20 September 2008
Grey Day for a Grey Lady
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Squamish British Columbia - Living in North Vancouver years
ago my Mother could hear 2860's whistle when the loco ran on BC Rail from North Van up Howe Sound and back. She used
to call it the Lady Hudson as her memory flagged in later years.
Saturday, 20 Sep 2008, was a grey day for the grey Lady as clouds clung to the mountains surrounding
Squamish, British Columbia. Heavily overcast the rain held off at least most of the day. The trade-off
was plenty of highly visible steam blasting out of 2860 as it backed away from the WCRA station to the end of the
WCRA yard then ran forward across Government Road into the old BC Rail shops and back.
Steamfest 2008 was fully underway by noon on Saturday and continues Sunday. Royal Hudson rides were provided free
with the entrance fare about every hour from 10:00 to 16:00.
All the WCRA exhibits, structures, and rolling stock were open for viewing plus there were plenty of miniature
trains running around the periphery while live steam tractors and a Stanley Steamer car chuff-chuffed
about the place. During a walk-through of the British Columbia, an ex-Canadian Pacific
Railway business car from the 1890s, the Kettle Valley Brakemen serenaded everyone in the car shop. There were
original paintings, not prints, by Max Jacquard on display inside the Mac Norris Station. Small children, when not
entranced by 2860, frolicked in the Kid Zone after a miniature train ride.
Oh, I forgot, the Saturday evening beer garden, with live music by the Kettle Valley Brakemen, begins at 18:00 for
all those thirsty off-duty trainmen. Unfortunately this trainman had a long drive home and couldn't
stay for that.
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