WCRA NEWS

MAY 2008 WILD AT ART A GREAT SUCCESS FOR ALL EARLY LOGGER STORIES WCRA News, Page 2

GENERAL MEETING NOTICE

The General Meeting of the WCRA will be held on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 1930 hours at the Rainbow Creek Station in Burnaby.

Entertainment will be a video “Scenic Railways of the World”.

ON THE COVER

West Coast Railway’s Budd RDC’s BC 33 and BC 21 unload passengers along Logger’s Lane in downtown Squamish on March 22, 2008. This was the first running of a train on the Squamish spur since we last ran downtown in December of 2008. For full story, see page 21. (Trevor Mills photo)

MAY CALENDAR

• West Coast Railway Heritage Park open daily 1000 through 1700k • Saturday, May 10—Newsletter deadline for items to be included in the June 2008 WCRA News • Saturday, May 10—WCRA participates in a North Vancouver Museum school fair event • Sunday, May 11—Mother’s Day at the Heritage Park, free admission and flowers for mom’s, cake at noon. • Wednesday, May 14—WCRT’s Southern Circle Tour departs • Sunday, May 18—374 Pavilion celebrates the anniversary of the arrival of the first train into Vancouver on may 23, 2887—cake, engine outside, activities 1200—1600 • Tuesday, May 20—Tours Committee Meeting, call Bernie at 604-325-0923 • Tuesday, May 27 —WCRA General Meeting, 1930 hours, Rainbow Creek Station in Burnaby, BC

The West Coast Railway Association is an historical group dedicated to the preservation of British Columbia railway history. Membership is open to all people with an interest in railways past and present. We are a non-profit British Columbia society, registered as a Canadian charity. Individual membership in the WCRA is $50.00 per year, family membership is $60.00. E Members (electronic newsletter, $15 savings) are $35 individual and $45 family. (Outside Canada, please remit US $) Other categories are: - Junior Member (age 18 and under ) $ 25 - Sustaining Member $100 (tax receipt) plus membership type regular fee - Life Member (one time fee) $700 individual life / $1,200 family life All memberships include the monthly newsletter, Heritage Park admission, mini rail rides and discounts on food and merchandise. The Association holds a monthly meeting on the last Tuesday of the month at 1930 hours in Burnaby at Rainbow Creek Station in Confederation Park. Apply through www.wcra.org or mail to WCRA, PO Box 2790 Stn. Term., Vancouver, B.C., V6B 3X2. WCRA News, Page 3 EDITORIAL

WILD AT ART HIGHLIGHTS COMMUNITY CAPABILITIES OF THE PARK

What a great week it was! The combination of Spring Break, the Wild at Art Festival, Easter and St. Patrick’s Day all rolled into one week made for a grand time at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. Around 5,000 guest visits were recorded in this short period, and the Park was alive and busy after a slow start to the year.

Wild at Art turned the Heritage Park into a huge community event site, highlighting what will develop even more as the Roundhouse and Conference Centre facility comes on line in 2009. The event showed just what can be done with this great location, often looked at today as being just for tourists and rail buffs. The Heritage Park has both space and attractions for everyone, and the facilities are designed to host a variety of different kinds of events and exhibitions.

This is part of what our design is all about—a place where our railway heritage is celebrated, and a multi-function facility for events, functions and the whole community. Don ASSOCIATION NEWS

FROM THE MARCH GENERAL MEETING

The General Meeting of the West Coast Railway Association was held at 1930 hours on March 25, 2008 with Colin Dathan chairing the meeting and 40+ in attendance: • Don Evans presented the president’s report, updating the membership on current financial issues as well as a new donation from the Wilkinson Foundation in Michigan of an O Scale “CN Super Continental” trainset • Jeremy Davy provided an update on Western Rails and Mini Rail activities • Jeremy also updated re membership, noting new membership brochures had been printed and a membership drive was now underway (started at Wild at Art in Squamish and Western Rails in Burnaby, see report of new members, page 4) • Don Evans provided a brief collection report, focus is on getting the Henry Pickering out for RMV and the Alberta project on track for completion. • Susan Steen noted that almost 5,000 people attended the Heritage Park during the Spring Break / Wild at Art week, and that all went very smoothly. The CarShop is now being returned to its normal functions, and a site audit and clean up activity is underway. • Don Evans added comments about the success of the Royal Hudson operations March 15 and 16, as well as the Budd Car trips to Squamish on March 22. • Bill Johnston provided a Tours update, and promoted the White Pass trip in July as a great opportunity to see some unique northern railroading WCRA News, Page 4

• Eric Anderson donated Canadian Tire coupons • Member input was received on the planned Steam Festival for September • Paul Roy noted that DVD’s of the Pacific Great Eastern were available • Dave Emmington noted book sales by donation were available • Ryan Cruickshank and Bill Marchant gave their Trackside Reports • Jim McPherson noted that it was 50 years ago in April that the Hi-Ballers first met • The Calendar of Events was reviewed, guests were welcomed • A raffle was held, winner Norm Shepherd donated his winnings to WCRA • Entertainment was slides by the late Bob Gaevert of various subjects from years past, presented by Bob Hunter and Bill Marchant

50 YEARS AGO—HI-BALLERS

An anniversary of note is that the predecessor to the WCRA, the original group called the Hi- Ballers, first met and decided to form a society in April 1958. The Society went on to be formed officially in 1961, and was named the West Coast Railfan Association (which became the West Coast Railway Association of today). (J.M.)

WCRA TRIVIA # 232 - by Ryan D. Cruickshank

Who said this movie quote…..”What do you do besides lure men to their doom on the Twentieth Century Limited”? (for answer, see Credit Lines)

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

Memberships dated 03/31/2008 have now expired, and if your membership expired 01/31/2008, this will be your last issue. Please check the label on your newsletter and renew today. Remember that renewals are being accepted for memberships with the E–Newsletter—check page 2 for current membership rates.

Is your email address current???? It is particularly important that those of you who have registered for access to the Members Only area keep your email address current in the Server. Each time a new issue is posted the Server sends a notice to the email address you supplied when you requested access. Because the undeliverable messages from a Server do not bounce back to it I have no way to be proactive.

If you have changed your email address, or think the one we have is out of date because you do not receive notices, please send your current email address to Jeremy at [email protected] and the server will be updated as required. (J.D.)

WCRA News, Page 5 NEW MEMBERS

The WCRA welcomes new members Tara-Leigh Cain & family of Squamish, Douglas W. Debs of Palo Alto, CA, Jennifer Fletcher & family of Garibaldi Highlands, Jude and Jewell Goodwin & family of Squamish, Ben and Nancy Hawkins & family of Brackendale, Tara O’Grady & Aaron Brown & family of Squamish, Caitlin Roberts and Torben Johannsen & family of Brackendale, Andrew Robertson & family of Coquitlam, Alana Williams & family of Garibaldi Highlands, Cliff and Linda Wood & family of Garibaldi Highlands, Robert Zielinski & family of Mission, and Rosemary Casson & family of Vancouver.

We also welcome our newest Corporate member Sally Berry (realtor) of Squamish.

We welcome back to membership Dean Fortin & family of Coquitlam, Kim Larsen & family of Squamish, Tracey Lazenby & family of North Vancouver, Tom and Kristy McCandless & family of North Vancouver, and Bernie and Bruce Pawlik & family of Richmond. (J.D.)

WESTERN RAILS 2008 - SHOW REPORT

This is a brief report on the annual Western Rails Show held on March 16th at the Cameron Recreation Complex in Burnaby, drawing the usual diverse community of vendors and spectators. Commercial ventures and hobby shops were also well represented.

Among those ably representing the preservationists were Alberni Pacific Railway, BC Society of Model Engineers, Kamloops Heritage Railway (2141), Kettle Valley Steam Railway, and WCRA. BCSME display included George Massey’s newly acquired 0-6-0 steam locomotive. Among the list of private vendors were many staunch supporters, representing a cross section of the Railroadiana community. New this year with a multi train O Scale layout was WCRA Member Gordon Hall and his family. Their layout was presented the Best of Show award. Congratulations to the Hall family.

The West Coast Mini Rail gave rides by donation with proceeds going to the West Coast Railway Association activities., This year’s crew led by Roy Liden operated Mary Roy’s trainset. The Morse Telegraph Club featuring Earl and Lavina Shaw once again fascinated the audience with their telegraphic skills.

The West Coast Railway Association display was multi-faceted, featuring Tours, Artifacts, and a WCRA Membership promotion. Surplus books from the collections of Dan Boettcher and Bill Lahr, as well as duplicates from the WCRA were sold as a fundraiser, generating over $1,200 for the Association. (D.E.)

Throughout the day our Cashier Jeannie Sansom, with periodic assistance from Mary Roy, kept visitors moving into the Show. The Concession was ably operated this year by the Burnaby Central Railway concessionaires, Allison and Angela Sansom and their friend WCRA News, Page 6

Sara. Denny Irwin, Barb Brown and Glen Wideman were also active with the assistance of others let no one slip past the Raffle table unchallenged . For the week prior to the show, the CLEAR-FM Events Team promoted the event and were also onsite during the afternoon. Also early in the afternoon the 650-CISL Community Events Team set up shop to promote the show and gave away prizes for mini-golf skills..

Our sincere appreciation goes to Rocky Mountaineer Vacations and Whistler Mountaineer for providing our Grand Door Prize, Two Round Trip tickets – Glacier Dome - on The Whistler Mountaineer. In addition we were supported by many businesses and vendors who donated prizes for the Raffles and Door Prize Draws. The Committee thanks all who contributed the prizes.

Finally, my personal thanks to all those involved for ensuring the Show was a success once again this year. (J.D.)

