For all of You Train Lovers

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[Photon440]

Where I worked... This is a 1986 view of the Thornton Shops at Port Mann where I was working. That building was erected in 1977, I started there a year later. Diesel shops and locomotive storage tracks on the left, six freight car repair tracks running through the right side of the building with outdoor repair tracks as well. Fraser river is on the right. Notice the two puffs of white smoke from a couple of locomotives. After idling for hours or days, a heavy buildup of paraffin built up in the exhaust. When put under load, it cleared out in a big cloud.

Here's the same location, but from 1947 showing the original car and locomotive (steam) shops. These were built by CN's predecessor, The Canadian Northern Railway in the early 1900s.

And this was the new shop under construction with the old buildings shown on the right, probably around 1976.

 

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[Geff McCarthy]

Russian loco: Joseph Stalin. Pseudonym. He was born in Gori, Georgia: Josif Iugashvili. The ...ili in Georgian is "son of".

 

[Photon440]

There's more than one way to move a freight car. For many years, CN was transporting rail cars from Prince George up to the Alaska Railroad in Whittier, Alaska. A barge capable of carrying 50 rail cars (about half of a normal train) made the trip by being towed by a tug boat. Service started in 1963 and continued until 2021. Alaska Marine Lines also operates barges between Seattle and Alaska.

Alaska Railroad Industries AquaTrain

 

[YY1]

Rail-marine has some very interesting equipment and operational procedures.

 

[Runcharger]

We used to load them on barges for Vancouver Island as well.

 

[Photon440]

We used to load them on barges for Vancouver Island as well.

I remember the dock would adjust downwards as the ferry got heavier with each additional load.

 

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