Canadian Museum of Rail and Travel
Work continues at the Canadian Museum of Rail and Travel in Cranbrook, BC on restoring CP FA2 4090 and FB2 4469. The primer paint job has been done for the MLW FA-2 #4090 and FB-2 #4469. On 4090, the underframe and truckshave been painted black, the windows are removed, as well as the mounted number boards on the 4090. Since this photo was taken, Scaffolding has been erected around the unit. Also, a bit of sad news, the preserved Elko station which is adjacent to the 4090 and 4469 recently sustained some fire damage of a suspicious nature on the front section of the station around the soffit area, around the door, and also in the roof, again see the attached images and newspaper article from Cranbrook’s Daily Townsman newspaper. Photos by Kevin Dunk.
CP had only two GP30 locomotives 5000 and 5001, originally numbered as 8200 and 8201. Kevins shot shows the pair working the Sumas Turn in an A-B-A consist with CP 5000 (GP30) - Conrail 2259 (GP35) and CP 5001 (GP30) sitting by the old and now sadly gone Mission station on CP’s Cascade Sub. Kevin had seen both locos at different times in different cities; Montreal, Toronto, Nelson and Coquitlam BC, but always alone never paired up – this was special but still just another piece of Canadian railway history. About that Conrail GP35, always was 2259 first as PRR 2259 then as PC 2259 before CR. Back in 1988 when the CP was leasing a hoard of locomotives from wherever, these leased engines were known as the “Rainbow Fleet” and provided much colour to the CP railway scene.
The Second photos was taken the same month but this time has CP 5001(GP30) – CP 5011(GP35) and CP 3028 (GP38-2) again working the Sumas Turn but this time about to pass the old semaphore signals at Clayburn Road in Matsqui BC. There’s quite a story about that shack which served as the interlocking building when SRY Rail Link (old BC Hydro Rail, then Southern Rail of BC) trains crossed the CP Mission Sub. CP Mission traffic is normally always lined green except when SRY traffic needs to cross the Mission Sub. For many years when the SRY brakeman would throw the switch to line the signals green for his SRY train - the door would lock shut behind him thereby sealing in the employee until the train cleared the CP track and the brakeman could reset the signals to green for the CP traffic. Thankfully that unsafe procedure was changed so no one gets locked in while the train rolls by.
Happily both of CP’s GP30s still survive. From the 2013 Canadian Trackside Guide, the #5000 should be found at the Alberta Railway Museum even though their attached website doesn’t make any mention of it, while #5001 is owned by Rail Switching Service (RSSX) since 1998 and leased to Scoular Grain Co. in Fremont, NE since 20.
CP GP30 VIGNETTE: Here's how the GP30 pair looked before renumbering,seen westbound approaching Indian Head, Sask., in October 1964. I wonder if anyone has photos of just the two GP30s working together. Photo by James A. Brown.
The Fort Steele Heritage Town - Cranbrook, BC
The Fort Steele Heritage Town, near Cranbrook, BC. have an operating steam locomotive that pulls passenger cars for daily excursions on their site. They are now in need of an additional, qualified steam locomotive engineer for this summer and are putting out a call for interest among our contacts and readers. The job description is attached LINK Thank you in advance for any assistance. The CRO website looks great, as usual.
Bye for now,
Jennifer Dunkerson
General Manager
Friends of Fort Steele Society
Fort Steele Heritage Town
Fort Steele, BC
Phone: 250-417-6000
jennifer.dunkerson@fortsteele.bc.ca
“Fort Steel Heritage Town” Good Old Goats in concert, Saturday June 8, 2013, in the Wildhorse Theatre. For tickets call 250-417-6000.
Kamloops Railway Historical Society
CRHA - E&N Division West Coast Railway Association (WCRA)
The August 2013 Issue of WCRA NEWS has been posted on their website.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
NEW RAIL TOUR – West Coast Rail Tours has just released details on the 9 day TRAINS, WINERIES & TREASURES OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA running at the end of October.
RAIL TOUR – DATE CHANGE … the 9 day TRAINS OF THE COLORADO ROCKIES running Aug 30 to Sep 7.
