Canadian Railroads > another "9 years ago"

Three images taken while on our way from Williams Lake to Exeter BC, we were running long hood forward on one of the ex SantaFe units the 3609. Images taken in the Enterprise area, along the swamp. Doug

---

---

---

Doug,
I always like to read your posts and find them interesting despite the fact we do not get very many from the "two Greens era" (hint). With all of your photos you seemed to have been everywhere on the BCR. Where exactly was your home while living and working in BC? How did you get to work all over there? Did you bid for jobs and live out of Motel quite often? How long did you work for the BCR?

One other question you will be able to answer, how was the Buddwiser train manned? Were there crews based permanently out of Lillooet?

Thanks for your support of the Canadian list.

Rick

Rick, regarding questions in your reply.
I'm still sifting through my slides and hope to post more "two tone green" images. Although I am somewhat disappointed in the quantity and quality of my images. Originally I used an Instamatic then a 35mm Praktica. Eventually the camera gave out and I did not replace it until Santa brought me a point and shoot digital in 2005. As you can well imagine the Railway took a dim view of stopping a train to take pictures and on my days off I did not chase trains or bother to go down to the shops to take pictures. My loss now and regrettable.

I worked mostly out of Williams Lake to Prince George, my first terminal was Chetwynd (1973) for couple of years and then as seniority permitted I moved to Williams Lake. I have seen all the track on BC Rail except the last 18 or so miles from Klua to Fort Nelson. On regular freight jobs crews laid over in a company bunkhouse at each terminal. Eventually the "rest houses" were closed and crews put up in motels. My favorite was in Prince George, The Gold Cap motel, or affectionately called the Gold Crap, rather rundown building with seedy clients. One Conductor during his first stay at the gold crap had to wait for the coroner to wheel out of the elevator a trolley burdened with a dead body. If an employee was forced out of a terminal due to bumping etc was able to stay in a company bunkhouse, I've seen them all. The bunkhouse in Tumbler Ridge was a wonderful facility, modern and quite comfortable, MacDonald Lodge if I recall. I stayed there for a few months while working the pushers. On other assignments such as work trains, passenger excursions or geometry trains, meals and accommodations were provided. I did bid in a few of the "work trains" or other special service assignments including CWR,Passenger Excursion (Chairman Train) and " track geometry train". My favorite job was the Rocky Mountaineer "Fraser Discovery" running from Prince George to Whistler and return. A "bid" job for the summer season. It was a nice change from freight service, beautiful scenery, great meals and the wages earned fantastic.

Your other question regarding Budd Wiser. It was a passenger service for the school kids and local residents south of Lillooet to Seton Portage. Crew called it the school bus or the "baby buggy". It ran south early in the morning, brought the kids to Lillooet to attend school and then after school they went home on the regular Budd car in the afternoon. It was a Lillooet crew that operated the baby buggy, actually a switcher crew, on duty 0001 at Lillooet, switched the yard and local sawmill, then took the engine and Bud Wiser south for the school run.

Lately my images have not really featured locomotives or trains, just things and views that interested me to take pictures of etc. Obviously they are a different perspective of the railway and a view of what the crews see. Glad you enjoy the posts, sort of a pictorial diary from years past.
Take care, Doug



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/08/14 09:33 by hoggerdoug.