This page contains a variety of pictures taken over the last thirty years, mainly on slide film and illustrates several rare locomotives, some of which are still running today.
The existence and location of many of these locomotives would have been unknown to me had it not been for the Canadian Trackside Guide published annually by the Bytown Railway Society.
Canadian Pacific
The last Canadian Pacific RS3 is now preserved at the Alberni Valley Railway, Port Alberni BC and a group of volunteers hope to return it to its original appearance including the high hood. It was chop-nosed by CP but still operated long hood forward. 8427 then worked for Crown Forest Industries between 1980 and 1986 before being acquired by the Ladysmith Railway Historical Society. Photo Wayne Merlo.
Canadian National
The bridge to the east of Charlottetown PEI could not support the RSC13s which operated on the rest of the island (see Freight Operations in Atlantic Canada). So GE 70 Tonners operated on the east of the island. Here 41 in its final livery passes potato reefers in Charlottetown yards in June 1976.
CN built three Turbo powered trains, with a power unit at each end, for service between Montreal and Toronto. On 26 March 1976 power unit 126 heads a train out of Union Station Toronto to the Spadina servicing yards.
VIA
In an attempt to find a less expensive way of providing train service to remote communities VIA tested the British Railways Engineering Limited’s (BREL) railbus, which quite literally was a modified bus on a 4 wheel chassis with a cab at each end. Some two car units are still used in Britain on rural lines and are known as Pacers (classes 141 to 144).
According to Graeme Clark, who was young mechanical engineer involved in building and testing the vehicle, it was returned to the UK in the late ’80s and was used as a meetings room at the Derby site of BREL before being sold!
Industrial and Shortlines
Fletcher Challenge Canada, Crofton BC
All railcars come and go by barge but there is a steep grade from the dock to the plant which made the regular locomotive – SW1500 “Crofthill” – sound great!
Canfor (Englewood Railway), Woss, BC
Canfor operates the last logging railway in Canada in the north of Vancouver Island. Because of the grade down to Beaver Cove they use dynamic braked SW1200RS locomotives.
For more photos and information see Railroading in BC. Our thanks to the management for making us welcome.
BC Hydro, North Westminster, BC
BC Hydro operated a freight hauling railroad through the BC delta from New Westminster to Chilliwack with a connection to the US. The railway has now become the Southern Railway of BC
North Vancouver Grain Terminals, BC
On my last visit the security guard was most upset that I was taking photos from a hill across the street.
Pioneer Terminals North Vancouver
This Plymouth MDT shunts grain cars at Pioneer Terminals elevators also in North Vancouver and is seen on 21 May 1986.
Amoco Petroleum, Kaybob AB
Amoco Petroleum at Kaybob Alberta (240 Km north-west of Edmonton) operates this diesel hydraulic GMDH1 (one of only four built) to shunt tank cars at its petroleum plant. It was built in 1959 and has elaborate styling reminiscent of automobiles of the period.
Dow Chemicals, Fort Saskatchewan, AB
This S6 (ex Southern Pacific) is used to haul cars between the CN interchange and the plant at Fort Saskatchewan. After taking this photo from outside the perimeter fence I was interrogated by the Dow police – they thought I was an industrial spy!
Canterra Energy, Ram River Falls AB
On the same day we see one of the two Alco C-415 which had replaced the CLC.
Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway, MB
The water board built a railway to service the dam at Waugh 50 Km to the east of Winnipeg. The railway carried personnel and some passengers in railcars. Mack car 31 was built in 1928 and is seen outside the Winnipeg station on 29 May 1986. It was destroyed in 1991.
Freight was hauled using GE 44 tonners.
100 was acquired new in 1946 and 103 was ex CN # 1 built in 1947. Both are outside the Winnipeg shops on 29 May 1986. These have since been sold to Ontario Southland and Port Stanley Terminal Rail respectively.
Ports Canada, Churchill MB
Ports Canada uses two Plymouth JLB-2s both built in 1930 to switch grain cars at the Port of Churchill, MB.
Spruce Falls Power and Paper, Kapuskasing ON
Spruce Falls Power and Paper (now Kimberley-Clark) operates a dam north of Kapuskasing, ON. Here we see a converted bus used to carry personnel and materials on 10 August 1972.
Bowater Mersey, Liverpool NS
Paper mills usually bring in and send out many shipments by rail. The Bowater Mersey mill at Liverpool, NS used to have an interchange with the CN line (now closed) and the GE 44T (ex CN #2) and Vulcan 25T moved cars around the site. They are seen at the mill on 1 November 1984.
National Gypsum, Dartmouth NS
40 Km north of Dartmouth NS National Gypsum operates one of the largest open pit Gypsum mines in the world. The crushed rock is transported in CN unit trains to the ship loading dock in Dartmouth. Here we see an outside crank GE 45T # 3 pushing loaded cars into the rotary tipper in July 1984. They also use a Hunslet that can be seen at the page on Industrial & Shortlines in Nova Scotia.
Both units have recently been replaced with a reconditioned SW900 that is remotely controlled although the Hunslet is kept as a back-up locomotive.
Cape Breton Development Corporation (Devco) NS
Return to David Othen’s Canadian Train Photographs
Material on this page is copyright 2000-2003 by David and Pat Othen. Reproduced with permission of David’s widow Pat.
