CPSig Listers and Thompson Subdivision fans:
Over the years there has been a question about whether or not the CPR
Selkirk class 5900s were ever worked west of their normal turnaround point
at Taft, BC, on the CPR mainline west of Revelstoke, BC. There have been
(until now unsubstantiated) reports that one or two Selkirks did go west of
Taft, apparently one getting all the way to Vancouver. That remains to be
documented, but even so, you may be interested to know that I can put it
here for the record that one such engine made it at least as far as
Wallachin, BC - a long ways west of Taft, BC. To my great astonishment,
during a visit to an old-timer's place today, I was shown a photo (taken in
1936) of CPR Selkirk 5911 at Wallachin, BC, roughly forty miles (67 kms)
west of Kamloops, BC. To the best of my recollection, this is the first
conclusive proof I have seen that a 5900 Selkirk class locomotive got west
of Taft, BC. There is no information accompanying the photo as to what the
engine was doing at Wallachin, which is a pity. Still, I consider this to
be the first conclusive answer to the initial question.
Joe Smuin