ROYAL HUDSON PRESERVATION & FUND

ROYAL HUDSON PRESERVATION FUND

We acknowledge our monthly contributors Dave Walker, Richard Tubbesing, and Ernie & Lynn Ledgerwood.

Add in the Western Economic Diversification Canada grant of $110,000 and the Province of BC $100,000 TFA grant, Westran’s $50,000, the John Hardie Mitchell family foundation’s $20,000 and our total now leaps forward to $638,004. Remember, you can make a donation on line through www.wcra.org .

The Royal Hudson #2860 operated on March 15 and March 16 as part of the Wild at Art festival. See coverage in our feature Story on page 21. Following the operations, work during the month of was focused on the rebuilding of the dynamos which generate electricity to power the locomotives lights and electrical appliances.

COLLECTION

POWER CAR VANDALIZED

West Coast Railway’s HEP Power car #9622 Macdonald Creek was broken into and some copper wire stolen. The damage is estimated at around $3,000. The car was parked on the tracks outside Motive Power Shop #2 and it has now been relocated. Our crews say that repairs can be made in a fairly quick time frame. WCRA News, Page 7 FUNDRAISING

PRESIDENT’S REPORT – MARCH 2008

Funding Asks Made • New ask for Royal Hudson ongoing maintenance funding • New ask for funds to help with the turntable • Applied for BC Arts Renaissance 2008 grant for the Endowment Fund

Major Funding Received • Budd car donation $50 • Troop Sleeper donation $1,525 • General donations $10,115 • Advertising donation in – kind $6148.80 • Rotary Squamish (from Beef BBQ) $500 • New debenture $20,000

Month Total $39,339 Year to Date Total $868,426 General purposes $168,426 WCR Endowment Fund $700,000 Other Significant Activities • Started Susan Steen at Squamish • Continuing work on Roundhouse Sponsorship asks • Very busy week of Wild at Art • Dealing with challenge plans and possible new tenants for MP 2

DEBENTURES AVAILABLE, GREAT INTEREST RATE

The West Coast Railway Association continues to offer a series of debentures to members to help fund the installation of the vintage turntable at the Heritage Park. The costs of servicing and preparing the site have been higher than expected, and we need to have repairs made to the turntable bridge itself. We are wanting to complete the installation of the turntable and open CN Turntable Plaza in mid 2008. We really need your help here.

Debentures are offered in the same terms as previous offerings—a three year term to maturity, annual interest rate of 5%, and multiples of $500. Given the falling interest rates on savings these days, 5% is a very good rate. For more information contact Jim Brown at 604- 681-4403 or Don Evans at 604-988-3435.

The turntable installation is our current #1 priority for completion and we need some help to put the funding for completion in place. Here is a way that you can get involved and help, as well as see a good return on your investment. WCRA News, Page 8 WEST COAST RAIL TOURS

THE 2008 TOUR PROGRAM IS NOW GETTING UNDERWAY

Apart from the tours shown in these pages please remember that our tours office is available weekdays to book independent trips. For example we issue tickets for VIA Rail Canada, Amtrak, the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad and the Alaska Railroad as full-service agents for those lines. Rocky Mountaineer Vacations new 2008 brochure is now available; call for your copy and book with us. We also have the 2008 Trafalgar Tours brochures ready to send. They include the following destinations: Europe & Britain, Australia & New Zealand, USA & Canada, and River Cruises. We will pop the brochure of your choice in the mail as soon as you make the call to 604-524- 1011 or toll free 1-800-722-1233. You can also e-mail us on [email protected]. We also combine air, coach, ferry and cruise ships with rail services to customize itineraries throughout the USA and Canada. Flying east or south? Let us book you on WestJet, our preferred air carrier. For trips of 4 days or more we offer free home pickups and drop-offs in the Vancouver area.

MALAHAT CIRCLE TOUR - Daily except Saturday - all year – 2 days

Depart from Pacific Central Station at a time of your choosing aboard Pacific Coach Lines scheduled service to Victoria. We supply vouchers to take you to the Queen Victoria Hotel—a few steps from the bus depot. You are on your own for dinner. Breakfast is served at 7:00AM in the hotel’s restaurant, then their van shuttles you to the VIA Rail station at 7:30 AM. Board the train for an 8:00 AM departure to Qualicum Beach where it arrives before noon. Enjoy this quaint town with its interesting beaches and restaurants. After lunch (on your own) we ask you to board the southbound train at 2:00 PM and get off at Nanaimo at about 3:00 PM. A waiting, pre- booked taxi takes you to Nanaimo’s bus depot for the 4:30 PM departure of Greyhound’s scheduled service to Vancouver. Dinner on the ferry is available. Arrive at Pacific Central Station at 7:15 PM.

FARES: $224; Children 2-11 $186; BC Seniors (Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays only) $186. (Otherwise, $224). Ask about special pricing if couples travel together. Single supplement $71. GST extra. Low season and budget hotel bookings save you more.

THE GREAT PLAINS and ROCKIES by TWO NAME TRAINS — 6 days

A unique chance to travel on two great “name” trains to visit the centre of the North American Continent from the comfort of your private sleeping compartments, dining cars, lounges and scenic domes. Enjoy the Canadian Rockies and the vast Prairies to Winnipeg then America’s Northern States and Mountain Parks. Departures: Tuesdays, Fridays & Sundays - from Vancouver Day 1: Check in at Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station to board The Canadian eastbound WCRA News, Page 9 through Vancouver’s eastern suburbs and the lower Fraser Valley. Take dinner in the diner and retire for the night in your choice of sleeping accommodation. Day 2: Before breakfast you are in the heart of the Rockies. Stop in Jasper for a break off the train. Re-board the train and you are on your way out of the mountains and into Alberta’s verdant foothills. After a stop in Edmonton you are on your way east across the prairies crossing Saskatchewan overnight in your comfortable bed. Day 3: By breakfast time you are in Manitoba and late in the morning arrive in Winnipeg. After a transfer to a beautiful old railway hotel you have the afternoon free to visit local sights. Day 4: Breakfast is available in the dining room of your hotel before you check out and take a taxi for the short ride to the Greyhound depot. Here you board a modern motorcoach for Minneapolis, Minnesota U.S.A. (passport required.) Once there you transfer to the Amtrak station across the mighty Mississippi River to neighbouring St. Paul and board The Empire Builder. Once aboard you settle into your sleeping room for the start of your westbound journey. Day 5: Breakfast is available in the dining car as your train heads west across sparsely populated North Dakota. You are in Montana by noon and by dinnertime are skirting the Rockies’ famous Glacier National Park. Day 6: You can expect arrival in Seattle mid-morning. Our Amtrak connecting Thruway motorcoach leaves at 1:15 PM for Surrey, Richmond and Vancouver arriving back at Pacific Central Station, the starting point, at 5 PM.

FARE: The 6-Day Tour, based on shared accommodation. From Cdn $1295 per person. Single fares start at Cdn $1495. Price depends on age of guests, number traveling together, type of sleeping accommodation on the trains, date of booking, date of travel, and US$ exchange rate. Our price will be cheaper than doing this on your own. Add a night in Seattle and take the morning “Cascades” train service to Vancouver for an extra $99 per person including your hotel.

TRAINS & FERRIES, VICTORIA AND SEATTLE; SOUTHERN CIRCLE TOUR - Wednesday, May 14th BC Ferry to Vancouver Island for a ride on the Malahat Dayliner, visit Victoria, Clipper to Seattle and return on Amtrak to Vancouver - 3 Days A new tour for 2008! Make your way to Vancouver’s Pacific Central station by 11:00 AM for an 11:30 AM motorcoach departure transferring you to a lunchtime BC Ferry sailing for Nanaimo where you board VIA Rail’s Malahat Dayliner on its southbound trip over the Malahat summit to Victoria. Evening is free in a convenient hotel to enjoy our provincial capital. Relax in the morning and check in by 10:30 AM for the 11:30 AM Victoria Clipper's sailing to Seattle arriving at about 2:30 PM. Transfer to your Seattle hotel and have the afternoon free to shop and sightsee. The next morning an early transfer to King St station is needed to board the Cascades train service to Vancouver, BC departing at 7:40 AM. Breakfast is available in the dining car. Arrive at Pacific Central station (your starting point about noon. Later motorcoach transfers to Vancouver are also available. This new leisurely WCRA News, Page 10 tour features great coastal scenery and the chance to do some shopping in the USA. It will sell out quickly. Passport required.

FARES: The 3-Day Tour: Wednesday to Friday is $484 based on shared accommodation. (BC Seniors only- $464). Single: $644, (BC Seniors - $624). Extra night in Seattle? Add $86 per person ** Don’t like this date? Let us arrange this tour at a time of your choosing for a party of 10 or more. ** Don’t like groups? We can put this package together for individuals, to travel at a time of your choosing, subject to some conditions. Price may vary slightly. ** Live on Vancouver Island? Join us en route and we will get you home on Friday the 16th for the same price, or lower, depending on boarding location.