IN THE NEW ISSUE:
- Heritage Park Activities;
- Current RAILWAY NEWS;
- Collection – BCER 960 Update
- Details of the 2013 West Coast Rail Tours program;
FEATURE ARTICLE THIS MONTH:
Craig McDowall extracts from The Steam Chest – June 1958 The Hi-Ballers recent activities. Included are details of their 1958 May long weekend Railfan trip to Seattle, Auburn and Tacoma.
RESTORATION UPDATE of BCER 960:
The task continues and team lead Mike McGaw shares these thoughts …
At last, some hardware going back on, like the refurbished riveted front reservoir tank. Bill managed to hook it all up despite his initial gut feeling that somehow the piping must have shrunk... This tank is now steel hooped to the deck, and, our replacement rear reservoir, a chopped down GP8tank, will be painted and on rear deck by end of week. Some more refurbished appliances back into the cab and more walls painted. More wood pieces, a rear deck 'wood over cabling tray arch' plus cab / deck joist length work this week, and the weeks to come, thanks to the generosity of Peter and our friend sat Fraser. Draft gear work, though not a part of original work plan, is progressing bit by bit wit hgood counsel from Al Broadfoot. Self-powered, pushed or pulled, we wantto be sure all our hard work on your 101 year old gem can take some punishment. We’are also pleased that we have been donated another Golden Glow headlight, it appears to be of Chicago & Northwestern Heritage, and needs a bit of TLC, and we are also starving for electric meters and 6” lighted brake gauges. If anyone would like to come forward with a donation for our window glazing, we will be getting this done locally at a favourable discount. We also need to purchase a good selection of bolts and nuts, plus a small selection of piping which will all help us keep going for the interim. Bill is hunting for electrical gauges and at least a copy of an original Alco / GE builders plate so that we can reproduce one for our 101 year old beauty. Lots more going on, much of it with head in hands...” now why did they do that, and, just how do we fix it?" Please give me a call redonations if you can...our thanks, Mike 778 679 4610. PHOTO HERE
Kettle Valley Railway Society (KVSR)
Rocky Mountaineer - Vancouver, BC
Rocky Mountaineer Rail Tours has leased NREX 2903 seen here on CN trackage on the Rocky Mountaineer train while stopped in Jasper, Alberta on July 1st. Sean Hennessey photo. PHOTO NREX 2903
Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Museum – Surrey, BC.
British Columbia Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
Royal Canadian Pacific Luxury Train
Alberta Railway Museum – Edmonton, AB
Ex-CNR F3A 9000 pilots the “Canada Day” passenger train at the Alberta Railway Museum at Edmonton Alberta on July 1st. Colin Arnot snapped this great photo:
Alberta Railway Museum – Bieseker, AB
The museum has two MLW switchers: Ex-CP RS-23 8017 (ex- Saskferco - Belle Plain, Saskatchewan), and Ex-CN S13u 8704 (donated by CANAC).
Alberta Central Railway Museum - Wetaskiwin, AB
Not available.
Central Alberta Railway Museum Wainwright, AB NEW MSEUM to Add
Still oo website, but they own ex- CN GMDD1 1404 and ex-CN FPB4 6861
The Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions – Stettler, AB
Not available.
Rocky Mountain Railway Society
Alberta 2005 Centennial Railway Museum Society
Galt Historic Railway Park
Not available.
The Alco T-6 that has been stored on the SRY in New Westminster, B was moved in early June from BC to Assiniboia, SK. We posted a photo of her in Western Shortlines this month. It was originally Portland Terminal 46 and then NBTX 804 in North Vancouver. Devon Generous of the Southern Prairie Railway has purchased the Alco switcher and renumbered it SLSX 46 (Saturday Locomotive Services) for use on the Southern Prairie Railway out of Ogema SK. As Devon is an Alco buff, the unit will be returned to operation and restored as time permits. Another Alco saved from the Toyota supply line!
You can follow the Southern Prairie Railway on Facebook for upcoming events and the reactions from the many riders they had this year. https://www.facebook.com/southernprairierailway?fref=ts
NEW MUSEUM COMING!
