Train 6 - Halifax Bound - Sylvan Valley, Nova Scotia - Early 1950's.Pictured is Train 6 Westbound to Halifax. Train 6 if on time would have just left Antigonish at 1310 hrs and it would be about 1315 hrs about the time Dad took this picture. Train 6 is running with a clean fire as the smoke is white. It is running at about 45 mph along here with track in Class 1 condition.
Train 6 left Sydney at 0700 hrs and will arrive in Halifax at 1850 hrs. This is a running time of almost 12 hrs to travel the 289.6 miles. There was a hours delay at the Strait of Canso crossing the Strait between Point Tupper on Cape Breton and Mulgrave on the Mainland side. The Canso Causeway wouldn't open until 1955.
Train 6 and it's Eastbound Counterpart Train 5 were the daylight run between the two Cities. There were two overnight trains between each city in each direction. Train 6 ran the "Milk Run" and stopped at many places between Sydney and Halifax. This is the reason why for the almost 12 hour run.
Train 6 had more head end cars than revenue cars. The consist of Train 6 included Express cars, Postal Car, Baggage car, day coaches and Buffet Parlor Car on the Tail End. Train 6 ran everyday except Sunday.
Locomotive 6012 "Mountain Type" built at the Canadian Locomotive Company in Kingston, Ontario in August 1923 is heading Train 6. The 6012 was designated as Class U-1-a. 16 locomotives were built and designated in this Class. Only the 6015 was saved from the Scrapper's Torch and is now on Display in Jasper, Alberta.
Train 10 - Halifax Bound - Antigonish, Nova Scotia - Early 1950's.Pictured is Train 10 running about 3 hours late. Scheduled to arrive in Antigonish at 0512 hrs, it was running about 3 hours late. It would still be dark if Train 10 was on time. Dad said this wasn't Train 6.
Train 10 left Sydney the Night before at 2215 hrs and would arrive in Halifax the next morning at 1140 hrs. Train 10 had a 2 hr 35 min delay at the Strait. It arrived at Point Tupper at 0215 hrs and left Mulgrave at 0350 hrs.
Train 10 was also hauled by a 6000 series U class Locomotive. The Mountain Class of Locomotive had a wheel arrangement of 4-8-2. Meaning it had 4 leading wheels, 8 driving wheels and 2 wheel trailing truck.
Consist of Train 10 were the usual Express, Mail and Baggage cars, Coaches but also carried Sleeping Cars between Sydney & Montreal being switched into the Westbound "Ocean Limited" at Truro. The other Sleeping Car ran between Sydney & Truro. There was no through Sleeping Car Service between Sydney & Halifax on Train 10.
If someone wanted to have Sleeping Car space between Sydney and Halifax, they would have to take Train 8 which left Sydney at 2140 hrs and arrived in Halifax at 0835 hrs the next morning. Train 8 would arrive in Antigonish at 0317 hrs.
Sydney-Truro-Halifax 1952 ScheduleTill the next time.
All Aboard
"The Old Fart"
1 Whistle{s}:
When I was a wee child my dad worked in a silver mine. We lived in Idaho's "Silver Valley." Our home was built into the side of the hill (our back yard was actually above the kitchen). The train tracks ran right throguh our front yard. For some reason these pictures brought back that memory so strongly I could actually "smell" the dust and hot metal as the train passed by.
You must know my brothers and I were never allowed in the front yard. We sat at the window and counted the cars as the train roared by.
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