TWO TRAINS & TWO FERRIES; MID - COASTAL CIRCLE TOUR Tuesday, June 17th Vancouver Island, The Discovery Coast, Chilcotin & Cariboo Regions, Whistler - 7 Days With taxi and motorcoach vouchers supplied, you make your way to Victoria on any of the frequent services provided by Pacific Coach Lines. You leave early to sightsee in Victoria or arrive in time for a welcome dinner in the hotel restaurant. The next morning you are transferred to the VIA Rail station and board the E&N Malahat Dayliner for its departure to Courtenay. Upon arrival your motorcoach takes you to a comfortable modern hotel in Port McNeill for the night. Frequent stops for sightseeing are made along the way. After breakfast on day 3 you board your motorcoach for Bear Cove where you embark on Queen of Chilliwack, Discovery Coast Ferry sailing for Bella Coola. For the next 13 hours wind your way through Queen Charlotte Strait, Fitz Hugh Sound, and Burke Channel. Day 4 is spent soaking up Bella Coola’s history and First Nations culture predominant in the area, all interpreted by a local guide. On day 5 you traverse the wild Chilcotin region after a climb up the infamous “Big Hill” that takes you from the coastal rain forest up and over the rugged Coast Mountains through Heckman Pass. Spend the night in Williams Lake. On day 6 you travel through the south Cariboo region, to Clinton for lunch and traverse Cayoosh Canyon and the scenic Duffey Lake Road to the mountain resort village of Whistler, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics. On your final day take a chance to sleep in or enjoy this beautiful mountain village. After lunch you get a coach transfer to the “Whistler Mountaineer” train service for your return to the coast via Squamish and Howe Sound. Beverages and a meal are served at your seat. In North Vancouver transfer to downtown Vancouver and home ending the tour. FARES: The 7-Day Tour: $1592 each based on shared accommodation; BC Seniors only - $1532. Single Supplement: $538. Shorten this tour by a day, save $62 and join the group in Port McNeill on June 18th by Greyhound coach.

WHITE PASS and YUKON ROUTE STEAM SPECTACULAR - Friday, July 11th Whitehorse, Yukon, and vintage train service all the way from Skagway to Carcross, YT, plus hours of Impressive Mountain Steam Railroading - 4 days NEW CHANGES WCRA News, Page 11

Free pickup at your Lower Mainland area home or hotel is organized for departure from Vancouver’s International Airport by Air North’s late morning departure for Whitehorse. Upon arrival you take a scenic tour along the Alaska Highway to Miles Canyon and then check in at your hotel for the afternoon and evening. Visit the restored “Klondike” river boat and ride the riverfront trolley. We also recommend the “Frantic Follies” revue, for great entertainment. You have the next morning free to visit the attractions in Whitehorse before a mid-day departure by chartered motorcoach on the South Klondike Highway to Skagway, AK. Rest stops will be made in Carcross and scenic overlooks. You must have an early breakfast today in order to get aboard the special steam excursion to Fraser Meadows. Boarding commences at 7:15 AM for departure at 7:30 AM. (8:30 AM BC time). The station is one block around the corner from the hotel. You will enjoy great mountain railroading behind steam! This 85 km round trip terminates at Fraser Meadows, BC, 10 km north of White Pass. Upon your return just before noon you will have the afternoon free in Skagway to explore this historic village. Your tour guide will have dinner suggestions about a good variety of restaurants in the village. On your last day you will be transferred from your hotel to the WP&YR shops to board the special “Yukon Adventure” train for Carcross. Awaiting you at Lake Bennett will be a hot meal. You arrive in Carcross at 2:30 PM (3:30 PM, BC time) where your motorcoach will transfer you to Whitehorse Airport for the evening Air Canada flight to Vancouver. We arrange transportation to your home in the lower mainland. Ask about add-ons and extra days in the north. FARES: The 4-Day Tour, Friday to Monday is only $1394 each based on shared

VANCOUVER ISLAND’S WEST COAST - Tuesday, August 12th via Coastal Supply Vessel, E&N Train, & Port Alberni Steam Mill & Railway - 4 days NEW CHANGES

Your free pickup gets you to the 8:30 AM sailing by BC Ferries from Horseshoe Bay. Upon arrival at Nanaimo’s Departure Bay your coach will follow the Island’s scenic east coast to Courtenay for lunch. Here you will board the E&N Malahat Dayliner for its southbound trip to Parksville. Your coach meets you for a transfer to Coombs Junction Market. Then it’s off to Port Alberni for a visit to the top-rated Alberni Valley Museum. You will have time to relax before a buffet dinner at a seaside restaurant. Next morning you leave the hotel for the short trip to the dock to board the “Frances Barkley“, a coastal supply vessel that services Alberni Inlet. It stops briefly at Sechart in the Broken Group Islands before continuing on to Ucluelet. After lunch on your own on the boat we are met by our coach at about 12:30 PM and spend the afternoon sightseeing along Pacific Rim National Park. We will visit Tofino for a mid afternoon break and return to Ucluelet for the evening. A gourmet dinner is included here. Thursday morning wake up and relax over a late brunch in a nearby restaurant. At 1:30 PM we take a local tour and leave the Long Beach unit of Pacific Rim National Park for Port Alberni. Stops will be made at scenic overlooks for a snack and the water bomber base. You check in to the Port Alberni Hotel and relax before a farewell dinner in the hotel restaurant. After breakfast next morning you depart for the railway station where you will board the Alberni Pacific Railway train for its 10:00 AM departure for the McLean Mill National WCRA News, Page 12

Historic site, (the only steam operated sawmill in Canada). Upon arrival take a tour of the mill, and have a light lunch. You leave about 1:30 PM for the eastern side of the Island to catch the 4:30 PM sailing for Vancouver. (A stop at a rail station for those returning to Victoria on the Dayliner is possible). FARES: NOW REDUCED! The 4-Day Tour, Tuesday to Friday is $850 each based shared accommodation. (BC Seniors $830). Single Supplement - $282. Extra day via Victoria: 5- Days including the train to Victoria, hotel and return transportation to Vancouver on Saturday, (unescorted): $930, (BC Seniors $898). Single Supplement - $342.

TWO STEAM TRAINS, FISH and WINE PLUS CASINO FUN - Friday, September 5th A great opportunity to ride behind two steam locomotives in the Okanagan region, taste some great wines and see fish spawning - 4 days NOTE DATE CHANGES

Leave Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station by chartered motorcoach for highway no. 7 on the scenic north side of the Fraser River from Mission to downtown Agassiz and the museum housed in the oldest wooden railroad station in B.C. Follow the Fraser Canyon and stop for lunch at the Hell’s Gate Air Tram. Then it’s on to Skihist Park overlooking Rainbow Canyon of the Thompson River and the railways operating through this most difficult part of the river valley. You overnight in Kamloops after a welcome dinner. Next morning your coach will transfer you to the Kamloops Heritage Railway’s train with steam locomotive #2141. The train climbs from Campbell Creek up into ranching country en route to Armstrong.

Continuing by motorcoach you visit O'Keefe Ranch for lunch and proceed on to Penticton with a stop to view spawning fish at Peachland’s Hardy Creek Park. You stay at the Penticton Lakeside Resort and Casino on Okanagan Lake’s south shore for 2 nights. If you like casinos this is an excellent one. Next morning leave for the Kettle Valley Steam Railway. The train takes you along the hills overlooking Summerland and on to the Trout Creek Bridge, the highest on the former Kettle Valley Railway line. You will then have lunch on board the SS Sicamous, the beautifully restored lake steamer on the beach in Penticton. This is followed by a tour to a local winery after which you will return to your hotel for the evening. The next morning your group will depart for Osoyoos where you will see one of the best model railroads anywhere (Osoyoos Desert Railroad). Then it’s off to the Grist Mill at Keremeos for a tour and lunch. You then take the Crowsnest Route, back to the coast with stops at a fruit stand and Manning Park Lodge. This ends a great circle tour through BC’s most interesting highlights.

FARES: $787 each based shared accommodation; Single Supplement: $ 183

th VANCOUVER ISLAND RAILFAN SPECIAL – Friday, September 19 – 3 days

You depart at 7:20 AM for the 9:00 AM sailing from Tsawwassen through the Gulf Islands to Victoria. You make a stop at the Butchart Gardens, and the Royal BC Museum and stay WCRA News, Page 13 overnight in a comfortable Victoria hotel. Saturday September 20: We depart our hotel at 7AM for a ride on the VIA Rail E&N Malahat Dayliner up Vancouver Island to the end of the line in Courtenay. We then bus transfer to a unique market and stay in Parksville by the sea for the evening. Sunday September 21st: We cross the Island’s central mountains to Port Alberni for a Steam train charter with photo runbys and tour Canada’s only remaining steam- operated sawmill. We stop at Cathedral Grove for a walk through the magnificent forest and return by ferry to Vancouver late afternoon via Nanaimo and Horseshoe Bay.

FARES: The 3-Day Tour: $396 based on shared accommodation. Single: $556

THE CANADIAN ROCKIES AND ALBERTA’S STEAM TRAINS - Tuesday, September 23rd – 5 days

Depart on VIA Rail’s Canadian at 5:30 PM in your comfortable sleeper. Meals included. Day 2: Wake up this morning in the heart of the Canadian Rockies following raging rivers and with any luck a view of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. At 11 AM you arrive in Jasper where you will have an hour to walk around, photograph a Mountain type steam engine and explore the visitor’s center and historic railway station. We arrive in Edmonton at 5:30 PM where we transfer to our hotel next to the West Edmonton Mall. Day 3: You will tour Edmonton today riding the impressive Light Rail system and later visit the West Edmonton Mall, the world's largest entertainment and shopping centre and Alberta's number one tourist attraction. At 2:30 PM you are bused to the Alberta Railway Museum which houses a collection of various railway equipment and buildings. Their emphasis is on cars and locomotives from the Canadian National Railways (CNR) and Northern Alberta Railways (NAR). At 4:30 PM you depart for an overnight stop in Red Deer, Alberta. Day 4: You depart the hotel at 8:30 AM for the Alberta Prairie Railway at Stettler, Alberta. Dramatic excitement behind a steam loco awaits you. All excursions include a full course buffet meal which is included in the fare, on board entertainment and maybe even a train robbery. During your journey on board the train to Big Valley you will travel through the beautiful rolling and treed countryside of Alberta's Parkland. Overnight in Drumheller. Day 5: An outstanding day today as you visit The Royal Tyrrell Museum celebrating the long history and spectacular diversity of life - from the tiniest grains of pollen to the mightiest dinosaurs. Set in the Alberta badlands, the Museum opened in September, 1985. About half a million people per year come to experience the power and excitement of some of the most remarkable fossil displays anywhere in the world, in Canada’s only institution devoted entirely to paleontology. At 11:15 AM you head for Calgary’s Heritage Park arriving shortly after lunch. This renowned park features street car and steam train rides, roundhouse and railway exhibits as well as a complete town site with buildings from the early days of Calgary. At 4 PM depart by bus to Light Rail (C-Train) to downtown Calgary then bus to hotel or local Hobby shop. (Options: Continue tour with Steam train to Vancouver below, fly out this evening from Calgary or take the Rocky Mountaineer to Vancouver. FARE: call for details.