A Battleford Saskatchewan Farmer and railfan Gary Southgate, has been collecting vintage railroad equipment of Canadian Pacific and Canadian National heritage in the hopes of someday establishing a railroad museum in Saskatchewan. He now has 14 pieces of rail equipment purchased from owners across the Canada and the United States, including an operational CN FP9 and several passenger cars. But his biggest prize is Canadian Pacific Northern 4-8-4 No. 3101. The 4-8-4, on display at the former IPSCO steel plant in Regina since the 1960s, would head up a train of CP equipment that Southgate hopes to acquire. CPR 3101 was constructed in October 1928 by CP’s Angus Shops in Montreal and was one of two 4-8-4s owned by Canadian Pacific. The other, No. 3100, is on display at the Canadian Science & Technology Museum in Ottawa. The two CP Northern’s were orphans on the roster, but worked continuously for 25 years on overnight passenger trains between Montreal and Toronto. Before their retirement in 1960, they were converted to burn oil and worked freight trains in the prairie provinces. CPR 3101 was sold to IPSCO in 1965, but instead of scrapping it, placed it on display at the plant. In addition to the locomotive, IPSCO also saved and displayed CP caboose No. 437034, and CP business car No. 36, the Francis E. Shaw, built in 1929. The business car was heated in the winter and air-conditioned in the summer so the interior is in excellent condition. Both cars were included in the deal with Southgate. For now, No. 3101 and cars remain at the steel plant.
For his Canadian National train, Southgate has purchased ex-CN/VIA FP9 6304 from owner Phillip Sheridan. The unit, built in 1954 as CN No. 6509, is presently being in freight service on the Washington & Idaho Railway painted in Southern Pacific “black widow” colors, but Southgate plans to move it to Canada and repaint it in CN’s 1954 green and black paint scheme. He is also looking for a CN A and B unit set that, with No. 6509, would head up his display of CN passenger cars. CN cars Southgate has already purchased include:
Sleeper No. 1177, Green Bank, built by Pullman-Standard in 1954
Sleeper-buffet-lounge No. 1089,Cape Tormentine, built by Pullman-Standard in 1954. This car was moved on a flat car from Florida and arrived in Assiniboia earlier this month. It will be temporarily displayed at the Southern Prairie Railway in Ogema.
Canadian Flyer six-wheel coaches Nos. 5302, 5307, 5226, and 5228 built by Canadian Car & Foundry.
Baggage car No. 9646, built in 1957 by National Steel Car
Baggage-dormitory No. 9486, built by Pullman-Standard in 1947 for the New York Central as 22-roomette sleeper Haverstraw Bay.
To bring up the rear of his train, Southgate purchased former Wisconsin Central business car Superior. The car is on the move this week, with its ultimate destination being the Wainwright Rail Park in Wainwright, Alberta for storage.
Southgate also purchased another ex-CN sleeper from the Medina (N.Y.) Railroad Museum and is in the process of trying to find a vintage CN café-diner. “I’ve tracked one down but I’m not sure it’s for sale yet,” Southgate says. All his CN cars will be painted in the 1954 scheme.
For his largest pieces, such as the steam and diesel locomotives, Southgate hopes to someday construct a building for them. “It’s a plan in the making and it takes a lot of money to make it all happen,” he says.
Where would his museum be located? Battleford is about 80 miles northwest of Saskatoon. “We only have two big centers in Saskatchewan, one is Saskatoon and the second one is Regina. A third choice might be Moose Jaw because it was and is a CP hub. I haven’t crossed that bridge yet; I have to approach different people to see if I can find a site to set this up,” Southgate says. “I figure it will take three or four years to get everything accomplished. First I have to acquire the equipment, because if I walk into somebody’s building telling them I want to set up a rail museum and I didn’t own a car they wouldn’t even look at me.”
Southgate remains on the lookout for more equipment, particularly to represent Canadian Pacific along with No. 3101. He’s also searching for vintage station equipment memorabilia for the museum. (TRAINS magazine)
PRAIRIE DOG CENTRAL Winnipeg Railway Museum: www.wpgrailwaymuseum.com
Winnipeg Railway Museum: www.wpgrailwaymuseum.com
Southern Ontario Locomotive Restoration Society: www.steam-train.org
CNR 4-6-2 #5588 All spruced up!:
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/07/18/spirit-of-windsor-locomotive-all-spruced-up/
SOLRS 0-4-0T #124 with her water tank reinstalled. St. Jacobs Repair Shop May 18th, 2012, Photo by Carson Wiebe
http://www.solrswat.ca/1%20Equipment%20Roster/Locomotives/124/124/124.htm
Waterloo Central Railway
http://waterloocentralrailway.com/
We're steaming again on Canada Day!
