Riding the Rails, Heritage Park, Calgary, 1990

 ... but it's a dry heat!

It was early August and we were driving to Calgary in three days in a 1989 Volkswagen Fox with no air conditioning. After leaving Brandon that morning, we had our planned 'shower stop' at Swift Current where it was 30 degrees C with a strong wind. And then it got hot. 

Near Walsh, Alberta at 16hr it was 35 degrees Celsius. I took this photo as a salute to everyone who had ever been in Palliser's Triangle in this kind of weather. 

And to celebrate the fact that we were having this authentic 'Canadian experience'.

*  *  *

Calgary, Heritage Park

A striking sight at Heritage Park was CPR 5931, built by MLW in 1949.

Were it not for the streetlights growing from the tender, this would be a sure winner in any railway photo contest!

Here are a few things they hid under the semi-streamlining ...

I will not store my priceless artifact out in the weather ...

I will not store my priceless artifact out in the weather ...

I will not store my priceless artifact out in the weather ...

*  *  *

A 1989-built replica of a Calgary streetcar.

Weather report: The weather was quite pleasant in Calgary.

*  *  *

CPR 76 was originally a Langdon and Shepard official car. 

It was at Craigellachie in both 1885 and 1985. 

Someone's always got to pretend he's Van Horne, eh?

*  *  *

While Upper Canada Village reflects life in Canada circa 1867, Heritage Park shows life in the west as fossil fuels and western agricultural settlement were in their ascendency. For those of us interested in the recent history of industrialization, Heritage Park is probably more interesting. And, as you are already observing, there are more things which run on rails here.

The 2024 is an 0-6-0 which was originally built for the US Army in 1944 by Lima.

Kids can state that they've seen and ridden behind a real steam engine after visiting.

*  *  *

A 'country elevator' is another interesting piece of history which the park offers. The two artifact interpreters we encountered were both 75 years old and spoke with authority on their subjects. At the grain elevator, our host said he was from Woodrow, Saskatchewan (During a previous vacation, we had been to nearby Assiniboia). 

He also said that Swift Current water has a laxative effect because of all the minerals in it. 

We had consumed a whole jug of it after our Swift Current stop on the previous day.

We described our genuine Canadian experience in the heat of Palliser's Triangle and he uttered a supportive 'Bless your hearts.'

*  *  *

Speaking as an older person in 2024 I will say ... 'When I was a young man, we didn't have YouTube. We couldn't just "log on" through a "telephone modem" and see a 'hit and miss engine' working any time we wanted! So we had to take "still pictures" on "film" and have them "developed" if we wanted to remember what one of these engines was like!'

Our real interpreter said these engines (which often powered remote country elevators) were initially run with kerosene and water - until kerosene became too expensive, and then gasoline was substituted as a fuel.

*  *  *

from: Canadian Farm Year Book; 1913; The Farm Press Ltd.

Here are a few advertisements from that era for similar engines.

I've been promoting this film this week ...

Grain Elevator (NFB, 15 minutes, 1981) on YouTube

*  *  *

After posting, Jim Christie found the instruction manual

for the operation of this particular type of engine

and where and how to install one ...

Brantford "Ideal" gas and gasoline engines : instruction book

*  *  *

Of course there are many photos featuring the train!

And then we went to the oil derrick.

Once again, a 75-year-old interpreter does a great job telling us about the artifacts. In this case, this was the type of 'steam-driven pile driver' drill that he worked on when he started in the oil business in the 1930s. It would take 2 years to drill 6000 feet. 

I did a quick check ... in some cases, this depth can be drilled in 7-10 days today. But, of course, it depends on many variables.

As part of his interpretation of 'the human experience' of being a roughneck, he held a 15-pound sledge hammer vertically in his outstretched arm. Then he slowly brought the hammer's head down to touch his nose with it.

Oil, The History of Canada's Oil & Gas Industry; Ed Gould; 1976; Hancock House.

Imperial Oil's Leduc No 1 in February 1947

just before it 'blew in'.