WCRA News, Page 14 CPR STEAM THROUGH THE ROCKIES Westbound from Calgary September 28th or Eastbound from Vancouver on October 5th on 6 -day itineraries. These tours are once-in-a-lifetime escapes behind CPR Steam Locomotive Empress no. 2816 crossing British Columbia’s many mountain ranges in classic transcontinental coaches. Westbound overnight stops are made in Lake Louise, Revelstoke, and Kamloops. Eastbound is a “rare mileage” adventure with stops in Kamloops, Golden, Cranbrook and Lethbridge traversing the Crowsnest Pass. FARE: from $3995. Includes hotels, meals, transfers, one-way airfare to/from Calgary, admissions, and entertainment. Call for a detailed itinerary.

WHISTLER MOUNTAINEER RAIL-FAN SPECIAL— Monday, September 22 , 1 day You depart from your Vancouver hotel or Waterfront Station at 7:00 AM in a transfer coach that takes you to North Vancouver to board the Whistler Mountaineer service departing at 8:00 AM. Arrival in Whistler is about 11:00 AM where you will be transferred to the village centre for lunch and sightseeing. Your chartered motorcoach will pick you up at the village bus-loop at 1:45 PM for a drive down the scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway. At the West Coast Railway Heritage Park you will enjoy rail activities and interesting displays. Refreshments and a snack will also be available here. You depart the Railway Park at about 3:30 PM. Photo stops will be made at spectacular Shannon Falls and Britannia Beach before dropping you off at your pickup point in Vancouver.

SPECIAL FARE: $169.00. Limited seating, book early.

Remember: West Coast Rail Tours travel agency has IATA status so we can handle all your bookings for air travel as well as cruises, motorcoaches, hotel accommodations, ferries and — our specialty - rail. We ask you to choose us as your travel agent, as all of our tours serve as fundraisers for WCRA projects. Contact the tours office toll free at 1-800-722-1233, or locally at 604-524-1011. Better yet e-mail us at [email protected] (B.J.)

West Coast Rail Tours - The “Rail” Way To Go 374 PAVILION

374 PAVILION MONTHLY REPORT

The number of visitors recorded for March was 1,058 as compared to 889 for the same period last year. Year to date visitors at 2,961 remains well ahead of 2,139 recorded for the previous year. The increase in visitors so far this year is setting a good trend for 2008.

Turntable Plaza Project—The Roundhouse Facilities Committee held two public processes WCRA News, Page 15 to generate ideas on how to create a more dynamic, people place. The plaza has the potential to be a great public gathering place, a space for performances and a neighborhood hub. Partner and public input has been received and plans are being finalized as to change the historic Turntable so it becomes a vital urban Plaza in the heart of the neighborhood. The final submission will be made during the early part of May.

374 Pavilion 121st Anniversary Celebrations, May 18, 2008

Come and join us for the 121st Anniversary Celebration of the arrival of the first train to Vancouver which will take place this year on May 18, 2008. Celebration hours are Noon to 4:00pm. The 374 engine will be pulled out of the Pavilion (a once a year event) where she will be steamed so the whistle can blow. There will be entertainment for all ages, free birthday cake and a mini train operated by the West Coast Railway Association. Rides will be by donation. This is a great opportunity for all members to come and see what we are doing as the operation of the Locomotive 374 Pavilion continues to grow.

Volunteer’s Required for the 374 Pavilion—Please consider becoming a volunteer at the 374 Pavilion. There are openings available on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. Volunteers are the backbone of the 374 Pavilion. We would not be able to open and present the 374 pavilion without the help of our caring and enthusiastic volunteers. As volunteers you will have the opportunity to greet guests who come from all over the world to see the CPR 374 engine. Duties include: opening, closing the building and most important of all presenting the historical background of the 374 to visitors. Last year over 21,000 visitors came to the “374” and only through the efforts and dedication of our volunteer group were we able to accommodate them. We offer free parking and a very flexible schedule, either one day a week or two days a month whichever works best for you. If you are interested in assisting us and greeting a wide range of visitors please contact Jim Brown at 604-681-4403 or 604-985-7249 or e-mail at [email protected] (J.B.)

WEST COAST RAILWAY HERITAGE PARK Home of the Royal Hudson

STAFF CHANGES AT THE HERITAGE PARK

We are all just delighted to welcome Rod Jenkins as Manager, Railway Operations and Major Projects to our staff at the Heritage Park. Rod comes to us with a tremendous skill-set and a real dedication to rail, having spent 14 years at BC Rail achieving excellence in a variety of areas, including the running of Quality Assurance Programs, supervising heavy repairs, modifications and upgrades to passenger and locomotive cars; as well,

Rod has had experience in training and coaching as well as facilitating the Safe Start Program. WCRA News, Page 16

In what spare time there is, Rod can be found on the mountain as a ski instructor at Whistler. Again, Rod is bringing a considerable network to benefit us with contacts throughout the area. We welcome Rod aboard as he joins our Squamish Team. (S.S.)

At the same time, we wish Sherry Elchuk well as she moves on to new endeavours and leaves WCRA. Sherry has helped us tremendously in our development to this stage of our Squamish facility and we wish her well in whatever she does in her future.

HERITAGE PARK UPDATE

With March being the month for everything from St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Spring Break, and the Wild at Art, as well as the official opening of our newest exhibit – the model displays on the Skeena River, and unveiling the Patricia Anne with a small ceremony…we find it quieter here in April than it normally would be. We are using the days to work on “sprucing up” the place with displays being upgraded and cleaned and prep work being done in advance of the upcoming Clean Up Days.

In addition to our dedicated Mini-Rail and Speeder volunteers…Donna Fourchalk and her “gang” are busy with the Troop Sleeper Car; Trevor Mills is in the Archives weekly as well as the dynamic duo of Bill Marchant and Bob Hunter. Trevor has now provided us with the Collection Management Manual, which is segmented to include the Archives, Museum Collection, Library and Reference Collection…it becomes our new bible and indeed is a work of art in itself..Trevor, you area a treasure, thanks so much for this effort.

Dave Emmington was at the Park for a full 5 days and did a fabulous job of taking care of some of the key items that needed work, including the disposal of the rotting deck around the Scale House, making the farm equipment area safe for painting and the identification of materials that are to stay, be recycled or be disposed of. A big help, Dave and thanks!! And thanks to all our volunteers, you know we couldn’t do it without you. It’s a pleasure getting to know the hard-working staff here at the Park. Colin Powell says that an organization’s best asset is its human resources…he’s right!

Our congratulations to Sally Berry, who became a President’s Level Corporate Member this month. Sally is a new realtor with Home-Town Realty here in Squamish. Sally is a long time supporter and we are delighted she is on board as a new member.

Nick Monkhouse came by the Park this month and it was just great to spend some time with him and show him around…he was very impressed with our big ‘hole in the ground” …as are all our visitors. It is indeed a big area that will soon house our turntable and roundhouse, come on up and see it, you really don’t get the full sense from the drawings.

Magical things are happening and we are all a part of it….see you soon. (S.S.) WCRA News, Page 17 PRE CLEAN-UP ORGANIZING MARCH 31 TO APRIL 4

With our major clean-up volunteer weekend approaching, Dave Emmington came up to the Heritage Park for a week of pre-work and organizing—he files this report….

I enjoyed my sojourn at the Park and appreciate the help I received. I have summarized my activity, probably missed some things and would have like to accomplished more. I understand that Randy Lucas has agreed to supervise the volunteer cleanup weekend----- that's great. I hope to get up again in early May. A key plan of sorts has been left showing some details of contemplated work requests and some detail sheets on same. These have been discussed with Susan Steen and Rod Jenkins. I was very pleased and appreciative of the cooperation I received from all staff.

The decks around the Scale House have been removed and dumped. A new entrance “porch” has been constructed. Deck boards at other side have been placed (not nailed until gravel fill is placed under to prevent water pooling), Ueli has been asked for fill.

The NP Flat Car carrying Farm Equipment is ready for a pressure wash before the April 19 & 20 cleanup. The paint for this and the Scale House is in the Scale House with thinners and brushes. The NP deck has been made safe to walk but only able bodied and careful workers to do this improvement to appearance.

Ed Scott of Triton has agreed to remove scrap ($100 per ton)) for consideration and perhaps a few dollars in our hands. Worst case is break even and a cleaner site. Susan will order Triton’s bin for April 14 and Rod will endeavor to direct staff or volunteers to sort out the track material we need. 1,200 tie plates, 120 splice bars, some rail clips, turnout plates etc. at north end by yard lead. Triton will take the remainder and barrels marked with an orange T. Volunteers could pile the trash wood and pvc pipe for removal to the dump.

Several items between the RIP Track and Shop Track 1 are marked with an orange T, these items and items marked orange in BCOL 993043 can be dumped in existing bin nearby for scrap by Triton. When scrap removed, clear one end for shelving and loco dept tools. Hose bags to Triton.

