is the largest remaining Shay in Canada. The background of this locomotive is probably one of the most confusing in BC as it was assembled from parts of two Pacific Coast Shays.

This Shay carries the frame of Shay s/n #3350 and the boiler from Shay s/n #3344. #3344, built in 1929, worked with the Merrill Ring Wilson Ltd. company and Mayo Lumber. #3344 eventually went to work for Kelly Logging where it was fitted with a new welded boiler in 1952. In 1956 the locomotive was scrapped but the boiler was saved and went on the frame of Shay #3350.

Shay #3350, built in 1936, also worked with Merrill Ring Wilson Ltd. and then with Mayo Lumber. The locomotive then worked with Hillcrest Lumber and was eventually sold to Canfor where it was put into service at its Englewood division headquartered at Woss. Canfor gave the locomotive road number 11.  In 1956, it received the boiler from Shay #3344 along with #3344's manufacturer's plate. Later, Canfor renumbered the locomotive to #115, combining two previous road numbers, #11 and #5 that the locomotive carried in its past.

After it's logging career was over, the locomotive was purchased by Robert E. Swanson, long-time chief railway inspector in British Columbia. Mr. Swanson relocated the #115 along with another Pacific Coast Shay, which he numbered #114, to North Vancouver where both locomotive's worked for Mr. Swanson's company Railway Appliance Research. Both Shays were put into switching service on the wharves. In 1971, Mr. Swanson donated the #115 to the provincial government to be put into service at Fort Steele Heritage Town in south eastern British Columbia. The Shay was brought to Fort Steele on a flatcar via the CP Rail mainline. It was offloaded at the site of the old highway bridge. A temporary track was setup, and, under it's own power and pulling two flatcars, climbed the 9.5% grade up to the village site. The Shay operated at Fort Steele up to 1989 when it developed boiler problems. It is currently stored in the shop awaiting repairs but is pulled out at least once a summer so visitors can take a look at it.

For information and photos, go to my Steam Locomotives and other Railway Rolling Stock of Fort Steele website or go directly to the Shay #115 webpage.

Highland Railway #397, "Dunrobin"

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Photo Credit: Roman Krizek (1) July 4, 2006 (2) August 27, 2006

#397, "The Dunrobin" is the oldest operating steam locomotive in British Columbia and the only operational coal burning locomotive. It still operates on its original copper boiler. Built in 1895 in Glasgow Scotland and designed by David Jones, it was the private locomotive for the 4th Duke of Sutherland (Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower). This is the second locomotive to carry the name Dunrobin. The 3rd Duke of Sutherland had a smaller locomotive built in the 1870s. The nameplates were taken off the original Dunrobin and placed on the current locomotive. The locomotives were named after Dunrobin castle, the residence of the Sutherland-Leveson- Gowers.

While in the possession of the 4th Duke of Sutherland, The Dunrobin has given rides to many monarchs and politicians including: Edward VII, George V, George VI, Alphonso XIII of Spain, Kaiser Willhelm II, and Neville Chamberlain.

Dunrobin ran on the tracks of the Highland Railway from Inverness to Golspie and to a private station at Dunrobin Castle. At times, the Duke himself was a frequent fireman on the Dunrobin. During WW1, Dunrobin Castle was used as an auxiliary naval hospital and the little 0-4-4T engine transported patients. During the Battle of Britain it was used as a shunting engine.

Retirement came after WWII and in 1950, the locomotive and parlour couch #57A were purchased by Captain J.E.P. Howey, Chairman and managing director of the narrow-gauge Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. The Dunrobin and its coach were to become the centerpiece of a museum at the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, however, the museum was never developed due to funding problems and the Dunrobin spent fifteen years stored in a shed. Finally, it was decided to put the locomotive and its coach up for sale.

In 1965, the locomotive was purchased by Harold Foster, a businessman living in Victoria, BC. Mr Foster had the locomotive and its parlour coach shipped overseas from the UK to Victoria where it became the center piece of a short-lived museum at a place called Spencer's Annex on Government Street. The BC government became the owner of the locomotive in 1967 and restored it to operation on the BC Centennial train which toured the province. The Dunrobin was transported by truck and would be steamed-up, carrying dignitaries and politicians on the last kilometre into the various towns it would visit. At this time, Fort Steele was being restored and developed into a heritage town and park. The Board of Directors at the time decided to include a short railway as part of the park. The Dunrobin was the first locomotive on site at Fort Steele and has been there ever since.

While at Fort Steele it has given a ride to Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and Princess Anne during their visit in 1971 and, in 2003, it gave Lord Stanley's hockey trophy, the Stanley Cup a ride.

For more information and photos, go to my Steam Locomotives and other Railway Rolling Stock of Fort Steele website or go directly to the Dunrobin webpage. Please not that there are two pages for the Dunrobin. The link for the second page is at the bottom of the first Dunrobin page.

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Crowsnest Coal #1

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Photo Credit: Roman Krizek

For more photos, see the Southern BC Locomotives page on the Overflow Website.

A Government of BC sign near the locomotive says:

"Fernie Coal

With the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway's southern line through Crowsnest Pass in 1898, underground coal mines were developed at nearby Morrisey, Coal Creek, Hosmer and Michel. Fernie served as an administgrative and governmental center for the coal basin. By 1908, over 1300 bee-hive ovens operated throughtout the Elk Valley, producing industrial quality coke at almost half the price of imported cokes. Fernie are coal enabled smelters at Nelson and Trail to be competitive with those in the United States. Cheaper coke also gave a distinct advantage to the newly emergent copper smelting industry in the Boundary Country."

Apparently, there is one more steam locomotive like this one in storage in Fernie somewhere. A book I have says it's at the public works yard.

If anyone has anymore information about this locomotive, please contact me: preservedsteambc@hotmail.com