We steamed on Canada Day with the Elmira Excursion Special Train departing Waterloo Station at Noon, and lasting three hours which even included photo run-bys on the southbound leg.
Our Elmira Excursion train will depart Waterloo sharply at 1:00pm on July 1, 2013. Boarding will begin at approximately 12:45pm at 10 Father David Bauer Drive. The train trip will last between 2 and 3 hours and include a photo runby on the southbound journey for photography and video. For safety reasons, those wearing sandals, flip flops or open toed shoes will not be allowed off the train at the run past. Passengers will not be able to get off in either Elmira or St. Jacobs.
Adults: $25
Kids 3-14: $15
Kids under 3: Free
You may purchase tickets online via betterweekending.ca
Tickets may also be purchased at our Waterloo Station starting June 22. All tickets are rush seating and our seats are in banks of four. In the spirit of historical train travel, if the train is well-attended, you may be asked to share your bunk with another party. To avoid disappointment, we recommend that you plan to arrive 30 minutes prior to your planned departure. This will allow ample time to park, either purchase a ticket or trade in an e-ticket receipt, peruse our gift shop and board your train.
Niagara Railway Museum's ex-CNR Flanger 56452:
In December 1923 wood boxcar #26471 was constructed for the Grand Trunk Railway, and later became CN boxcar #346671. 1936 saw the boxcar rebuilt into a flanger by CN and became #56452 before being retired in 1980. The car was acquired by the City of Welland Chamber of Commerce and placed near the old Niagara St. Catharine’s & Toronto Railway line, and became a tourist information booth at the corner of East Main St and Prince Charles Dr.
By the year 2000, the info booth was no longer open, and subsequently fell victim to arson. The car was deemed a total loss. With the significant damage, the car was destined for scrapping when Trillium Railway in Port Colborne stepped in and acquired the car. The body was stripped and the remaining frame moved to storage in Welland. Initial plans were to use the car for a shoving platform for back up moves in Thorold. However, a more suitable caboose was found and the flanger was left in the weeds.In 2011, the Museum was approached and asked if we would be interested in having the car for the museum. On September 29th, 2012, the flanger was loaded onto a float and made it’s final trip to the NRM shop at Fort Erie from Dain City near Welland.
The car currently resides inside the Museum shop, awaiting restoration. The future rebuild will not allow the car to be in an operable state, but will be able to be used to house a display on how the railways dealt with snow in Canada. The photos show CNR Flanger 56452 in Peterborough, ON (Photographer unknown) and at our shop today (Ken Jones Photo)
The Niagara Railway Museum Inc. Has another open house display June 29, 30 & July 1, 10-4 all days, rain or shine. More information can be found at www.nfrm.ca
The Bytown Railway Society – Ottawa, ON
Orangeville – Brampton Railway “Credit Valley Explorer”
I recently came across some information about the Orangeville Brampton Railway's Credit Valley Explorer tourist train. It seemed they have obtained a dome car for use on the service. This is exciting as very few tourist lines run done cars. I have provided a link to my news source, and have attached another picture of the dome car in Orangeville, ON. (Thanks to Alexander Glista)
Owen Sound Museum
Tourists and locals who visited the former CN train station recently said the city's decision to cut funding to the Marine & Rail Museum inside the station and move it and the tourist office out in order to lease the space, was a mistake. The train station was part of the annual Doors Open tour of heritage buildings and significant local places. By mid-afternoon more than 100 people had visited, many of whom asked at the tourist office if there was a petition they could sign calling for the museum to stay open. City council has authorized staff to seek proposals from potential tenants for the CN station. City council agreed last October to close the museum, move artifacts to other locations and relocate tourism staff to city hall. Some of the exhibits are intended to go to Grey Roots, the county museum outside the city, and to the Billy Bishop Museum, a letter on that museum's website says. There is no firm date to close the station. The earliest closing date would be “months away,” city economic development manager Steve Furness said. It depends on the proposals received. The city's preference is to keep the building occupied until a new tenant is found. He also said moving the tourism office to city hall is just one idea. The city-owned CP station, just across the harbour, has been for lease since 2011 and has received about $200,000 worth of refurbishment, $20,000 of it with city money. So far there've been no takers. Sandra Parks, the city heritage planning co-ordinator, said the CN station. (Thanks to Tempo Jr.)