Several piles of “Like with Like” have been started along the Shop driveway and the RIP Track. Dispose of wood waste and old tarps, Non metallic pipe TBD. Galvanized pie to scrap. Objective is to remove any steel not wanted from rack and place long lengths of steel found along the driveway. Demolish stair/platform next to steel rack and remove to dump. Lay 2 ties for plate steel storage. All plate steel and expanded metal in this area for ready access to shop.

Items marked RED---lightweight to boxcar (TBD) heavy weight on sleepers at 45 degrees to Shop Track 1 for easy access by fork lift. Rerailers, derails, draught gear, long shank coupler. All switch stands standing up on sleepers. All heavy machines on sleepers Suggest this WCRA News, Page 18 placement start from the big tree (leave room for future crossing of Shop Track 1 at the tree).

Bulkhead Flat Car------confirm which Steam Generator is wanted------the one on the car rebuild date is JAN 96 and appears in better shape than the one at MP1. Its date is JUN93 and the frame is badly damaged. Triton will take the one we don’t want. Triton has tentatively agreed to scrap the big white loco tender as well.

Lastly, the lamp standards at the north end are available for disposition for value (not certified for public domain but are useful on private property and storage compounds). The street light fixtures in the area of the turntable/roundhouse lead tracks are surplus to our needs

This should make a very good start at our major site cleanup. (D.E.)

FILMING AT THE SITE

Thanks to Dave Thompson, a member of the Spirit Committee in Squamish, who brought over a small film crew to the Heritage Park while Wild at Art was operating. Some of the footage shot will end up in a film presentation shown at British Columbia House during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. (S.S.)

ROUNDHOUSE PROGRESS

A picture is worth so many words—here is just one of 35 truckloads of concrete from Cardinal Concrete of Squamish, being poured for the footings for the new roundhouse and Conference Centre. This work has now been completed, as has the next layer of concrete foundations for the walls of the new structure.

(Photo by Tomo’o Oshikawa) WCRA News, Page 19 SKEENA RIVER BECOMES THE PATRICIA ANNE

Many of you who have visited the Heritage Park in the past year will be well aware of the great work done by Chris Forget and his team in transforming the former empty coach into a fabulous HO Scale model railway layout. On March 16, 2008 the car was formally dedicated and opened to the public as a new display at our site.

Chris Forget arrived at the Heritage Park in November of 2005. He had just completed a cross Canada trip and was recently widowed, and he wanted to volunteer on a project. When he ticked “other” on his volunteer form, he was asked what his interests were and he said model railroading. We had a empty and derelict car—would he be interested?

Thus the project to take CPR lightweight coach #2280 (built Angus Shop in 1949 for coach service on the Canadian prairies, and later being used in BC Museum Train service in the 1970’s as the Skeena River) was born. Our crew of Randy Shimell, Randy Lucas, Trevor Mills and Chris completed the gutting of the car, the rebuilding of the interior and the replacement of the windows in one month. Tomo’o Oshikawa did the wiring and the project was off. As we have reported, the model railroad took shape quickly under Chris’ leadership and creativity.

On Sunday afternoon, March 16 a small crowd of incited guests and family were in attendance for the official unveiling of the car. At 1400 hours, Don Evans introduced the events to the crowd, and the unveiling of the car was ready to be done. Chris and his sister in law Betty did the honours, and no one had a dry eye as the car name was unveiled as the Patricia Anne— Chris’ late wife. WCRA News, Page 20

Chris then said a few words about how the project had come to be and what it had meant for him over the past year, and we adjourned into the car to see the trains run on the new layout. Five trains were operating simultaneously, the Rocky Mountaineer held one of the man tracks around the whole layout with a BC Rail freight on the other. On the south end in the mountains was a BN freight while a BC Hydro train ran at the north end (photos by Don Evans).

After a good demonstration run, the group adjourned inside the Mac Norris Station for a private reception with Chris’ family (who were in awe of what had been done).

It was a great afternoon and a great and lasting tribute to someone we all wish we had known.

Thanks to Chris for his fine work, thanks to all who worked on the project with Chris, and thanks to all the family members who came to join in this unveiling and to celebrate the new model railroad that all of our guests will now enjoy.

WCRA News, Page 21 FEATURE ARTICLES

WILD AT ART CREATES A GREAT WEEK FOR THE HERITAGE PARK

It was a week of everything all rolled into one—the Wild at Art community festival for 10 days, Spring Break week with the children out of school, and Easter Weekend at the end of the stint. It all made for a very busy week at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park, but it also allowed us to show off our very best to good crowds with a myriad of activities to the 5,000 guests that visited during the ten day period.

Friday, March 14—the Carshop at the Heritage Park opens as Wild at Art’s main gallery for the ten days of the festival, Where Wild Things Art it is headlined. A opening reception is

attended by the Squamish Nation, MP Blair Wilson, MLA Joan McIntyre, and Councillor Mike Jensen on behalf of Mayor Sutherland. Speaking on behalf of the festival was Carolyn Grass, and on behalf of WCRA President Don Evans said words of welcome. More than 40 artists exhibited in the gallery, and there was live entertainment on the main stage in the building throughout the week. As for the carshop, it looked great as an art gallery! (photo)

Saturday, March 15—the first full day of the festival gets good weather, and several main attractions at the Heritage Park. The most noticeable is the operation of the Royal Hudson, which operates for both Saturday and Sunday, the sounds of its whistle echoing around the Squamish Valley for the first time since 2007. WCRA News, Page 22

The train departs hourly from 1100 through 1500, and patronage is good at $10 a ride. Consist is #2860 and tender, coach WCXX 5596 Paul D Roy, and open observation car WCXX 598 Henry Pickering. Departure is from the north end of the Heritage Park, and the train proceeds out of the park, across Government Road and down Track 7 to the south end of the Squamish yard. The ride allows the Hudson to open up once clear of the switches and gives a ride that passengers are very happy with. WCRA News, Page 23

(Mark Liggins, Andy Faris with Craig McDowall in the cab, Nora McDowall photo)

Cab rides are also popular—even at $75 per person for this experience. All who went were delighted with their first hand steam experience, thanks to the fine work of engineer Mark Liggins and fireman Andy Faris. Thanks guys!

Adding to the day was a great beef barbecue put on by the Rotary Club of Squamish. The huge roasts of beef were over the fire by 0700 on both Saturday and Sunday, and the resulting beef sandwiches were delicious. The huge fire pit was set up just north of the Howard Lyttle Park, and the serving and fixings were handled on the patio of The Beanery. Sales were good and the resulting proceeds benefitted both the Rotary Club and the Heritage Park. Thanks Rotary!

Mini Rail was also busy throughout the week, and typically operated with two trains in service. Our stalwarts on Mini Rail operations were all there, led by Darcy Nelson and his team. The Garden Railway group with Galen Olsen, Chris Forget and the gang, was also busy all week, and the garden railway was enjoyed from the vantage points of both the mini rail and the Royal Hudson train! WCRA News, Page 24 Monday, March 17—Things settled in for the week, crowds were still good as many came to see the gallery and ride the mini rail. An new attraction on Monday, Wednesday and Friday were speeder rides, on the mainline, thanks to Craig McDowall and his motorcar.

Saturday, March 22—The final weekend gets underway. It has been a great week, but lots remains and the crowds on the final weekend are strong. The rail headline for today are Budd Car rides to downtown Squamish and back. The train will make four round trips, departing the Heritage Park at 1100, 1300, 1430 and 1530 with return trips from Squamish 30 minutes later. The train consist is RDC-3 BC 33 and RDC-1 BC 21, with the 33 headed north. This is the first operation of a train onto the Downtown spur and into Squamish since 2006, but is a great illustration of how the Heritage Park can connect sites during a community festival. Today, a block of Cleveland Avenue is closed as a live festival venue and the tracks along Loggers Lane are right there.

Crewing the train are Owen Simpson and John Holliday (qualified CN train crew) and along for the first couple of trips is CN Trainmaster Emanuel Crump III. With CN Clearance in place, the first train departs on time and heads out of the Heritage Park, down track seven of the yard, and onto CN’s Pass Track towards downtown. Here we switch onto the downtown spur and curve across Cleveland Avenue, then follow Loggers lane to Winnipeg Street where the festival is operating. Here our passengers disembark (see cover photo) and others board.

The trip operates without too much trouble—we discover one new road sign erected that is too close to the tracks so it has to be moved by the crew a bit. On board crew of Don Evans WCRA NEWS PAGE 25

and Jett Lee keep the passengers happy, and Tomo’o Oshikawa is along for maintenance (thankfully as he is needed!)

The trips are well patronized at $5.00 each way, and the heaviest load is on trip 2 where more than 70 passengers are aboard the two cars. However, problems with BC 33 emerge on the second return trip when a fuel filter leaks in the Auxiliary Power Unit and it has a driveshaft issue, so it is cut out on arrival back at the Heritage Park and BC 21 handles the last two runs alone.

Back at the Heritage Park things are going full out again, food this weekend is provided by the Squamish Lions Club and the hamburgers and hot dogs are well enjoyed on both Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday night it all comes to a close, and things are done except for the taking down of all the set up.

Thanks to Wild at Art for choosing the Heritage Park as its gallery venue, thanks to all the volunteers who chipped in to help with this community event. Thanks to Sherry Elchuk, Susan Steen and all the heritage park staff who did a great job with an exciting and busy week. Thanks to CN for working with us to provide the Budd Cars on March 22., and thanks to both the Rotary Club of Squamish and the Squamish Lions Club for their provision of great food both weekends.

RIDING THE RUPERT ROCKET - by David Walker

VIA's train number 6 departed the Fairview station at the B.C. Ferries terminal at precisely 08:00 hrs., Friday February 22, 2008. My wife Laura and myself were scheduled to be riding this train between Prince Rupert and Jasper and return for the next four days. Via unit WCRA NEWS PAGE 26 number 6412, day coach number 8125 and Jasper Park dome, number 8711 completed our consist. It was interesting to note that at no time in our travels did we see a container train coming to, or leaving from Prince Rupert during this four day period. I understand that these trains move mainly during the night.

