13 November 2005
Government Stokes Royal Hudson Restoration Work
The final bit of the funding puzzle is now in place to get the Royal Hudson #2860 back on the rails
after MLA Joan McIntyre presented the West Coast Railway Association (WCRA) with a cheque for $100,000.
The money is to be put into the Returning the Royal Hudson to Steam project.
The cheque presentation took place at the West Coast Heritage Park Thursday (10 Nov 2005).
MP John Reynolds was on hand for the presentation as was federal Liberal candidate Blair Wilson, Squamish Mayor Ian Sutherland, Coun.
Corinne Lonsdale and Coun. Sonja Lebans.
"It is important we preserve and celebrate our province's rich heritage and share it with the world," said McIntyre. "The
Royal Hudson is a source of pride for Squamish and our region. Many fond memories have resulted from this classic locomotive and I look
forward to many more being made when she steams back into service."
McIntyre shared a favourite memory with the people gathered for the cheque presentation ceremony.
She said when the train made its regular summer runs between North Vancouver and Squamish she and her sons would hear the train coming
toward their West Vancouver neighbourhood and they would scramble to their favourite place to view the majestic old locomotive.
"I would wave my hands madly at the train," said McIntyre.
The $100,000 provincial donation was from the B.C. Transportation Authority's annual operating budget and McIntyre presented the money
to Craig McDowall of the WCRA on behalf of transportation minister Kevin Falcon.
The announcement was made with the shop where the 2860 is currently stripped down while crews restore the aging steamer.
The historic engine is currently stripped down to its shell and visitors to the railway heritage park can view the work in progress with
all the internal boiler components spread throughout the car shop where the work is taking place.
The heritage steamer was deemed unfit in 1999 and it was taken off the rails with boiler damage that prevented it from being able to
power itself.
The donation from the province will fund the restoration project to its completion. The donation from the province comes on top of
private donations for the project, federal funding, and fundraising drives by the WCRA.
The Royal Hudson is expected to be back in service next year.
This is the second time the Royal Hudson has gone through a retrofit. The locomotive was built in 1940 by Montreal Locomotive Works and
operated on the Revelstoke - Vancouver mainline by Canadian Pacific. Saved from the scrap yard, it was restored during the 1960's.
Between 1974 and 1999 the Royal Hudson carried more than a million passengers on round trip excursions along Howe Sound that produced
approximately $300 million in economic benefits.
The donation from the provincial government to the WCRA represents the second significant offering from the province.
Earlier this year, the province announced it would help fund expansion of the West Coast Railway Heritage Park by donating $2 million
to the plan to create a spectacular new roundhouse where the most prestigious elements of the WCRA railcar collection will be
stored.
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