Occasional Canadian photos, mostly from Vancouver area

[pH]

In 1885, the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline was built over Rogers Pass in the Selkirk mountains. To avoid avalanche paths, and to lessen the grade on the west side of the pass, the line was looped into side valleys, rather than going straight down the valley of the Illecillewaet river.

 

Here’s a diagram of the loops in the valley of  what became known as Loop Creek:

 

 

The line is climbing west to east (left to right in the diagram). 
 

The viaducts were originally built in wood. They were replaced by stone and steel in the early 1900s:

 

 

Eventually, the CPR found the loss of life and cost of maintaining the line over Rogers Pass too much, and replaced it with the 5-mile Connaught Tunnel under the Pass, which opened in 1916. The steel of the viaducts was removed and the stone pillars left standing. The loops are now a historic site. The pillars are the most visible relics. Here are the remains of the two viaducts which crossed Loop Creek:

 

 

 

As you can see in the second picture, one of the piers has collapsed:

 

 

This is the roadbed as it continues east towards the summit of Rogers Pass, having gone through the loops:

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by pH

[pH]

Some pictures of engines and trains on the CPKC mainline between Craigellachie and Albert Canyon today. (Engines are mostly too far away for me to be confident about identifying them individually.)

 

Headend engines on westbound coal loads at Craigellachie:

 

 

Mid-train helper on coal empties at Revelstoke. The building in the background above the engine is the Revelstoke Railway Museum:

 

 

And the pusher on this train:

 

 

We actually got ahead of that empty coal train on the way from Revelstoke up towards Rogers Pass. Here are those two engines again:

 

 

 

And the headend engines on their train;

 

 

And going the other way, westbound, are the lead engines on a grain train:

 

 

and a mid-train engine helping with braking on the downgrade:

 

[jamie92208]

Great pictures there. Bring back many memories of my trips in 78 and 79

 

Jamie.

[pH]

Guess where I was this morning!

 

 

The (now) CPKC headquarters in Calgary. That picture is of the actual head office, but there are several other buildings in the complex.

 

There are two locomotives on display in the complex. One is A-1e class 4-4-0 #29, one of the last 3 4-4-0s in service with CPR, withdrawn in 1960:

 

 

The other is EMD FP7A #1400:

 

 

There were two other F-units on the site, but they were not in suitable positions for photographs.

 

And there are two other preserved CPR locos at the Heritage Park in Calgary. One is Alco S-2 #7019:

 

 

The other is, in my opinion, the best of the lot - ‘Selkirk’ T1c class 2-10-4 #5931:

 

[jamie92208]

I agree totally about the Selkirk, a magnificent machine. 

 

Jamie

[pH]

9 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I agree totally about the Selkirk, a magnificent machine. 

 

Jamie

I’m away from my books at the moment, but I think I’m correct in saying that Nigel Gresley rode on (and may actually have driven) a ‘Selkirk’ on the CPR during a visit to Canada in 1929. He definitely rode on CPR engines in the western mountains, and the first ‘Selkirks’ were built that year - the T1a subclass. (That subclass were not semi-streamlined like the later T1b and T1c subclasses.)

[pH]

 Canadian Pacific bought 486 SD40-2s. From the information in this website:

 

https://www.thedieselshop.us/CP.HTML

 

it would appear that they had 19 SD40-2s active on April 14, the day of the CPR-KCS merger. Today, I saw 3 of those 19.

 

#5988 (still with the “Pac-Man”!) and #5792 were propelling, at some speed, a  CWR work train between Radium Hot Springs and Golden:

 

 

 

and #5973 was sitting in the yard at Golden:

 

 

(For ‘Newbryford’, here’s what #5988 and #5792 were propelling)

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by pH

[Johann Marsbar]

2 hours ago, pH said:

 Canadian Pacific bought 486 SD40-2s. From the information in this website:

 

https://www.thedieselshop.us/CP.HTML

 

it would appear that they had 19 SD40-2s active on April 14, the day of the CPR-KCS merger. Today, I saw 3 of those 19.

 

 

 

I've got a GM (Canada) worksplate off one of those 486 SD40-2's which I picked up from the shop at the Rochelle (IL) RR Park back in 2003. They had quite a number of them in a box there at that time and it was surprisingly cheap ($12 from memory) compared with the price of UK railwayana!

