Canadian Railroads > WCXX 6520 Through Vancouver

West Coast Railway Association FP9u #6520 has almost made it to the museum grounds in Squamish after languishing for many years in Toronto waiting for funds to move it west. To pay for this move sister unit 6508 was sold in Ontario.

I caught up with the 6520 in CN's Thornton Yard in Surrey BC where a transfer crew had picked up the F unit off the shop tracks and was departing for Lynn Creek in North Vancouver. From there the 6520 will be transferred to West Vancouver and ultimately end up on CN train 546 that goes north on BC Rail to Squamish.

1. Departing Thornton Yard WCXX 6520 is lined up behind CN 2558, 5606 and 2422.

2. At Sperling on CN New Westminster Sub.

3. Diverging off the New Westminster sub on to the North Shore Industrial Line at Willingdon Jct.


cp1400

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4. On the engine tracks at Lynn Creek with nary a CN logo anywhere.

5. Earlier in November 1954 built CC&F coach CN 5569 now WCXX 5569 was shipped from Toronto to Squamish on a flat car. Seen here in the Thompson River Canyon near Ashcroft on Nov 11.


cp1400

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Thanks for sharing these. Shot number four is my favorite. At first glance, the IC unit makes this look more like the U.S. than Canada. As for photo five, even though it looks like the passenger car had to be shipped this way because of friction bearings, I'm surprised they could put a passenger car on a flatcar and not have the passenger car's roof be torn off by a low bridge, etc.
Bob

That lightweight coach should have been able to be shipped on it's own wheels. It's very unlikely it had plain bearing wheelsets. The cost difference to move it on it's own wheels vs on a flat car normally is negligable, but to get a coach up on a flatcar normally requires 2 cranes, which are very expensive. Any info on why it was moved on a flatcar? As for the height, it's no higher than a double stack car or an auto rack.

Topfuel Wrote:
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> That lightweight coach should have been able to be
> shipped on it's own wheels. It's very unlikely it
> had plain bearing wheelsets. The cost difference
> to move it on it's own wheels vs on a flat car
> normally is negligable, but to get a coach up on a
> flatcar normally requires 2 cranes, which are very
> expensive. Any info on why it was moved on a
> flatcar? As for the height, it's no higher than a
> double stack car or an auto rack.

Perhaps it was overdue for inspections and air brake inspection/testing, or there may have been other mechanical issues that prevented safe movement on it's own wheels. Also it may have been a "marshalling" issue, more expedient to ship on the flat car despite the cost of cranes to load it. Doug

No sign of the F-unit this afternoon, in either Lynn Creek or North Vancouver yards. It may be buried behind a cut of cars somewhere, but it may also have gone to Squamish on Friday night's 546 after all.

-L.F.

Thanks for checking LF ... the unit did indeed go north on 546 Friday evening, arriving in Squamish at 0123 this morning. Was transferred to WCRA Shop Track around midday.

Ken, thanks for enduring a shower or two to get the images, or did you take them from the warm comfort of the truck =;0)

Either way, interesting info, let's hope they are appreciated where they end up.

Cheers,
Karl

PS: did you see the Zimbabwe steam shots in the International section? Some great memories.

Glad you were able to catch some heritage moves in daylight. The angle at Wilmington worked out not to badly. Nice work!

BNSF3450

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