Steam & Excursion > 1882-vintage 4-4-0 on the Prairies

The Prairie Dog Central Railway operates on an ex-CN branchline just a bit northwest of Winnipeg, Manitoba (CN actually still owns the first few miles of the line) and runs a tourist train, which is sometimes powered by an ex-CP 4-4-0. PDC 3 was built in Glasgow in 1882 by Dübs & Company for the Canadian Pacific Railway, its first number was CP 22.

These shots are from September 3rd of this year, showing the 11 AM departure from Inkster Junction just before leaving and just after leaving. Unfortunately the line heads northwest, not ideal for the sun angle at this hour. The good news is the return trip is done in great light, but by then I was off shooting VIA 1 on CN's Rivers Sub.

Michael Berry

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4-Builders plate.

5-Oliling around.

6-The rear of the train at Inkster Junction.

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She's a beauty.

That boxcar behind the tender is new since I was there. Do you have any idea what its function is?

They could ditch the stack and headlight, but it's a nice looking outfit.

Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> They could ditch the stack and headlight, but it's
> a nice looking outfit.


It's RUNS!

Posted from Android

What a great-looking locomotive!!  And I LIKE her stack and
her headlight!   NICE shots, Michael!

She has had at least one new boiler -- in 1909 -- since she 
was made in Glasgow, Scotland in 1882.  Wikipedia says
"It has undergone a complete frame-off overhaul, including
the manufacture of a new boiler." but the Wikipedia piece 
did not say when that was done.  That Wikipidia piece may
have referred to the `909 boiler, or a later one, but I cannot
find any reference to any later boiler replacement on the #3
on the Prairie Dog Central Railway website, which has a lot
of info on this fascinating old locomootive.

I now see what Frisco1522 was talking about, with her stack and
her headlight.  Her present look is a combination of the many ways
she has looked in the past 134 years.  If they wanted her to look 
like she did as delivered in 1882 (well -- as she looked in the oldest 
photo of her anyone can find, which was taken in 1886). then they
would have to go to the trouble and expense of having replicas,of
her 1886 domes made, as they look a lot different than the ones she
now wears.  The 1886 photo shows cylindrical domes with flanges
partway up, and they may have been made of brass (or bronze? Not an
expert at all in this field!)  But, IMO, that would not be worth the expense.
She looks pertty good now the way she is.

But, yes, she could be put back into her 1959 appearance -- straight stack 
and small headlight placed just above her smokebox, but with the same
cowcatcher as she wore back in 1923.

Here is the page from the Prairie Dog Central Railway website that has a
detailed history 1882-1918 with 3 photos taken i 1886, 1923, and 1959.
You choose which you like best.

http://www.pdcrailway.com/History/equipment.htm

EDIT -- Cannot make this link clickable.  Sorry.  Please Copy & Paste.

For now, it seems the Prairie Dog Central Railway is doing quite well,\and
does not need to make any modifications to the #3. 

What a fascinating and wonderful little railway!  Looks well worth a visit.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/16 10:03 by Margaret_SP_fan.

At least they aren't obsessed with putting large flags on the loco. 

The_Chief_Way Wrote:
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> That boxcar behind the tender is new since I was
> there. Do you have any idea what its function is?

I was told it essentially it acts as a buffer car. That is why they run with a caboose at the other end, as the power can be wyed and run around the train at either end and both ends have a buffer car.

Michael

Margaret_SP_fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What a great-looking locomotive!!  And I LIKE her
> stack and
> her headlight!   NICE shots, Michael!
>
> She has had at least one new boiler -- in 1909 --
> since she 
> was made in Glasgow, Scotland in 1882.
>  Wikipedia says
> "It has undergone a complete frame-off overhaul,
> including
> the manufacture of a new boiler." but the
> Wikipedia piece 
> did not say when that was done.  That Wikipidia
> piece may
> have referred to the `909 boiler, or a later one,
> but I cannot
> find any reference to any later boiler
> replacement on the #3
> on the Prairie Dog Central Railway website,
> which has a lot
> of info on this fascinating old locomootive.
>
> I now see what Frisco1522 was talking about, with
> her stack and
> her headlight.  Her present look is a combination
> of the many ways
> she has looked in the past 134 years.  If they
> wanted her to look 
> like she did as delivered in 1882 (well -- as she
> looked in the oldest 
> photo of her anyone can find, which was taken in
> 1886). then they
> would have to go to the trouble and expense of
> having replicas,of
> her 1886 domes made, as they look a lot different
> than the ones she
> now wears.  The 1886 photo shows cylindrical
> domes with flanges
> partway up, and they may have been made of brass
> (or bronze? Not an
> expert at all in this field!)  But, IMO, that
> would not be worth the expense.
> She looks pertty good now the way she is.
>
> But, yes, she could be put back into her 1959
> appearance -- straight stack 
> and small headlight placed just above her
> smokebox, but with the same
> cowcatcher as she wore back in 1923.
>
> Here is the page from the Prairie Dog Central
> Railway website that has a
> detailed history 1882-1918 with 3 photos taken i
> 1886, 1923, and 1959.
> You choose which you like best.
>
> http://www.pdcrailway.com/History/equipment.htm
>
> For now, it seems the Prairie Dog Central Railway
> is doing quite well,\and
> does not need to make any modifications to the
> #3. 
>
> What a fascinating and wojnderful little railway!
>  Looks well worth a visit.

The boiler on #3 is its third. The 2nd boiler was last under steam in late 2001, decision was made to replace boiler, a new one was built by Saskatoon Boiler Limited, and loco was put back under steam on May 10, 2009

Posted from Android



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/16 08:13 by nhiwwrr.

nhiwwrr ---
Thanks for the info.    I do appreciate that.

Does anyone know how much of the original 1882
locomotive is still left?  TIA!

EDIT -- The link in my first post is clickable in nhiwwrr's
quote of my post, but not in my post.  Go figure.....

The Vintage Locomotive Society, Inc., (which operates
the Prairie Dog Central Railway) has really done an
amazing job in keeping this great little railroad operating
ever since 1970, in spite of having to move the whole thing
THREE times.    Wow.....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/16 10:42 by Margaret_SP_fan.

And if memory serves me correctly, the Prairie Dog Central is where Jack Showalter's two locomotives are being stored - while the group that runs the line determines a plan for their potential return to operating service...

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

bigjim4life Wrote:
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> And if memory serves me correctly, the Prairie Dog
> Central is where Jack Showalter's two locomotives
> are being stored - while the group that runs the
> line determines a plan for their potential return
> to operating service...

If his two locomotives are CP Pacific's, yes they are there.

Michael