[jamie92208]

When I first visited in 78 and 79 the SD40's and SD49-2'S were everywhere 10 or 12 on the coal trains at Lake Louise. 

 

Jamie

[pH]

My daughter-in-law sent me this picture this morning. She didn’t say directly where it was taken, but gave me enough clues for me to work it out.

 

 

Three of the last few CPR SD40-2s running light engine north out of Creston, BC.

 

As well as I can make out (this is a frame from a ‘live’ shot) the engines are (left to right) 5766, 5976 and 5973.

[pH]

On 28/07/2023 at 08:31, pH said:

I’m away from my books at the moment, but I think I’m correct in saying that Nigel Gresley rode on (and may actually have driven) a ‘Selkirk’ on the CPR during a visit to Canada in 1929. He definitely rode on CPR engines in the western mountains, and the first ‘Selkirks’ were built that year - the T1a subclass. (That subclass were not semi-streamlined like the later T1b and T1c subclasses.)

Bad form to quote my own post, I know. But just to confirm that, in 1929, Gresley did ride more that one Selkirk on the westbound climb into the Selkirk mountains, from Beavermouth up to the Connaught Tunnel under Rogers  Pass (and probably down the other side to Revelstoke).

And in 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth travelled in the cab of engine 5919, operating as a pusher, between Beavermouth and Stoney Creek on the same climb. (They were not taken through the 5 mile Connaught Tunnel!). The seat used by the Queen is now in Revelstoke Railway Museum.

 

Edited August 5, 2023 by pH

[pH]

This afternoon, I spent some time at Deltaport, a large rail-served port south of Vancouver on Georgia Strait. Main business here is bulk coal for export and containers going into and out of Canada. The track technically belongs to BC Rail - it's all that's left of that railway, the rest having been leased some years ago to Canadian National. CPKC, CNR and BNSF handle traffic to and from the port. Union Pacific and Montana Rail Link have also worked a few trains.

 

Here are CPKC and BNSF locos. It doesn't show up well at this distance, but the rear ends of the two CPKC locos in the distance are completely black. They are pushers on the back of trains carrying coal for export. Despite various processes to try to keep down dust from the coal loads, a fair bit of dust escapes. With the zone of low pressure at the rear of the train when on the move, the dust gets sucked on to the back of pusher engines.

 

A portrait shot of CNR SD60 #5451

 

 

CNR SD75I #5710. In the distance, under the bridge, there is a train of empty well cars arriving in the yard.

 

And here's the power off that train of well cars:

[Gordonwis]

CN3960 tailing a grain freight towards Vancouver. Sperling (Burnaby Lake) . 5 August 2023

 

sent from my laptop in the Pacific Ocean... 

[Gordonwis]

Cascades service passing Sperling. Aug 5 2023

[branchie]

On 20/08/2023 at 03:26, Gordonwis said:

CN3960 tailing a grain freight towards Vancouver. Sperling (Burnaby Lake) . 5 August 2023

 

Aren't these potash cars?

[pH]

1 hour ago, branchie said:

 

Aren't these potash cars?

Yes - Canpotex.

[pH]

Another of the rapidly-dwindling number of SD40-2s on the CPKC roster on oil tanks at Port Coquitlam on August 28. This was one of fourteen listed as "Out-of-Service" on the last day before the merger of of CPR and KCS in April. It's obviously back in use. I wonder if CPKC are running those remaining to failure. Despite the line being right beside a road, with trees, fences, poles etc. it is difficult to get a clear shot here.

 

 

I think the blue/grey patches between the lettering and the logo on the long hood may be extra ventilation for the engine compartment. I've seen more obvious grilles in that position on a few engines. They were not original equipment.

 

Switchers in PoCo yards on the same day. GP38AC #3011 and GP38-2 #4435 (ex-SOO, no dynamic brakes). Variations on the CPR colour scheme.

[pH]

A bit of a variation in the locos being used for switching at Port Coquitlam yesterday. 'Switchers' are usually two 4-axle or two 6-axle units. Yesterday, there was a 6-axle/4-axle combination.

 

SD30C-ECO #5014 and GP38-2 #4401 (Ex-SOO, no dynamics).

