People & Trains

I Have decided today to upload some pictures of Dad & Charlie. The Pictures were taken at the West Yard in Antigonish when it was active. The West Yard was used for storage of freight cars.

The Express Office & building for Canadian National were here, and freight that wasn't delivered right away was stored here until pickup or delivery. In future pictures I will upload pictures that show the Express Office & Building.

Eastbound Freight - West Yard - Antigonish, Nova Scotia. - 1950's.

This picture is being included to go with the rest I am going to with. As stated in the second post I made, I said my Dad would do things that would be frowned upon by the Canadian National Railways.

Dad climbed up on top of the Box Car to take this picture of the Eastbound Freight train to Cape Breton. It must have been a long train as there are two locomotives leading. The first locomotive is a U class "Mountain Type" with what appears to be a "Santa Fe" T class following.

West Yard - Antigonish, Nova Scotia. - 1950's.

Dad took this picture of Charlie climbing over the end of the Box Car. These cars date back to the 1920's/30's and have the roof walks that train crews walked upon. Most times with the train moving.

The "Brakeman" would be required at times to walk along the top of the Box Car to apply the hand break in the earlier days of railways. In later years the Westinghouse Air Braking System was put into use so "Brakeman" were required less and less to apply the brakes manually. Only in a extreme emergency would the "Brakeman" be needed to venture out on the fast moving train to apply the brakes.

When Dad took this picture, Charlie was saying something that has long been forgotten. I knew Charlie in later years, and no doubt it was something along the lines of "What are you taking the picture for" or something similar.

West Yard - Antigonish, Nova Scotia. - 1950's.

This is a favorite picture of my Dad enjoying and his hobby. Charlie took the picture and by judging from the angle he must have been standing on the "Brake Wheel Handle Stem" visible in the pictures.

Like I stated in an earlier post, today Railfans wouldn't be able to get this close to railway property. In fact it was very much frowned upon 50 years ago, though as a safety reason and not a spying reason like today.

Dad did tell me during the War Years 1939 to 1945, unless you were on "Railway Property" for a reason, you were arrested and taken in for questioning.

3593 & 3379 - Antigonish, NS - Sydney Bound - Early 1950's

Dad took this picture at a different time. He told me he stood in the shadow of the pole so his reflection would be captured. This picture says so much. The train leaving for Sydney, Nova Scotia, The girls having a game of skipping and the Gentleman who brought the young boy down to watch the train. To quote the adage "A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words".

Locomotive 3593 was part of the S-2-c Class "Mikado Type" built new July 1924 at the "Montreal Locomotive Works" scrapped November, 1961.

Locomotive 3379 was part of the S-1-d Class "Mikado Type" built new 1918-19 at the "Canadian Locomotive Company", Kingston Ontario for the Canadian Government Railways numbered 2979.

2979 become part of the Canadian National Railways in 30 January, 1923 renumbered 3379 and was scrapped July 1956. At the time of scrapping, the 3379 was almost 40 years old.

Till the next time.

All Aboard

"The Old Fart"