Huntsville and Lake of Bays Railway Society
The Huntsville and Lake of Bays Railway got out their 948 GE 25-tonner #3 ready for the first Portage Flyer runs of the season. Steam took over on Canada Day, when school's out and the rider levels are high enough to pay the fuel costs.
It's never easy to photograph narrow-gauge equipment at mid-day without getting obliterating shadows on the underframe parts of the locomotive, so when Steven the brakeman and Wayne Shaw arrived at work three and a half hours early this day to prepare for the first runs of the season. They wasted no time getting the little diesel warmed up so they could pull the train out of the shed and into the light. While Steven tended to the oiling of the coach journal boxes Wayne took advantage of the only time during the operating season that there'd be at least some light on the sideframes and shot some pictures, as the only other shots of this engine on the database are one very cloudy old shot of it during it's tenure at Pinafore Park in St. Thomas plus one butt-forward shot of it leading the Portage Flyer back to home base from Fairy Lake back in 2010.
HLBR #3 on “Portage Flyer” duty: On the first day of operations for the 2013 season Wayne posed the engine clear of the water tank for photos before backing the train up so the coaches are even with the station platform..
With one hand on the throttle and the other on the 5-chime pull, Tarun, an "Engineer for a Day" program participant brings the Flyer home on its last run of the day. After a pre-screening interview and studying the supplied training material he arrived on his scheduled day to greet the crew and write an examination like every other participant. When the exam was complete and its results discussed he was familiarized with old Number 2 as she sat simmering, building up steam. Once out on the rails he watched from the cab as the training engineer coupled the locomotive to the coached and, at the stroke of noon, pulled the first train of the day out of the station and down the line. After that run was complete he was allowed to run the loco light power down the line and back with the trainer at his side to make sure both were both comfortable, then backed up and coupled to the coaches like a pro. After that he took the throttle for the remaining three runs. The locomotive has been fitted with an additional valve to control the train brakes should any situation arise where the training engineer, who is also within arms reach of the throttle, feel it to be necessary. Got 200 bucks to spare? You could do it too! Check out the Muskoka Heritage.
Heavy thunderstorms kept the crowds away July 19th as the last Portage Flyer run and soaked the ground, rails and our brakeman. However nothing dampened the spirits of the "Engineer for a Day" David, or his family who were tucked safely away under the rear vestibule canopy. The rain let up halfway back on our return to Rotary Village Station as I deserted my Fireman's duties, hopping out and running ahead to take this shot. The humidity kept the steam from the draw up the hill hanging around longer than usual for a nice, moody effect.
Toronto Railway Heritage Association (and Museum).
Matt Erwood is the contact
The York-Durham Heritage Railway ran charters to the Town of Markham on June 1st for the Unionville Festival and on June 15th, for the Markham Music Festival. They shuttled passengers between Main Street Unionville (The original T&NR station) and Mount Joy GO Station all day long with stops at Markham GO in both directions. They brought down their heritage ALCO locomotives #3612, an RS-11 and #22, an MLW RS-3. Along with that they also brought their recently acquired silver "Boise Budd" coaches sporting their new YDHR liveries, former Guelph Junction Express and were once self propelled RDC cars built in the 1950's for the Boston & Maine Railroad. The YDHR operates regularly scheduled trips between Uxbridge and Stouffville on every une to October with a brand new dining experience and has a special railfan oriented day coming up in September.