An oil deposit which becomes a 'gusher' 

because of natural gas pressure

'blows in' when the deposit is tapped.

No smoking, please.

*  *  *

A simulated shallow-draft steamboat gives visitors the experience of another important form of transportation used on the lakes and rivers of western Canada. You can spot a couple of details showing the CPR 'branding' of the boat.

from: Canadian Pacific, The Story of the Famous Shipping Line; George Musk; 1981; David & Charles, UK.

CPR's 800-ton Moyie worked on Kootenay Lake from 1898 until 1956.

*  *  *

And, of course, another photo of the train!

The 1939 Royal Tour - Part 5 - Winnipeg to Victoria

Briskly, briskly we make our way across the broad prairies and travel into the foreboding mountain ranges, as the Royal Tour of 1939 completes its travel on the CPR system at Victoria, British Columbia. The following pages come from a presentation style book prepared by the railways for participants and the press. Earlier sections of this series can be found under the heading 'Royal Train of 1939' by pressing the "Railway Technology & Systems 04" index button above.

As usual, the standard railway maps are repeated and enlarged to better show detail.

The account begins before Winnipeg and at the end of this post, the first page of the return trip on the CNR is previewed.


As this is posted in early 2020, First Nations blockades of Canadian railways are in the news. Aspects of Canadian history as it was interpreted 80 years ago contrast with our greater historical literacy today.

This post contains fewer anecdotes from the trip, however one story gives us a perspective on life on the Prairies as it relates this event. Cast your mind back to early automobile or horse-powered transportation on Prairie dirt roads at the end of the Great Depression ...

After travelling for hours and hours some well-wishers would finally find themselves trackside along the CPR. After the tracks were unusually quiet for a while, the pilot train carrying the press and some officials would pass. Half an hour later, a headlight would appear down the tracks and excitement would build as the presence of the speeding Royal Train established itself. In seconds, the locomotive and cars roared and flashed by the small crowd. The King, Queen, Prime Minister, any recognizable politician or official ... none could be seen through the windows or on the rear platform of the train. The train quickly faded into the distance and everyone quietly began their long, long journey home.

I have always been interested in the following enterprise.
Finally, here are the photos which go with its mention on Page 75.

from: Commercial Canada; Ed: Fred Cook; circa 1913; Redman Book Co.

Commercial Canada; Ed: Fred Cook; circa 1913; Redman Book Co.

The plant was closed in 1957 and destroyed by fire in 1962.
However, here is the best 'current' Google view of the one surviving kiln in 2012.

Unused postcard, Calgary circa 1940.

Canadian Geographic Journal; July 1939.

Even though their day at the Banff Springs Hotel was supposed to be a well-earned day of rest,
the King and Queen still had to pose for photos, including some with Prime Minister Mackenzie King.

Apparently, the CPR 2850 deadheaded Banff to Calgary for
pre-planned shopping during this day or so that the consist didn't move.

An unused postcard circa 1920.

The CPR's odd assortment of tourist accommodations at Lake Louise can be seen.

Canadian Geographic Journal; July 1939.

The King and Queen tramp up the ballast and receive a floral presentation at Beavermouth.

Canadian Geographic Journal; July 1939.

Canadian Geographic Journal; July 1939.

Having hauled herself up into the cab, the Queen always conveys the idea
that you are making this the best day of her life.
It looks as if the King is behind her.

The royal couple rode in the cab of the Selkirk
up the helper grade from Beavermouth to Stoney Creek.

An unused postcard circa 1925.

The map is repeated above for your convenience and pleasure.

Canada - Descriptive Atlas; circa 1933; Minister of Immigration and Colonization.

The ornate map above can supplement some of the descriptive text.

Unused postcard.

Construction started on the Lion's Gate bridge in 1937 and it cannot be seen on this hand-coloured postcard.

Imperial Royal Canadian World Atlas; 1935; Geographical Publishing Co, Chicago.

Some 'ad wizard' must have come up with the name for that US-published atlas (image above).