 

Interestingly, they drew forward on the east-to-south leg of the wye at the west end of the yard then set back, which I've not seen done before. The east to west leg (main line towards Vancouver) is always used.

 

Just #4401. This engine can be operated remotely by a worker using a beltpack for control. When operating like that, the flashing orange beacon on the cab roof is lit.

Edited September 8, 2023 by pH

[pH]

Pushers on a couple of unit trains in Burnaby this afternoon.

 

Canadian National ET44AC #3165 on the back of westbound grain loads:

 

 

The track it’s on is a recently-laid third track at this location. The line is owned by BNSF, maintained and dispatched by CN , and CPKC have running rights on it.

 

And here’s the pusher on an eastbound train of sulphur empties, with CPKC power:

 

 

The engine is AC4400CWM #8058.

[steve1]

Reading through this thread reminds me of the two occasions I was lucky enough to visit Canada.

 

The first was doing an organised Coast to Coast railway trip in the early 2000s with a Rocky Mountaineer add on. The second was a fortnight’s holiday in Victoria, BC a few years later. The Island is one of my favourite places in the world.

 

Doubt we’ll ever get back there as Mrs steve won’t set foot on a ‘Big Bird In The Sky’ ever again.

 

We did The Malahat twice. Once to Duncan (Mrs steve’s maiden name) on the C2C trip and all the way to Courtney during the Victoria trip. The Conductor on that one let me sit in the back cab of the Budd RDC on the return journey when he realised I was an enthusiast.

 

I will try and dig out some of my photos.

 

steve

Edited September 16, 2023 by steve1

[VIA185]

1976. E&N Train No. 1 Victoria-Courtenay, stopping at the Shawnigan Lake flagstop. Location was unrecognisable last time I was there and the train stopped running in 2011. Track is still there and a pseudo-political group holds out the hope that service will be restored but the whole railway needs a rebuild from the ground up and that will never happen. (CJL)

[Jim49]

While I am certainly don't disagree with Chris's comments about the line never opening again, on a trip to Victoria in May this year we saw that the much overgrown line between Johnson Street bridge and the loco depot had been blessed with new, shiny notices warning potential train drivers that they were approaching a road crossing and to sound their horn. The road crossing also seems to have received new gantries for road traffic lights. 

Could it be that someone knows something that we don't?

 

When we got to the loco depot it was intact but neglected although the turntable had the attention a a couple of individuals.

 

Jim

[VIA185]

On 19/09/2023 at 14:48, Jim49 said:

While I am certainly don't disagree with Chris's comments about the line never opening again, on a trip to Victoria in May this year we saw that the much overgrown line between Johnson Street bridge and the loco depot had been blessed with new, shiny notices warning potential train drivers that they were approaching a road crossing and to sound their horn. The road crossing also seems to have received new gantries for road traffic lights. 

Could it be that someone knows something that we don't?

 

When we got to the loco depot it was intact but neglected although the turntable had the attention a a couple of individuals.

 

Jim

When I was last there (c.2018) it did seem that there had been some minor preservation activity in the area of the roundhouse. A green baggage car had apparently been brought down from Parksville and I think there has also been a small diesel switcher on site, which would probably account for the grade crossing improvements. However, I get the feeling that nothing significant will happen with the main line until use of internal combustion engined road vehicles ceases. Highway improvements still cater to the Victorians who don't like trains - and that seems to be most of them. (CJL)

[Jim49]

The green baggage car is still there and appears to be in very good shape with no signs of rust, just in need of a good clean-up.

For company it has a CP box van and the bare chassis of something I can't identify.

The CP box van is not 58696 which is still marooned on a short track panel back towards Johnson St bridge

There was no sign of the diesel switcher but it could have been in either of the shed buildings which both seem to be in good external condition.

 

Jim

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, Jim49 said:

The green baggage car is still there and appears to be in very good shape with no signs of rust, just in need of a good clean-up.

For company it has a CP box van and the bare chassis of something I can't identify.

The CP box van is not 58696 which is still marooned on a short track panel back towards Johnson St bridge

There was no sign of the diesel switcher but it could have been in either of the shed buildings which both seem to be in good external condition.

 

Jim

The frame looks as if its from a caboose.