Northern Ontario Railway Museum & Heritage Center - Capreol, ON
The Canada Science & Technology Museum - Ottawa, ON
The Palmerston Railway Heritage Association
Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario (RMEO)
The Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario is running out of steam following town council's decision to reverse its $35,000 of funding support this year. "It's devastating," said Anne Shropshire, museum curator. "We wouldn't have asked if we didn't need it." Council reversed its decision on the funding after learning the museum would receive $68,000 over two years from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, but Shropshire emphasized the two requests do not overlap at all. The Trillium dollars are being split into two: $49,000 this year to cover a full-time staff member position that will allow the museum to update its policies and procedures documents while creating a volunteer retention and recruitment program for the future. Shropshire said the overall objective is to move the museum into a year around facility by partnering with other community organizations for events and building the museum's revenue stream. "Hopefully the more revenue we generate the more we can grow," she said.
Should the museum be able to prove it operates year round it would be eligible to receive annual funding support from the Community Museums Operating Grant. "That's all part of sustainability," Shropshire said.
The remainder of the Trillium funds will go into membership for various trade shows and bus tour organizations such as the Ontario Motor Coach Association in hopes of being added to existing eastern Ontario tours. "It's kind of a three-year investment," Shropshire said. Museum officials had hoped the $35,000 from the town would help to cover their operating costs (estimated at $2,000 a month) so that these funds could be directed toward other projects.
Currently, the museum relies on admission proceeds and donations for its budget, but an aging membership and tough economic times has left the museum craving a more reliable funding model. This year, the railway museum anticipates being in a break-even position, but this doesn't allow it to move forward or develop a new exhibit this year. Of the 5,000 people who visited the museum in 2012 the museum estimates about 75 per cent of these are people from outside of the community that they are drawing to Smiths Falls.. "We are a community museum, but we are also an attraction in Smiths Falls," Shropshire said. Donations to the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario are always welcome and can be given through a secure online system through the museum's website (www.rmeo.org) under the 'join us' tab. (Posted by Stacey Roy)
The Guelph Junction Railway Museum
These photos were taken at the opening of Mallard 75 at the National Railway Museum, York, on July 3, 2013. The photos show the re-commissioning ceremony of the Dominion of Canada by the Canadian High Commissioner, Gordon Campbell, the Exporail kiosk, the large crowds waiting to see the Dominion of Canada and the photo of the High Commissioner in the cab of the D of C with the grandson of Sir Nigel Gresley, which replicates the photo taken on June 15, 1937 of the then High Commissioner, Vincent Massey and Sir Nigel Gresley. As part of the ceremonies, the High Commissioner rang the bell of the Dominion of Canada, which was then answered by the blowing of the whistle on Mallard, which brought on a great round of applause from the visitors. The event has been a immediate success, with record breaking crowds for the NRM of an average of 10,000 visitors per day so far. The exhibition received wide spread very positive media coverage in England. At the Gala dinner on the opening day, I was approached by many of the guests thanking Exporail for preserving the Dominion of Canada in 1965. From Stephen Cheasly with thanks.
Exporail will be open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM throughout the month of July.
Complete 2013 Program available on our website www.exporail.org
The Dominion of Canada which has undergone cosmetic restoration at the National Railway Museum at York, England is now ready for display. This includes the installation of side valences, CPR bell and whistle and raised stainless steel lettering. It will take part in the great A4 reunion which will be held on July 3, 2013 at the NRM in York.
CPR C-424 4237 was started and performed switching duties for a few days in May, our operating diesels must be started and operated every two years to keep them functional!
Canadian Rail Magazine
The May - June issue of Canadian Rail features stories about the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway to Prince Rupert and the Hudson bay Railway to Churchill. The Photo Gallery features a cavalcade of photos of both lines going back to the steam era! Canadian Rail is mailed to members and is available at better hobby shops across Canada.
