I was just given an old photograph of the old roundhouse and turntable located at this town site. The roundhouse is a large 16 stall complex with the exterior in stone.
I knew that this was an important point as this is where the 2-10-4 Selkirks were based to assist with the famous Spiral Tunnel to Revelstoke.
Isn’t a 16 stall roundhouse rather large? I had assumed that something that large would be located in the large terminals in the major Cities.
Personally I don’t think 16 stalls is too large. It all depends on the number of locos living there, and how many locos would use that terminal as a maintenance/refueling stop during the course of the day.
The Spiral Tunnels are to the East of Field and Revelstoke is quite a-ways to the West (about 300 KM). There are no Spiral Tunnels to Revelstoke, but rather the Rodger’s pass between Golden and Revelstoke.
David B
Revelstoke was still a major helper terminal. The 16 stalls would have been just enough to service the helper and incoming locomotives. Compared to the CPR John Street roundhouse in Downtown Toronto, which was 28 stalls around, it was not at all “rather large” [:)].
davidmbdard
I guess I should have been more specific, I was in fact refering to the Calgary to Revelstoke in general. Field being the Divisional point between which was in essence home to the 2-10-4 Selkirks.
And of course the Spiral Tunnels being inbetween
Thanks for pointing out the
For those interested in the CPR and the Spiral Tunnel history.
Rogers Pass, named after Major A.B. Rogers, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Bowman_Rogers
[:)]
Man is that area amazing! One day I’m going to railfan those tunnels or better yet take a train ride through them. How is the snow fall in the winter on those tunnels? Do they still get trains through on that line? Does anyone model that line?
Trains through winter and summer, lots of tunnels and lots of snow sheds and LOTS of snow, it’s a pretty large area to model, I’m sure someone who likes mountains has tried. Go in the summer as there are lots of Campgrounds close to the tracks if you like trains all night grinding up the pass.
Took this snap of the yard at Field BC in May 07. It is still a busy terminal. I wonder if the radial markings in the foreground are reminants of that roundhouse. I did not see any roundhouse when I was there.
I did see the old water tower, it still stands.
I was staying in Banff for a few days and took a field trip to Field BC (It is a very easy there and back in one day kinda trip, with a stop over at Lake Louise just because). If you do that, be sure to go on the “old number one” and avoid the super busy TransCanada highway. On the old number one there are plenty of train-spoting points. The Spiral Tunnels has a small interprative centre, complete with model (smaller than Z) of the tunnels.
One more travelogue tip, you can’t go to Field and not eat at the Truffle Pigs restaurant. (It is a very tiny village to begin with so other choice is limited). But this place is one funky to the max restaurant and general store. Anything but ordinary menu. I had the Bison Burger, big thick and juicy, just the way I like 'em. http://www.trufflepigs.com/
There are more pics of my Field Trip in my Gallery at Scalerailsonline.com
You could also check out the town’s own webpage: http://www.field.ca/about/ There is a snap of a train in the spiril tunnels on that website. And a little history, very little.
They sure do! Do you got $3000? Google Rocky Mountaineer.
David B
Great photos, brings back a lot of memories of climbing in the area in the early 60’s there was a lot of railway action here then, and guess who never took any photos??? met lots of railway guys in the local beer parlour and had a few beers too, a lot of people in town were CPR staff and it was a true railway town, still is, wish they would have left all the buildings it woud be like a museum now. thanks. Field is not that far from Calgary, 1 hour from Banff, 10 minutes from Lake Louise----have a nice trip and stay on the old number 1 (Johnsons Canyon road) from Banff to Lk. Louise.
Ah the demise of rail passenger service. When I was a teenager I used to ride the regular passenger route from Vancouver to Calgary every year. Another great route was the CN passenger service from Vancouver to Edmonton via Jasper, Alberta and the Yellowhead Pass through the Rockies.
Best thing was the price. For the overnight trip (18 hours) one paid $19.99 to sit up in a coach. A lower berth in the combination berth-roomette car was $27 or so…that was the best seat in the house because you could sit and chat when the berths were changed over to seating…not shut up in your little roomette…and the lower berth with its window was amazing for viewing in the early morning as one woke up in the Rockies before breakfast call.
With a berth ticket one also got to eat in the dining car (still had linen table cloths and true silverware…and always halibut with toasted almonds) and access to the observation car and bar. In coach, one could only order sandwiches.
However, on the trip from the west coast to the east, the spiral tunnels were always reached early in the morning darkness, partic. in winter.
Through the Yellowhead, one used to wake up around the town of Blue River in the Rockies under immense snow falls at Christmas holidays…unforgettable.
