Nostalgia & History > A Vancouver signal memory

I have only been there once. This was back in July of 1988.

Adam

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Oh; ... the "other Vancouver" ...

Rick

We always called it "Vanwash" to distinguish it from the real Vancouver.

KG

I call it "The First Vancouver" because I get to it first as I drive north. But it's also first because it's older and for a train watching spot, I'd have a hard time not calling it "first".

Stan Praisewater

There we go...as I requested earlier, a shot looking north showing the other two cantilever signals that didn't last much longer after this shot was taken.

Nice shot Adam, thanks for sharing.

Kent in Carmel Valley

It was a long time icon for many railfans.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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Vancouver, Washington was named so 29 years before Vancouver BC. It was derived from Fort Vancouver, a Hudsons Bay trading post established at the mouth of the Columbia River.

Vancouver BC was not initially the western terminus of the Canadian Pacific, Port Moody (about ten miles east) was.

Both Vancouvers celebrate Captain George Vancouver, a British Navy officer who mapped much of the Pacific Coast.

Captain Vancouver persuaded Captain Juan de Fuca to have Spain drop any claim to what is now the Pacific North West in an encounter between two warships in English Bay, now part of Vancouver BC.

Both "Vancouvers" had Alcos' in their past so I like both. I do not like any reference to the "real Vancouver" as there is no such a thing. When I see a BNSF or BN shot it could be either. When I see UP, I know which Vancouver is being talked about hence my response.

I wonder what would have happened if BC would have left Confederation with the late arrival of the Railway? Then there might have been two "Vancouver, Washington's". Now that would have been confusing and Canada would have had one less NHL franchise.

Rick

Phil, I appreciate the history. I have been to both Vancouver's (Wash and BC)but did not know the history. Thank you! wag216