insert cover of Canadian Rail [Photo Missing]
Hull - Wakefield Steam Train - Gatineau, QC
The “Compagnie de chemin de fer de l’Outaouais” (CCFO) has launched a major campaign to reinstate the former Wakefield Steam Train, now known as the “Train à Vapeur de la Gatineau”. The CCFO is encouraging folks to go to its Facebook web site Train aVapeurdelaGatineau.ca and click “like” Signatures collected electronically as well as those gathered from a series of appearances at local events and shopping centres will be used to demonstrate to various levels of governments that an investment in getting the train started again has the support of the local populace. Operating between 1992 and 2011, over a portion of Canadian Pacific’s former Maniwaki Subdivision, when it was sidelined by major washouts as a result of a 1 in 200-years rain fall, the train uses equipment that was formerly operated by the Swedish National Railways. There are two locomotives, one a 2-8-0 dating from 1907; the other is a 1,000 horsepower Swedish EMD unit built in 1962. All rolling stock is ex-Swedish National Railways. The 909 is equipped with a CN steam locomotive whistle as well as an air operated CN steam locomotive bell.Carrying close to 50,000 passengers per year on a 34-mile round trip along the scenic Gatineau River, the train generates annual economic activity of $8 million and employees 80 people on a full and part time basis. Significantly, during its 15 years of operation, the train returned approximately $22.5 million in tax revenue to the various levels of government involved in its operation. Further information is available by contacting Patrick L. Doyon, Project Leader, Train à Vapeur de la Gatineau, 819-595-6927 (bureau), 613-720-5766 (mobile).
Orford Express Tourist Train – Sherbrooke, QC
PHOTOS by Francois Jolin
From this: http://steelribbon.smugmug.com/Other/Orford-Express-Testing/
add some photos by Paul Trudel
The Navette Ferroviaire (an operation on the Massif Railway, officially begins in mid-July. A new schedule has been posted.
A new tourist train, called “L’ Amiral”, will be launched with three special runs this year for the Societe du Chemin de Fer de la Gaspesie. The operation will target a growing cruise ship market in Quebec. On both July 27th and August 15th, the consist will depart New Richmond, MP 68.9 of the former CN Cascapedia Subdivision at 10 a.m. The train will run about an hour east to Bonaventure at MP 89.2. The trip back west will depart Bonaventure at 3:30 p.m. The July trip will be in conjunction with the Bonaventure Western Festival and the August run will be in conjunction with the Acadian National Holiday. September 22nd will find the consist on route for a fall color run departing at 10 a.m. from the peninsula's namesake city of Gaspe at MP 104.2 of the former CN Chandler Subdivision for a 1 hour 15 minute trip west to the town of Perce at MP 65.1. The return trip will depart Perce at 3 p.m., with a targeted arrival back in Gaspe of 4:30 p.m. A road shuttle will connect Perce station with the town, some 6 miles distant.
The L’Amiral train will consist of rebuilt former Agence Métropolitaine de Transport (ex-AMT, nee-GO TRANSIT) Hawker Siddley-built commuter coaches trailing former CP RS-18u’s. Hotel power will be provided by a former AMT generator car. In order to generate much needed revenue, two cars have been leased to the Riviére Romaine Railway in Havre St. Pierre for use on the mine's employee shuttle train until full tourist service is up and running. The route is the same one used by VIA Rail Canada's Montreal-Gaspe service, which has not ventured east of New Carlisle since December of 2011. The VIA service was cut short initially due to track conditions, but now due to the state of some of the bridges along the scenic line. Provincial government grants have helped get the tourist service off the ground. Additional provincial funds are being sought to complete repairs to the offending bridges so as to return VIA service back to a region that has depended on the train for transportation for decades. The Admiral's web-site can be found at http://trainamiral.com/
On June 9th, Train Touristique de Charlevoix (TTC) RS18u 623 is shown at the QGRY / CN interchange in Quebec City destined to the Quebec-Gatineau shop for repairs. Photo by François Gagné Audet.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=439520&nseq=16
Moncton Transportation Museum:
The New Brunswick Railway Museum Hillsborough, NB
Nova Scotia Museum of Industry - Stellarton, NS
Memory Lane Railway Museum - Middleton, NS
Train Station Inn - Tatamagouche, NS
Orangedale Railway Museum - Orangedale, NS
The Orange Empire Railway Museum (Photos courtesy Kenneth Wadden) Four photos
Lake Shore Railway Historical Society
The Steamtown National Historic Site
BANNER Bridge Line Historical Society Adirondack Scenic Railroad http://www.adirondackrr.com/
The Railway Museum of New England
Monticello Railway Museum http://www.mrym.org/
The Iron Horse Museum - Chicago City, MN
© CRO August 2013