CPR 1950 Prairies to Banff

My father's September 1950 'Third Vacation' while working for the CPR (at this point in the office of the Auditor of Passenger Receipts) took him across Canada via the CPR, and down the west coast to Portland, Oregon via the Great Northern. 

A previous post looked at his daytime photos on No 7, Kenora to Broadview .

*  *  *

This post covers part of the next day of his trip - from somewhere near Gleichan (GLEE shan) to Banff (Ban-F-F sorry). The improvement in weather, the distinctive prairie landscape, and his first contact with the Cordillerans resulted in his taking a great number of photos. 

I have chosen to exclude many photos which show only individual mountains. Today's trackside mountain views are virtually unchanged from what we photographed in the 1980s ... 

In the old days, things were always better. As an example I know, west of Banff, Castle Mountain was started in 1858. It was replaced by Mount Eisenhauer in 1946. But, in 1979, they moved the Castle Mountain back. Maybe this was done because Mount Eisenhauer wasn't getting 'likes'. History Reasons: I think he worked as a general in The War and The Hippies didn't like it.

It is unclear whether the two photos above are before sunset after Broadview

or 

between sunrise and Calgary.

*  *  *

The establishment above is particularly picturesque, with its two wind-driven well pumps.

They could also watch steam-powered trains passing all day.

There is a photo defect to the right near the horizon.

However, the trailing clouds of smoke are from the locomotive.

Carseland, September 1950.

Carseland, October 2014; from Google.

On Tuesday, September 12, 1950 the grain stooks await the threshing machine.

Just east of Calgary, these storage tanks and refinery towers seem to be on the north side of the tracks.

*  *  *

The Calgary Terminals employee timetable is from the same 'time change' period as my father's trip and passenger timetable.

" Train 3 from Toronto (ahead of Train 7) was about to leave. 

Stopover included replacement of a Hudson by a Selkirk "

As you can see above, the timetable allotted 30 minutes for the Calgary stop.

The front of  CPR's Calgary station.

My father's Train 7 may be at the left.

CPR 5429 pulls an eastbound past my father's just-added open observation car with a nice, clean stack.

CPR 7910, Vancouver, July 1952; Stan Styles. Collection of LC Gagnon.

The CPR had 16 open observation cars in this class and they could not be interchanged with US railroads.

Most of the trains listed below had them regularly in their consists.

Above and below: 

" 1232 with No 4 "

*  *  *

West of Calgary

CPR 5440 eastbound.

The grill is a cattleguard. In old photos from eastern Canada, you'll notice that railway-built wooden cattleguards and fences were present across the sides of many rural crossings to block off the right-of-way to crossing cattle. 

Cattle would have a natural aversion to stepping on an unnatural, difficult, potentially painful footing.

Before internal combustion vehicles were commonly available to transport large livestock ... driving herds along a road would be the most common method of getting them from point A to point B. 

In the early 1960s (from personal knowledge), some dairy cattle in Quebec were still driven to barn from pastures for twice-daily milkings via a public road.

Today cattleguards are no longer necessary at rail crossings. The cattle find it more convenient to work their way through the railway right-of-way fencing.

" Bow River "

The field in the foreground may be in summer fallow.

My father in silhouette.

The photo above is not labelled.

Here is the Laggan Sub so you can check the meets as they occur.

Canmore.

" The Three Sisters "

Still on the Bow River.

The fence at the left seems to be designed to discourage deer and other Cervidae.

*  *  *

Station stop at Banff.

You'll notice significant interest by both engine and train crew members in the front left running gear here and farther below.

No 7's crew is signing for some form 31 orders here.
Note the 'dome bus'.

The photographer is photographed.

Sign:
IT IS

DANGEROUS

TO FEED

THE BEARS

The 'aerial' on the cab is part of the water spout equipment.
A similar man with a light suit was present the last time my father had his picture taken, above.

" The track ahead "

Neither in the old UCOR nor in the subdivision footnotes could I find an explanation for the silver poles with 'signal style' finials. They may mark the fouling points for track circuits.