Two locomotives roll into Railtown
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 49° 29.342 W 117° 18.090
11U E 478164 N 5481865
Took a quick run past the Nelson CPR Station-Visitor Centre today and what should my wondering eyes behold, but a couple of locomotives.
Waymark Code: WMVCM0
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 04/01/2017
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member lumbricus
Views: 2

There are two diesel electrics in front of the station which have been put on display very recently. One is this "CPR", No. 7009, built by Fairbanks Morse in 1958, and never actually owned by CPR. The other is CP 4104, a C-Liner, which was built for CPR by the Canadian Locomotive Company in 1954. 4104 is presently still wrapped tightly in a large tarp.

It was waaay back in 2012 that the Nelson Chamber of Commerce began negotiations to have the two engines brought back to Nelson for display. This came to pass on the morning of November 19, 2012, when the two rolled into town. Work on restoration of the CPR station had at that time just begun and would not be complete until 2016 so the pair went into storage. Sometime after the summer of 2016 the locomotives were rolled to their display positions in front of the station.

Several newspapers ran stories on the happy reunion of Nelson and its locomotives, the Nelson Star article of is the one which appears below.

Two locomotives roll into Railtown

by Will Johnson - Nelson Star
posted Oct 12, 2016 at 11:00 AM

Choo, choo!

Chamber of Commerce executive director Tom Thomson couldn’t be more thrilled about the two historic Fairbanks-Morse diesel locomotives coming to Railtown, but there are community members who’ve got him beat in the enthusiasm department.

“There’s a real buzz in the train fanatic world,” Thomson told the Star, describing how he walked into his office one day to find a former engineer of one of the trains pacing in his office.

“There are people who are constantly keeping track of where these trains are going, where they’re moving to, and they are so happy this display is coming to Nelson.”

According to Thomson, the trains travelled the Kootenay mountains and routinely came into town for servicing.

The two trains, CP 4104 and CP 7009, boast design elements that will impress onlookers.

“Both locomotives are painted in the popular Canadian Pacific Tuscan and grey paint scheme, which in their day matched the standard colour of the passenger trains travelling through Banff in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s,” reads a historical profile provided by the Chamber. “The deep wine red colour is still used today.”

Local artist Thomas Loh collaborated with the City of Nelson and the Chamber on creating a landscaping plan outside the revitalized CPR station building in Railtown, and work has already begun to lay tracks for their arrival.

“These units are privately owned by a gentleman in Vancouver, but the Chamber will become their stewards and people will be able to enjoy them right in front of the building. We’re looking at doing a little restoration and painting work, and we may even build a viewing platform.”

The static display is part of a plan that involves more signage, bike racks and landscaping that will lead up to a grand opening in the near future.

The Chamber is also working on final tenancy agreements for the bottom floor of the CPR building, aiming for them to move in sometime in 2017.

The trains should be installed within the next month. They’re currently being stored nearby in the train yards on the other side of the tracks. To transport them they will build temporary rails.
From The Nelson Star
Type of publication: Newspaper

When was the article reported?: 10/12/2016

Publication: The Nelson Star

Article Url: [Web Link]

Is Registration Required?: no

How widespread was the article reported?: regional

News Category: Arts/Culture

Visit Instructions:
Give the date of your visit at the news location along with a description of what you learned or experienced.
Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest News Article Locations
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
wildernessmama visited Two locomotives roll into Railtown 07/08/2017 wildernessmama visited it