CNR Cattle Car - Kamloops, BC - Static Train Cars on Waymarking.com

CATTLE CAR AND CABOOSE

Description of Historic Place
The Cattle Car and Caboose are examples of early rolling stock, now situated off Seventh Avenue in Kamloops. The Caboose consists of an original rail car with tongue-and-groove wooden cladding and a steering lookout. The Cattle Car consists of steel and wood construction, with a sliding door on the side. The two cars are situated on a railway siding.

Heritage Value
The Cattle Car and Caboose are a valued as examples of the Canadian Northern Railway’s (later Canadian National Railway) rolling stock and serve as a testament to the railway’s importance to the economic development of Kamloops. The Caboose dates to 1912 and is one of only fifty such cabooses still extant in Canada. The Cattle Car is a boxcar, used to transport cattle, and is of an unknown date. The Canadian Northern Railway line was run to Kamloops in 1915, enabling the business community to prosper with an abundance of employment opportunities. The railway allowed passenger transport, and also facilitated the mobility of goods, such as livestock, which in turn, benefitted trade in the region. Kamloops was established as a divisional point for the CNR, a place where trains exchanged crews, resulting in a permanent railway worker population. In 1919, the Canadian Northern Railway was incorporated by the Dominion Government with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway to form the Canadian National Railway, further enhancing its importance as part of a national rail network.

Additionally, the Cattle Car and Caboose are significant for their links to Kamloops’s thriving cattle ranching industry, which was established in the early 1860s and was a fundamental component of the local economy. Initially, pioneer settlers were drawn to Kamloops by the prospect of gold; however, many soon discovered that the local terrain and conditions offered ideal conditions for cattle ranching. The area was home to some of British Columbia’s most successful cattle ranchers, who were recognized for their long trail drives and large ranches. Kamloops later became the headquarters of the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association, established 1929, and the B.C. Livestock Association, established 1943. The CNR facilitated the movement of cattle and strengthened Kamloops’ position as the center of the cattle industry in British Columbia.

After six decades of service, the cattle car and caboose were withdrawn and presented to the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce in 1970. The two cars were used as tourist information booths on the Yellowhead Highway until 1982. They have subsequently been restored and now sit on a railway siding on land owned by the City of Kamloops.
From the Kamloops Heritage Register