27 June 2008
Riding the Spirit
The CP Spirit of 150 Rail Tour stopped in Agassiz Wednesday.
Tours of restored passenger cabins were offered.
Agassiz British Columbia - History buffs and
train-spotters got a rare glimpse of the past Wednesday when a vintage Canadian Pacific (CP) locomotive pulled into
Agassiz from North Bend, B.C. to celebrate the province's 150th anniversary.
Hundreds converged near the train and were treated to live music and dance provided by entertainers that have travelled on board.
"It's Canadian Pacific's ambassador to the communities upon which we serve," said Bill Stetler, Canadian Pacific's manager of
steam operations.
The train, named BC Spirit of 150, is used for special events and to promote charities CP supports during six months between spring and
fall. In this case, it was hired by the B.C. government to promote the anniversary. The steam-powered locomotive also
includes another engine, a diesel built in 1956, two vintage passenger coaches, and a business car, an old baggage car that was
converted into a museum and a stage car.
Keeping the train moving is labour-intensive and making such a journey is far more complicated for an old locomotive than
it would be for modern train.
"There's a reason why they got rid of these things," said Jared Hoskins, a CP coach restoration specialist.
Unlike modern trains, the old locomotive requires several people to run and maintain it. Plus, it must make regular stops to fill up
with water.
"Every 70 miles we've got to stop to service it because it's a friction bearing engine. That makes a big difference as for it
being a maintenance nightmare," he said.
The steam locomotive was built in 1930 by the Montreal Locomotive Works and designed by Henry Blaine Bowen, said Stetler. It carries
over 45,000 litres of water and 19,000 litres of fuel. CP converted the locomotive to burn oil rather than coal for convenience and
because it is easier on the environment. Apart from the fuel modernization, the train functions just as it would have back in its day
when it travelled between Montreal, Ottawa, Windsor, and Toronto. At one time there were 65 similar locomotives. Five of them were
assigned to the area between Vancouver and Revelstoke, the rest were assigned to Central and Eastern Canada.
The journey, named BC Spirit of 150 Rail Tour, which began in Sparwood, B.C., 12 Jun 2008, ends in Vancouver,
6 Jul 2008, and will visit various communities throughout the Lower Mainland along the way.
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