Our first stop was at Tyee siding where we had to wait for an on coming coal train. Our wait was quite short and we were once again headed off to Terrace. We arrived in Terrace ten minutes late but departed right on scheduled at 10:20hrs. The Skeena River was well covered with ice as is usually the case at this time of the year. Kitselas Canyon was quite dramatic with its "mountains" of ice. The weather for the whole trip was absolutely stunning for the four days. The skies were blue and partly covered with large white clouds, and very mild.

We encountered three meets with either coal or grain trains between Prince Rupert and Prince George on the Friday. Interestingly enough, with all three meets we had no sooner pulled in to the siding, when a headlight appeared in the opposite direction. As a result our longest wait was about ten minutes. As it turned out all of our meets for the four days worked out amazingly well.

Very clever with the four lined tunnels between mileage 121.9 and 122.8. All CN had to do was to remove about half the ballast under the rails and there was enough clearance for the container trains. One does notice though the ride is a bit on the rough side through the tunnels but nothing serious. The engine crews tell me that they notice a bit of a "dippity- doo" with the locomotive as they approach the tunnels. The locomotives with the relatively short wheelbase make a bit of a dip as they approach or leave the last tunnel in the group. As a passenger in the long wheel-base coaches one does not feel a thing.

There are now several of the two mile sidings now between Prince Rupert and Prince George and it appears to me as though this is one of the reasons that our meets were so good. CN crews tell me that that two mile long sidings are also planned for "Skeena" as well as "Sockeye" sidings.

With all the flooding problems at Telkwa encountered last spring, we noticed two very large back-hoes building a berm. I would estimate it to be about six to eight feet high along the Bulkley River at this location. The berm seems to be quite substantial so it will hopefully work well for the upcoming spring thaw. As I said earlier, the first of four days journey concluded about twenty minutes early in Prince George. A cab took us to the Best Western Motel. It was then off to White Spot for a late supper followed by a good nights sleep back at the motel.

Day two, Saturday, February 23rd., our day started off with train #6 departing Prince WCRA NEWS PAGE 27

George on time at 07:30hrs. We loafed along most of the day, stopping of course at Penny B.C. to drop off Her Majesty's Royal Mail. With CTC now in place and operating between Prince George and Harvey B.C., there is now no need for an operator at the Hansard Bridge at mileage 99.1. Even the trailer once occupied by the operator is gone. Oh well, such is progress !

Our day progressed so well that we did not stop at McBride and continued on to Jasper arriving over an hour ahead of Via #1 west. This gave Laura lots of time to head for the craft shop in Jasper and load up with some quilting supplies. As always, we stayed at Whistler's Inn directly across the street from the Jasper station. There was hardly any snow on the ground in Jasper. In fact there was a cross country ski competition scheduled for the weekend, however it was cancelled due to a lack of snow. Kinder-Morgan is in the process of laying a new oil pipeline through Jasper. While the area currently looks like a bomb landed on it, Kinder-Morgan claim that by the time they are finished with the project in the park, no one will never know they were there. We'll see.

Day three, Sunday, February 24th., our departure time from Jasper was 12:45hrs. Mountain Time. Our consist for Via #5, included the same two cars as on #6 the previous two days, but included unit 6421 on the head end. The trip west started with a beautiful view of Mt. Robson. The mountain was clear all the way to the top with beautiful blue sky as a backdrop. The tourists loved it. Speaking of tourists. a tour company in Jasper is selling train tickets to ride Via #5 from Jasper to Harvey, it takes an hour and a half. These people disembark the train at Harvey and a motor coach picks them up for a leisurely return trip to Jasper for the rest of the afternoon. We had fifteen riders on board our train for the Jasper- Harvey tour.

The train stopped at McBride for a few minutes to allow some of the tourists to pick up a little something from the artists cooperative at the old CN station. The station has been rejuvenated quite nicely. At Loos, CN is in the initial stages of constructing another two mile siding. There are now several of these mega sidings between Prince George and Harvey. There is also another mega siding at mileage 17.1 west of Prince George under construction.

At mile 122 west, Giscome B.C., things got a little interesting on the train. As we approached Giscome, we were confronted by a flashing amber board followed by the steady amber board. We cleared the highway crossing only to be staring at a red board on the main. Unusual I thought, to be stopped on the main. I had not finished my thought when out of nowhere we are faced with locomotive headlights headed in our direction. Not good I thought !

A CN freight with two locomotives heading east from Prince George was going in the hole WCRA NEWS PAGE 28 to let us by when both locomotives stalled. Half of the train was on the main line while half of the train was on the siding. The dispatcher asked us to disconnect the VIA locomotive from #5 and go to the assistance of CN a mile or so ahead of us. So, with all the necessary paperwork completed, our locomotive passed the red signal and went to the aid of the stalled train. Meanwhile CN crews had managed to restart one of the locomotives, but that was not quite enough to move the stalled train. So, our locomotive went nose-to-nose with the stalled train. Between the Via Locomotive and the operating CN locomotive, they were able to pull the train off the main completely and on to the siding. Our locomotive reversed back to the highway crossing, connected to our train and we were off to Prince George once again. This time we included the engine crew of the stalled CN train as well. Even after rescuing the stalled train we still arrived back in Prince George on time.

Monday February 25th. we departed Prince George at 08:00hrs. headed west for Prince Rupert. We made great time all day with no major delays at all. The Nechako River seems to be back to normal. the river was clear of ice from Prince George for four miles. For the next three or four miles, there was large patches of free running water within the frozen river. From about mile 10 and beyond the river was frozen solid.

The rest of the day was very uneventful as our train wound it's way west to Prince Rupert. the only other excitement happened later on in the evening when we rounded a curve just west of Cedarvale. The locomotive headlights found a back packer standing between the rails jumping up and down waving his arms frantically trying to stop the train. He jumped off the tracks, the train stopped, he climbed on board. I hope the passenger attendant talked to him about this business of standing between the rails while flagging a train is not a great idea. He, along with about fifteen others got off the train at Terrace, and the last ten or twelve of us carried on to Prince Rupert and home for us.

In summary, this was a great trip and we cannot think of a better way of spending four days. We have made this trip several times. Spring, Fall and Winter are the best times to make the trip as the fares are quite reasonable. The train was well patronized particularly heading east. We left Prince Rupert station with thirty one passengers and picked up another twenty from Terrace going east on Friday. Even during the month of February we had visitors from all over with us. They were all thoroughly enjoying themselves.

About the only downer on the whole trip was the unburned droplets of oil from the locomotive landing on the forward window of the dome car. It certainly did not enhance the view from the dome. Hopefully, after the fleet of locomotives compete the major rebuilds they are currently going through, this will eliminate this annoying problem.

For a nice relaxing four day weekend, take a ride on "The Rupert Rocket". It's the best kept secret in the north. WCRA NEWS PAGE 29

The “French Boys” in the Squamish Valley, 1911 - 1916 – Laviolette, McIntyre & Leveque Logging Co.

We are fortunate to have a number of transcribed interviews with various people dealing with this period (1910s-20s) of local history. These were mainly done under Squamish Public Library auspices in a few projects in the early/mid 1980s, when most of the photos in the Library collection were assembled also. It is exciting to piece together these materials and sort out events, relationships and bigger context.

In ongoing Historical Society efforts in planning future exhibits for our planned Sea-to-Sky Forestry Centre, two major themes among several we have identified for treatment focus are: "Railway Logging Era" (from HS&PVN to end of Merrill & Ring operations in 1940), and "Squamish as Gateway"/"Forest Products Transportation".

We will be delighted to continue a colaboration and information-sharing with the WCRA concerning especially these themes of local history. Conversations with WCRA archivist Trevor Mills and much material found on your website have already been very helpful.

Eric Andersen, Squamish Historical Society

In March 1909 four young men from New Brunswick arrived in Vancouver: Arthur McIntyre, Amedy Leveque, George Laviolette and Fidelle Laviolette. They almost thought they were in heaven, it had been a mild winter that year in Vancouver. The grass was green and the daffodils and tulips were out. Arthur McIntyre went to Squamish where his brother John was working; Fidelle Laviolette went with him but Amedy Leveque and George Laviolette went to Powell River which was expanding and homes were being built. They stayed there until the fall of 1910 when they decided to join the other two in Squamish. – Sybil Leveque, “The Poker Game”. Hiballer Forest Magazine, September 1969

The French Boys, as everyone called them, were very well liked in the Squamish Valley. They were called French Boys because they came from Quebec [actually, New Brunswick] and spoke French. They knew very little English. My Aunt Edith told me there were “quite a bunch” of them and I think they were four young men. They used to visit the Judds and take some of the older girls to dances. Aunt Edith taught them some English but she said they never taught her any French “as she could run too fast”! – Philip Judd, Judds of the Squamish Valley - Volume Two, 1991. Pgs. 87-89

The school teacher, Mr. Frank Young [from Nova Scotia], taught them enough English so they could do their business. They came to the valley around 1911 and [John and Arthur McIntyre] logged the land north of Mr. Jones’ house (where the Barnfields first lived by WCRA NEWS PAGE 30

Photo left, Harry Brightbill and Amedy on logging engine, courtesy Squamish Library.

