CPR In New Brunswick-Over The Years.
"The War Years" 1939-1945
McAdam, N.B-A Booming Railway Town!.
On my trips from Moncton to McAdam(several) in the 1940's era:
CPR had rebuilt and upgraded many P1 Class 2-8-2's of the 5100 series. They
received higher capacity new modern tenders, water 10,000 gals and 18 tons of
coal-automatic stokers. I used to watch them on westbound Maine bound freights,
like 5117, 5146, 5153, and many others. All freights westbound out of there
with either a helper on the point and a 2-8-0 pusher. Passenger trains
westbound destined to Montreal and Boston always assisted with a pusher being
2-8-0's 3400's, 3500's, heavier 3600's and 3700's.(some sound of steam!)
I never seen them, but talk that CP leased Jersey Central 2-8-2's McAdam
through the State of Maine on freights. Westbound Saint John-Montreal passenger
train #39 was known to operate in eight(8 sections).
McAdam Station looked like a royal palace-beautiful dining room, red carpeting,
drapes, and the highest in class white linen , CP silverware and China ware.
Then there was the large coffee shop and restaurant. CP Hotel upstairs, in
those days $2.00 to $ 4.00 per night. The waiting room consisted of the
passenger tiket office, Canadian Pacific News Service stand. CPR News agents
on Montreal and Boston trains Saint John-McAdam. ON CN not their own, but
Canada Railway News, which became in later years CARA Operations at major
Canadian Airports.
CP P1-Class 2-8-2's also handled troop trains, besides light 4-6-2's o the 2500
and 2600's.
CP 4-8-2's 2900 and 2901 prior to late 1944and 1945 handling Montreal Saint
John passenger trains(prior being retired) on the section McAdam-Saint John
were kept spotless. Both engines would rotate on Sundays McAdam-Saint John 2900
one Sunday the next Sunday 2901. Train #40 never operated out of Montreal on
Sunday afternoons to Saint JOhn,, just train #42 On Saturday nights to
Brownville Jct. Maine and changed to a 100 series number Sundays
Brownville-Saint John. Engine 2901 lost her brass bell during the war and
replaced with an Aluminum sounding tinny bell.
CPR system-wide kept their passenger power, freight power, yard engines and
passenger equipment spotless-CN was very grubby looking.
One 2-8-0 I remember on freight service Saint JOhn-McAdam was engine 3737 with
her half-Moon headlight placed in front of her stack-a very well groomed
locomotive, the other locomotive I remember was 2-8-2 5190 with the same style
headlight and a new modern 8-wheel tender.
Over the years P1 Class 2-8-2's with new modern tenders handling freights:
5106,5107(kept her tender) 5108, 5111(kept her original tender)5115, 5116,
5117, 5134, 5146,5150, 5153, 5161, 5163, 5166, 5167, 5168, 5173,5175, 5176,
5180, 5181, 5187, 5190, 5191(half moon headlight).
Westbound military trains out of Saint John were double-headed with a pusher
behind out of Union Station(a chill up your spine with the sound of
"Power"-heading up the westbound grades.
Shore Line-West St. John-Bonny River-Mixed passenger.-War Years
This train originated and terminated at the old West St. John Station-a
passenger stop at Bay Shore Yard(yard office) next to roundhouse. Light 2-8-0's
of the 3300's operated this service 3370 and 3380 series-or with D-4 4-6-0's of
the 400 series. CP had a number of the light 2-8-0's of the 3300 series for
light trackage within N.B. These locomotives being built either in the 1890's
early 1900's-hav'nt my records in front of me. CP had the first 2-8-0's in
Canada as I reviewed records, could be wrong. After the war years strictly the
4-6-0 400's. on the "Shore Line".
The 2-8-0 3300's like 3388 were working freights Aroostook-Edmundston in the
late 1950's.
I mentioned about all the new heavy semi-streamlined 4-6-2's coming to New
Brunswick on passenger service 1943-1945.
Correction:
I mentioned the McAdam-St. Andrews passenger run being powered by un-rebuilt
2518-this shoud read 2513
Streamlined 4-4-4 "Jubillee" 2926 was working the St. Stephen-McAdam-Woodstock
passenger run in September of 1949; sister 2929 on the three round-trips per
day Fredericton-Fredericton Junction Passenger runs connecting with main-line
trains.
New Rebuilt 2-8-2 5200's arrive in New Brunswick:
CPR system shops rebuilt 65 2-8-0's(3600 and 3700"s) into 2-8-2's and numbered
into he 5200 series. 2-8-0 3600's lower numbered had open cabs. The 5200's all
received all-weather Vestibuled cabs. IN 1946 5208 arrived at McAdam and was
assigned to the "Oriental" freight McAdam-Fredericton. This locomotive had
front-end stainles-steel hand-rails. Other 5200's that ran into New Brunswick:
5204, 5206, 5208, 5215, 5217, 5239-there were others. Engine 5206 was working
the mixed-passenger Chipman-Fredericton(originated Norton with 4-4-0's)
By the 1950's 2-10-0 5700's came from Montreal and Toronto(originally 0-6-6-0's
in the Rockies) and rebuilt. These engines came to McAdam and Saint John for
yard nd transfer service. Engines 5750, 5752, 5754, 5755.
By 1949 and the 1950 the heavy 2-8-2 5300's, 5400 to 5404 series and the
semi-streamlined 5400's came east of Farnham, Quebec to McAdam, and eventually
Saint John in freight service. A few semi-streamlined 5400's were fitted with
steam lines to handle CP "Empress" Liner Boat trains between West. St. John and
Montreal; two I know of 5424, 5426. Back in 1952 the "Atlantic Limited" train #
42 arrived Union Station in February wih semi-streamlined 5459 replacing a
semi-streamlined 2390 series and sister 2400's. Right after the "Gull" from
Boston arrived with newcomer light-modern G-5 1267 short-lived in New
Brunswick. Engine 1227 had a stint in New Brunswick.
Heavy 2-8-2's Into New Brunswick:
5303, 5306(equipped with 12-wheel tender), 5321, 5323, 5325, 5327, 5328, 5329,
5330, 5332, 5333, 5339, 5351(equipped with 12-wheel tender), 5354(equipped with
12-wheel tender), the 5390 series also, 5400, and believe 5403.
Semi-Streamlined 2-8-2 5400's + indicates solid-plate pilot.
+5409, +5410, +5413, 5422, 5424, 5426, 5447, 5454, 5459-There were others.
Heavy 0-8-0's Arrived at Saint John and McAdam:
During the early 1950's heavy 0-8-0's arrived in N.C. 6600, 6601, 6602-later
renumbered into the 6960 series to make way for the new MLW/Alco S-3 6600
series yard engines.
Next Diesels Begin to Operate to New Brunswick
Continued with Part # 3.
Cheers
Don Scott-Coquitlam, B.C.