You can only travel as a passenger on this route between Vancouver and Calgary as a tourist paying the rail tour company Rocky Mountaineer which, I believe, leases the right of way from Via Rail…and yes, you will be paying thousands
I believe, the Royal Canadian Pacific also takes that route. However, that won’t be cheaper…
As to modelling this area: It seems, there once was Mike Hagarty’s Laggan Sub. AFAIK, the layout was torn down some time ago.
Harry
P.S.: I’ve been following this forum for quite a while in read-only mode. Since this seemed to me the first time I might be able to contribute something, today I’ve decided to register. Being in the early stages of building my first layout since childhood (if you could call it a layout what I had back then…), this won’t be my last post although I will probably be asking more than being able to answer anything.
More specifically, Field was, and is, a division point. All division points had extensive engine servicing capabilities. My grandfather worked out of Field as a brakeman during the Depression. Field was also, of course, at the west end of the “Big Hill” that the Spiral Tunnels did away with.
David
Yup, that’s where the old roundhouse stood. Correct me if I’m wrong, anyone, but I think that water tower is (was?) used for the town, not the railway.
For passenger travel, you have 2 options. First is the Rocky Mountaineer (Expensive!) and the Royal Canadian Pacific (Even more so!!) however, I was lucky enough to ride on an excursion from Golden to Calgary behind 2816 for only $125!
Regular trains run through still, 20-30 trains a day. Snowfall is abundant, as this photo shows - It’s only November, and there’s already 2 or so feet of snow on the ground! http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=165796
As for the original question, as was stated, Field was a division point, so it needed a large roundhouse. As you may or may not know, in steam days they changed the engine at every division point (At least in this area) and you had to be able to service each and every one of those engines, plus the handful of pushers assigned to the hill itself.
Any more questions you have, feel free to ask me. Local expert and all [:P]
When you go (not if) don’t forget to look up, you are at the bottom of a serious, steep, narrow valley, when in town look around on both sides for the mines that operated here years back, they are located a long way up the sides of the valley and on the town side you can still see the wooden walkways they used to get from one level to another, I think there was a cable tramway to get the men up there and not sure how they got the (coal?) down. It is now off limits to climb around theses old mine entrances but they are easily seen from town or the highway. There is also lots to see around this area for scenery, along with a bunch of trains.
Found this posted in the YAhoo CPR group. Is was posted by Doug Phillips and give an overview of the CPR Divisional points between Calgary and Kamloops.
"February 1, 1899 Laggan NWT opens as first division point west of Calgary
replacing Canmore NWT, which is closed. CPR division facilities at Donald BC
are moved to Revelstoke. Calgary becomes a terminal, closing Gleichen and
Canmore as division points.
WESTERN DIVISION (ref: CPR TT
Supplement 2 to 37, Feb 1, 1899).
Medicine Hat to Calgary Crowfoot Section
Calgary to Laggan Calgary Section
PACIFIC DIVISION
Laggan to Revelstoke Mountain Section
June 5, 1910 CPR Sections are renamed Subdivisions.
WESTERN DIVISION (ref: CPR TT 6 dated
June 5, 1910).
Medicine Hat to Calgary Calgary Subdivision
Calgary to Field Laggan Subdivision (note: Spiral
Tunnels not yet opened).
PACIFIC DIVISION (ref: CPR TT 17
dated June 5, 1910).
Field to Revelstoke Mountain Subdivision
Revelstoke to Kamloops Shuswap Subdivision
Kamloops to North Bend Thompson Subdivision
North Bend to Vancouver Cascade Subdivision
September 10, 1909 Field BC is “established” as first division point west of
Calgary replacing Laggan Alta.
WESTERN DIVISION (Ref: CPR TT
Supplement 2 to 4, Sept 10, 1909).
Calgary to Field Laggan Subdivision
October 19, 1916 the Calgary Subdivision is renamed the Brooks Subdivision.
August 9, 1914 CPR’s Gleichen Cut-off (Gleichen Subdivision) opens as a
main line, making practically double track between these points,
Gleichen-Shepard via Caresland, 41 miles by one line, 45 1/2 by the other.
The Gleichen Cut-off , 40.84 miles, actually opened and was authorized for
traffic on June 24, 1914. TT Supplement 1 to 15 dated August 9 put trains
13/14 via the shorter route. Trains 1/2, 3/4 and 515/516 operate via
Strathmore.
Hi,
there is a HO model railroad that models the spiral tunnels from the CPR. It is portable and huge for the trains are-if memory serves me correct-50 plus cars long. I believe the gentlemen that have constructed the layout live in Alberta. Been trying myself to get more info on this layout but no luck. Maybe someone on this forum has more information.
Frank
HAH! The layout is in limbo. He brought it to the train show one year and couldnt get it to run more than once. Since then, he has put it on the back burner (there are even rumors of it being dismantled and rebuilt).
Just an FYI, there are ALOT of layouts up here in Alberta that feature the Spiral Tunnels in one form or another.
David B