Leskie’s Crossing) as contractors for Norton and McKinnon who operated the Newport Logging Company. The French Boys had a logging camp near Mr. Jones house, according to Mildred McDonald. – Philip Judd, Judds of the Squamish Valley - Volume Two, 1991. Pgs. 87-89

John McIntyre and Arthur had that logging outfit when we come here [in 1912]. The other fellas were working for…Norton & McKinnon…. Amedy was braking…. Shorty Laval was the locomotive engineer… Arthur was working with John McIntyre across from the highway, logging. Had a camp of their own. Were across from the highway a year or so after we come. John [McIntyre] was married and had a big family and moved up north…up to the Cariboo somewhere. – Scott MacDonald (1986 interview) Above, giant Spruce logs on flat cars, courtesy Vancouver Public Library

Arthur was still with his brother, John, but Fidelle was working for Norton & McKinnon of the Newport Timber Company as engineer on the locomotive carrying the flat cars of logs. Amedy and George both started to work as brakemen on the same locomotive in the spring of 1911. The size of the logs they carried made the four young men from New Brunswick ambitious to start logging on their own. – Sybil Leveque, “The Poker Game”. Hiballer Forest Magazine, September 1969 WCRA NEWS PAGE 31 The Poker Game

After working a year or so for the Newport Timber Company, McIntyre, Leveque and the two Laviolette boys approached a Mr. Barbour who was logging across the river, regarding the purchase of a donkey engine that he was not using at the time. But he was not selling. As always they played poker in camp and the stakes were high. The French boys, as they had started to call McIntyre, the Laviolettes and Leveque, usually joined the game along with others in camp. – Sybil Leveque, “The Poker Game”. Hiballer Forest Magazine, September 1969

Old Al Barbour left one over there, across the river. And they wanted to know if he wanted to sell it and they said he might as well, he wasn’t gonna log anymore, but no….And they got into a little poker game on the boat. They always got into a poker game on the boats. I think they owned the donkey when they got to Vancouver. – Scott MacDonald (1986 interview)

Scott McDonald told me that they had no steam donkey but were able to get one from Mr. Al Barbour, who had just finished using the machine across the Squamish River. Apparently Mr. Al Barbour got into a poker game with them on the boat to Vancouver. By the time they got to the city, the French Boys owned the steam donkey! – Philip Judd, Judds of the Squamish Valley - Volume Two, 1991. Pgs. 87-89

Al Barbour always joined these games. His luck had not been good but he couldn’t resist playing. This particular night Amedy Leveque had played, lost what money he had with him and drew out of the game. But he continued to watch. Fidelle had been working long hours and he felt tired and sleepy when he sat in on the game. When the cards were dealt him he would doze off and Amedy Leveque would give him a little shake and say “wake up Fidelle, look at your cards, look at your cards.” And he had luck and Al Barbour continued to lose, and to lose to Fidelle. Around the table went the bids and they were high. Al Barbour still played on and he was quite heavily in debt to Fidelle so at last he decided to quit. Turning to Fidelle he said. “You can take the donkey engine that you wanted in payment of my debt.” That was how the four young men from New Brunswick started logging. Fidelle talked it over with his brother, George, and Amedy and Arthur. They agreed to put in money and a partnership was formed under the name of “Laviolette, McIntyre and Leveque”. – Sybil Leveque, “The Poker Game”. Hiballer Forest Magazine, September 1969

The North Yards Logging Show

A Mr. [Billy] Snow of Squamish had acquired some timber from the P.G.E. Railroad and in 1913, Laviolette, McIntyre and Leveque got a contract from him to log the timber off for $7.00 per thousand. Amedy always said that as they started in 1913 on the thirteenth day of the month and thirteen men in camp including themselves, it was lucky for them. The timber WCRA NEWS PAGE 32

Photo, Pacific Great Eastern “North Yards” shops around 1914, note PGE Carshop on far left of photo. SPLibrary.

they logged was in the area where the railroad shops now stand. Well, they were in business, but the logging was different from anything they had been used to in Eastern Canada. They hired three fallers from Vancouver and also some local men, among whom were Bert Rae and Scott McDonald both of Brackendale. – Sybil Leveque, “The Poker Game”. Hiballer Forest Magazine, September 1969

High-Lead Logging Experiment

According to an article in the July 31, 1984 edition of the Squamish Times newspaper, the French Boys were the first logging people to use High Rigging to haul their logs to a landing. This method of logging used a spar tree and the cable from the donkey engine through a block located near the top of the spar tree lifted the logs in the air so they did not drag through the soil or hang up on stumps as easily as ground-hauled logs did. – Philip Judd, Judds of the Squamish Valley - Volume Two, 1991. Pgs. 87-89

The partners decided they wanted to rig a tree; a spruce five feet at the butt and about 70 feet high. Arthur McIntyre first went up the tree, no spurs, and chopping branches off as he went. When he was tired, Amedy Leveque went up, finished chopping off the branches, topped the tree and hung the two guy lines and blocks. – Sybil Leveque, “The Poker Game”. Hiballer Forest Magazine, September 1969

They claimed the first one was the…when they were logging they put up one guyline. Put the block on that side. And they figured that was about the first time there was ever a high rigging…. Well, they were just putting up a guyline. It wasn’t really high rigging. I wasn’t rigged up a tree and all that. But they figured that was the first start of …the high leading. – Scott MacDonald (1986 interview) WCRA NEWS PAGE 33

Next Logging Show at Leski’s Crossing

Of course food wages etc. cost a lot less than they do today, and Laviolette, McIntyre and

Leveque did fairly well. They moved to another section of timber nearer to Brackendale in the spring of 1915.

– Sybil Leveque, “The Poker Game”. Hiballer Forest Magazine, September 1969

After finishing logging the old [Yekwaupsum] Indian Reserve, the French Boys logged land across the slough west of the school near Leskie’s Crossing and then they had a bigger logging show on the west side of the main Squamish River where Ted Baynes built his cabin in 1891. – Philip Henry Judd, Judds of the Squamish Valley - Volume Two, 1991. Pgs. 87-89

The French Boys logged next up at Leskie’s Crossing. They got a piece of timber up there and they put a spur in there and logged all that flat off there. Across from the hop ranch, across the tracks. …There was all ground yarding, I think, in there, yeah. – Scott MacDonald (1986 interview)

The Christmas Party, 1915

Christmas time - they’d put up a big Christmas tree that time, one year. All the kids going in the school and the little ones all got little presents of some kind. …[They got the hall and] somebody’s horse and sleigh and hauled [Barnfield’s] piano down to the hall. And the next day they’d take back home. – Scott MacDonald (1986 interview)

There was an Englishman living here then, Jack Workman by name and he was sort of a caretaker for Merrill & Ring holdings long before they came in to log off their timber. He could sing old ballads. I remember one in particular, “The cabin with the roses ‘round the door”, and he would leave the stage and later come back in black facer and in true darky style sing “Poor Black Joe” and “My Old Kentucky Home” etc. I only tell these things to emphasize how everyone did his or her bit to give pleasure to their fellow man in the true spirit of Christmas. There was no thought of taking pay for any type of entertainment then, everyone worked together and worked hard so that everyone had a good time. After the gifts were handed out and there was a little trinket for every adult and child there, the floor was cleared and there was dancing for a while. Refreshments served and we all went home vowing we’d had the best Christmas party ever. – Mildred MacDonald, “Scenes of my Childhood” In The Story Our Mountains Tell

After Squamish

The four partners logged together for many years. Amedy Leveque started on his own in 1924; Fidelle Laviolette left later to start the Echo Bay Inn at Echo Bay [Guilford Island]. He WCRA NEWS PAGE 34

passed away in 1978. George Laviolette had left and moved to Lumby in the Okanagan where he now lives. Arthur McIntyre retired from the logging business in 1949. He passed away in

1950. Amedy is now in the hospital, he had a stroke in 1957 and was forced to give up the logging that he loved.

- Sybil Leveque, “The Poker Game”. Hiballer Forest Magazine, September 1969

RAILWAY NEWS

MOTIVE POWER NOTES

Observed at Thornton, March 11 Illinois Central 6052, Kansas City Southern 4X95 in grey and Norfolk Southern 2751, March 13 CP 9777 / 8888, March 14 CSX 4758 / 4792 as a paired set, March 15 Norfolk Southern 9608, March 18 GTW 5948 in green with yellow stripes paint, March 19 NS 9608 again, March 20 IC 6009, March 25 IC 1035 and CSX 7703, and March 26 Illinois Central 6030. (R.D.C.)

The following SD40-2(W) at Woodcrest shop were sold. They had their CN markings painted out, and AMWX (American Motive Power Inc., of Dansville N.Y.) spray painted on the cabs. The units sold were 5247, 5256, 5297, 5314, and 5332. (TJ)

CN Locomotive Sale - As of March 12, 2008, the following locomotives appeared in a CN tender document to be found on a website at http://tinyurl.com/26u9aj. Units up for sale are: BCOL RS18 607, 610; SD40-2 758; CN GP9u 4014; SD40-2 5259, 5285, 5364, 5365, 5371, 5374, 5382, 5387; DMIR SD38AC 202; 206, 869; SD38-2 203; SD38AC 206; SD40-3 416; GTW GP38AC 4997, 4998; WC SD35 2500. All of the above are listed with "Wheels and TM" (traction motors) and additional components removed. Also for sale: CN SD50 5413, 5420, 5421, 5422, 5442, 5446, 5447, and 5456, which will have the following parts removed: all of the modules, the auxiliary generator and blower assembly, radio and IDU, event recorder and AR11/CA7 6 TM combos. That could make the SD50`s listed as good as scrap. With the amount of hardware removed, there is little chance for them to run again.

