While on a business trip to central Newfoundland, I found these sitting outside the still in use station at Whitbourne (now the city hall). I was not expecting anything so was quite pleased to see this string. It includes a plow, the locomotive, two passenger cars and the caboose.
Interesting photos, but what is the status of the equipment?..Looks like CN heritage, but I don’t recognize the locomotive, the cab seems unique, is it a local shop rebuild? I recall that there was at one time in that part of Canada [Canadian Maritimes] a narrow gauge operation, but know little beyond that. Is this equipment abandoned? There seems to be no track beyond the caboose in that photo? Please give us some more details, Thanks.
Yes, narrow gauge. The locos are GMD NF210, built 52-60, total of 47 units. 1,200 hp built special for CN’s narrow gauge line on the Rock.
This unit is less its prime mover and like all the rest of the equipment in rather poor shape up close. They are being kept painted but that is about it.
Thanks, Pathfinder;
Any plans to do anything with this equipment, such as get under cover, or incorporate it into a local museum? I would think that this narrow gauge operation was at the very least, important to the development of the area, seems a waste to let it melt away.
I was there on a Sunday and no one was around to talk to. I agree, they have more than I thought I would see and it would be a shame to let it go.
Some more info here
And what looks like a good preservation effort here
Corner Brook was too far for me to travel while I was there.
http://www.hhm.k12.nf.ca/museum/index.php?page=railelements
"Freight train service continued across the province until 1988. In December of 1987, the Province and Ottawa agreed to the closure of the Newfoundland Railway because of the lack of use, in return for a payment of $800 million dollars for road improvement. On June 20, 1988 it became official that the island’s railway would cease operations as of September 1, 1988.
Today most of the tracks have been removed with the exception of ones at historic stations"
(Cut and Paste from above website)
http://www.cornet.nf.ca/web/rsn/
Interesting websites:
I wonder if the people got their $800Millions worth of road improvements for loosing their rails?
Thanks, again Pathfinder, for the info.[:D]
In 1968 I went on a Maury Kleibolt (Chicago RR Club) exursion from Chi to St. John’s and back, and rode an upper berth both ways on the Newfy Bullet. Gauge was/is 3’-6". not 3’. Great trip, and we had the use of a business car at the rear as an observation car. The narrow gauge diner served regular CN high-quality meals. Passenger service ceased about a year later.
There are small bits preserved all across the province. Unfortunately, much of the equipment, even what you saw in Whitbourne, is suffereing from vandalism. Funny you should post about it, as it doesn’t come up that often. I was there this summer. The following is a copy of what I had posted elsewhere regarding the trip, and also has some links to info on the railway itself.
As far as “CN heritage”, CN took over the line in 1949 after Newfoundland joined Canada, as part of teh agreement regarding Confederation. At that time they repainted the rolling stock in CN colors. Towards the end of the line, it was changed to “Terra Transport”.
As you may remember, we made a trip to Newfoundland this summer, and I’m just now getting around to editing my photos and writing up some notes. Thought I’d share a few thoughts about the trip. I was born in Newfoundland, but not raised there. And I’ve never been all that interested in the history of the railroad there until I started preparing for this trip.
To give a quick, condensed summary of the Newfoundland Railway, suffice it to say that it was built between 1881 – 1898. It was narrow gauge, built to 3’-6” gauge. About 550 miles of mainline from the capital, St John’s to Port-aux-Basques on the southwestern coast.
Includin
Thanks Ed, that is great stuff!
I only had a few hours on the drive up/down form St. John’s to Grand Falls (where I was working for the week) to take in what I could. With so little time and so much to see, the train stuff was a bonus side trip that I just stumbled upon. Your trip was way better!
And I want to go back, with the family, to see what else there is. Got to go to that 1,000 year old Viking village they have.
Nice work Ed.
There was a video around about the last days of railroading in Newfoundland. Forgot which company made it. If I remember correctly a lot of equipment was sold to South America, the Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway in Chile I think.
Greetings,
Marc Immeker
Thanks for sharing Ed. That was very interesting.
There is a Yahoo Group that specifically dicusses the Newfoundland Railway:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nfld_Rwy/
A good bunch of people to have a discussion with. [:D]
I too am from Newfoundland and might be able to help with some questions, espescially those regarding operations in Port Aux Basques.
Some of the equipment has been preserved and a recent visitor has posted pictures on the Classic Trains General Forum.
Here’s the link to my post over at Classic Trains with lots of photos of a walk-thru of CN’s ‘Caribou’ narrow gauge equipment.
It is likely ruined for most purposes in the wake of the great never-was-something-better-named Oath conversion. I believe they have migrated to the groups.io platform; try NfldRwy.groups.io
I have posted some of the 1968 trip photos on the thread in the Classic Trains Forum.