SD70DCe (SD70M-2) modifications: CN 8806 has been spotted with a retrofitted radiator end. Changes include horizontal louvered intake grills for the dynamic brake as well as a similar louvered door on the long hood under the rear backup light. As built it had vertical louvered side grill and a mesh grilled rear door. These changes may have come about as a way to rectify problems with the units ingesting a lot of snow in trailing unit status, and thus the changes to the air intakes likely minimize this problem. (TJ)

The latest arrival of GEs are the second use of the 2300-series. First glimpses of the next order of ES44DC's (2300-2301 arrived March 18) from GE indicate there are a few subtle exterior WCRA NEWS PAGE 35

changes from the previous order. They included the rectangular 4 sided front windows, (gone are the 5-sided "tear drop" windows) and the reversion to the older style thin vertical grills in the access doors under the radiators. The previous orders had huge square open-mesh grills. As well the latest units have a relocated rear backup light which is now horizontally mounted

above the sand fill box. They also are fitted with rear-facing trumpets on the horns on top of the long hood. This five trumpet horn, with four of the trumpets facing the long end, meets FRA regulations. The configuration first appeared on the CP 8700's. (TJ)

STEAM ANNIVERSARY—50 YEARS AGO

It was 50 years ago when CN’s last steam powered train officially departed Vancouver. It was March 22, 1958 when 2-10-2 #4320 headed east from Vancouver and crossed over the Fraser River bridge at New Westminster, then headed east.

However, there is a later sighting of steam leaving Vancouver, unofficial I suppose, but a very reliable source (Ernie Plant) reported a steam train east on May 4, 1958….. (A.I.)

NORTH VANCOUVER CHANGES

It's looking a little closer to the end for the BC Rail passenger station in North Vancouver. Crews have dug a big hole in the ground east of the depot and north of the tracks, in the area where the BC Rail had a short spur that they used to keep the inspectors motor car on. The dirt from this excavation has been piled next to the depot in the area where the taxis used to wait for passengers off the trains. The freight house is looking quite ratty as well. Also noted that the rails leading to the ferry slip have been removed and track realigned. (K.S. / J.M.)

CP TESTS SD70ACe UNITS

Canadian Pacific recently tested a pair of BNSF SD70ACe units (9385 / 9337) across its system in Western Canada. While they were based out of Winnipeg, they did make at least one journey west and were sighted on train 401 along Kamloops Lake and through the canyons to Coquitlam.

How well did those BNSF SD70ACe's on loan to CP do? It is reported in some circles the test went really well. Initially, there was a problem with slow speed pulling but after an adjustment to the software they are reported to have pulled "like crazy". The units worked between Winnipeg and Saskatoon on the north mainline, crossing three river valleys in Manitoba with grades of up to 2%. The weather was cold with -20 as the daytime high and into the -30's at WCRA NEWS PAGE 36

night with wind-chill into the -40's and -50's common at night. This combined with the typical prairie blowing snow and ice crystals. Then as everyone knows, the pair made a trip out to

Coquitlam and back.

But they never seem to ask the crews ... some of whom found them very noisy and slippery on wet rail. CN crews have also found their SD70M-2s noisy as well, none of which are equipped with isolated cabs. (TJ)

SRY HANDLES DETOURS FOR CP

Southern Railway of British Columbia was handling detour trains for Canadian Pacific during upgrades to bridges on the CP Mission—Huntingdon line. While the line was down, SRY ran an extra freight out of New Westminster in the morning to Huntingdon to handle CP—BNSF traffic for interchange at the border in the valley. (B.M.)

ANNACIS MARINE TERMINAL FOR SRY?

A story in the Globe and Mail in March says that SRY has long term plans for a marine terminal on Annacis Island. This would relieve the line of the costly and time consuming operations to Tilbury Island where the marine terminal currently sits over the joint CN / BNSF line. SRY and Seaspan would very much like a directly controlled access to their terminal.

E & N UPGRADE PEGGED AT $104 MILLION

The needed upgrade for the E & N line on Vancouver Island has been pegged at a cost of $104 million, reports Island news sources. This is almost triple the initial costs put forward initially by the Island Corridor Foundation, which owns the line. The new estimates are put together by both the ICF and Southern Vancouver Island (SVI) and would bring the line up to good operating condition for the future years.

VIA MALAHAT

VIA’s Malahat service has run frequently with two cars—RDC-1’s 6135 and 6133. (B.M.) On a recent visit to the island, however, your editor saw the train a couple of times, each time with #6135 only, but with good passenger loads aboard. WCRA NEWS PAGE 37

OTHER NEWS

UNION PACIFIC ROUTE STARTS TO RE-OPEN

OAKRIDGE, OREGON — Limited Union Pacific freight train service may resume as soon as Saturday (late March) on Union Pacific’s north-south Oregon line if the weather holds as crews rebuild a rail bed scoured away by January’s massive Frazier landslide.

Union Pacific officials declined to guess when full freight and Amtrak travel will return, because of unpredictable weather and a moisture-soaked debris pile. “Until we’re beyond weather challenges, we’re not going to be (giving) a set date. You will see some train movement in the evening, but the work is far from over,” Union Pacific spokeswoman Zoe Richmond said.

The landslide thundered down Coyote Mountain on Jan. 19, wiping out 1,500 feet of track in one place and another 150 feet farther down the mountain where the railroad switches back on itself. The slide occurred about 8 miles southeast of Oakridge on Willamette National Forest land. Union Pacific officials estimated that 2.3 million cubic yards of debris and 700 million board feet of timber cut loose from the mountain in the 64-acre slide. Since then, freight trains — about 15 a day — have detoured either through Bend or as far east as Salt Lake City, while Amtrak canceled its Coast Starlight passenger train service between Seattle and Los Angeles for several weeks before filling the gap with its bus service.

Cleaning up a landslide usually involves taking the rubble from the top of the slide and using it to buttress the bottom, or toe, said Bill Van Trump, assistant vice president of engineering and maintenance for Union Pacific. But the ground was too saturated to be usable, he said. “It’s not very good for construction. … So we’ve had to move that out and move in good rock to build the railroad grade,” Van Trump said.

Van Trump has been overseeing the cleanup effort, which includes crews that have ranged from 150 to 200 people and 100 machines — back hoes, earth movers, dump trucks, locomotives and rail cars capable of dumping their loads and carting away the mucky mess.

He estimates that crews have moved 400,000 cubic yards of debris, and figures that they’re a little better than halfway done. On Monday, under a sunny sky, crews laid the final tracks and will spend the next couple days ballasting them — packing in gravel — Van Trump said.

Mountains of dirt 80 to 90 feet high stand above the tracks and still need to be moved. Crews will do that work during the day, with rail cars ferrying debris away to a nearby site where the dirt can be stored. Those locations include sediment fences, berms and filtration systems to keep silt from moving into nearby streams, said Chip Weber, the Willamette forest Middle Fork District ranger. WCRA NEWS PAGE 38

If the weather holds this week, Van Trump expects freight trains to begin the north-south run by Saturday. Trains currently being routed through Salt Lake City will be the first to return,

Richmond said. Running them at night will allow work crews to continue cleanup during the day. They’ll travel through the slide area at 25 mph, normal track speed at that section of the

line because of the curvature of the tracks.

Officials will wait until much more of the cleanup is complete to estimate when train traffic will return to normal. They declined to say just how much the cleanup has cost but confirmed that it has been millions of dollars. (Eugene Register)

BNSF 1724 GOES SOUTH

BNSF SD-9 #1724, a regular at New Westminster and the BNSF unit that operated with the Royal Hudson in April of 2007, was towed south after a water pump failure in March. (B.M.)

ALBERTA RAILWAY MUSEUM DESIGNATED

The Alberta Pioneer Railway Museum has received the status of “AMA Recognized Museum”, reflecting the museum’s efforts in making it a significant and unique contributor to the railway history of Alberta. (H.D.)

WEST COAST EXPRESS FEMALE CREW

In what is believed a first, an all female rail crew operated a West Coast Express schedule in March. The CP crew was Conductor Sandra McCartney and Engineer Brenda Watson. Company records indicate this to be the first all female train crew in passenger service on CP in both Canada and the US. (CP NEWS)

CANADA LINE TRAINS OPERATE

The first operation of a train on the new Canada Line, which is under construction between Richmond and downtown Vancouver, occurred in early April on the Airport branch of the new line. The new trains, built in Korea, can be seen from the Oak Street bridge at pretty much any time at the maintenance base located on the Richmond side under the bridge. (J.V.)

WCRA NEWS PAGE 39

ON THE REAR COVER

For your enjoyment this month, we present two photos by the late Bob Gaevert (a long time WCRA member) of WCRA’s former CPR FP7A #4069. The top photo shows the locomotive in Montreal commuter service at Grovehill station, Lachine PQ on October 2, 1967…. the ser- vice where 4069 completed her CPR life before moving on the become VIA Rail 6569. In the lower photo, we see 4069 with sister unit 4070 at the Montreal roundhouse on September 30, 1967. We expect Bob may have been to Quebec to ride the final run of the 1967 Expo Ltd.

CREDIT LINES ISSN 1204-072X

Vol. 47 Issue 5 Editor Don Evans Distribution Jeremy Davy & Donna Simon

Contributors: J.B. Jim Brown R.D.C. Ryan Cruickshank H.D. Herb Dixon J.D. Jeremy Davy D.E. Dave Emmington A.I. Arthur Irving B.J. Bill Johnston B.M. Bill Marchant J.M. Jim McPherson K.S. Ken Storey S.S. Susan Steen

TJ Tempo Jr.

Send contributions to the WCRA PO Box, direct to the editor at #28 - 2133 St. Georges Ave., North Vancouver, B.C. V7L 3K5, on the Internet to , phone news to (604)988-3435(res) or fax to (604) 986-7660. Check us out on the Internet at

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TRIVIA ANSWER

Cary Grant asks Eva St. Marie Saint in MGM’s 1959 motion picture “North by Northwest” Published monthly by West Coast Railway Association ISSN 1204-072X PO Box 2790 Stn. Term., Vancouver, B.C., V6B 3X2 Vol. 47 Issue 5

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