Cape Breton Steam Railway

The following pictures are of the Cape Breton Steam Railway tourist train that was launched 1 July 1973. The family in 1975 made a trip to "Sydney, Nova Scotia" to visit friends and one of the adventures was a trip to "Glace Bay" to ride this train.

The Cape Breton Steam Railway ran from Glace Bay (Victoria Jct.) to Port Morien on the old "Sydney & Louisburg" line. By the time of the creation of the Cape Breton Steam Railway, the "Devco Railway" was the operator of the old Sydney & Lousiburg line.

I enjoyed my trip on the steam train and this was the first time I rode on a train. I can still remember the smells of the Steam Locomotive, the creaking of the old CNR coach I was riding in. The windows were open on the coaches and the soot from the locomotive got in my hair.

The pictures were scanned from the original negatives and the quality of the pictures are not great. The negatives are 33 years old and pretty faded.

Locomotive #42 ~ Victoria Jct, Nova Scotia ~ Summer 1975

Following text courtesy "The Canadian Railroad Historical Association".

Number 42 was built at Schnectady Locomotive in New York state in 1899 as Sydney & Louisburg #16. It was built as a 2-6-4T tank engine, serial number 5103, and was rebuilt around 1947 as a 2-6-0 tender engine and renumbered 42. In 1955 it was transferred to Acadia Coal Company as number 42. Following the dieselization of Acadia Coal, Mr. Robert Tibbett of Tibbett's Paint purchased the locomotive. From 1973 to 1979 it was leased to the Cape Breton Steam Railway, which operated over part of the old Sydney & Louisburg line. It was on loan to the Salem & Hillsborough Railroad for 5 years, and left the S&H on November 19, 1991.

Behind #42 are are two of the three former Canadian National Railways coaches the Cape Breton Steam Railway acquired for the tourist railway. The third carriage is a British Railways carriage. The Cape Breton Steam Railway named the former CNR coaches "Miners' Museum", "Ocean Deeps Colliery", & "Fortress of Louisbourg".

Locomotive #42 ~ Port Morien, Nova Scotia ~ Summer 1975

We have arrived at the end of the line at Port Morien, Nova Scotia. #42 has been uncoupled from the train is now backing around the "Wye" to be turned so it can lead the train back to Victoria Jct.

Locomotive #42 ~ Port Morien, Nova Scotia ~ Summer 1975

Another picture of #42 backing around the wye to be positioned in the lead to head back to Victoria Jct. This wye was especially built when the Cape Breton Steam Railway tourist operation was created.

Locomotive #42 ~ Port Morien, Nova Scotia ~ Summer 1975

#42 has completed it turning on the wye and is now backing down to the carriages. The creme colored carriage is a British Railways carriage the Cape Breton Steam Railway loaned for a time being. I believe it arrived on the property about the same time "The Repton ~ Engine 962" a "SR Class V" was loaned from "Steamtown" in the USA.

Locomotive #42 ~ Port Morien, Nova Scotia ~ Summer 1975

#42 is now coupled back up to the train and we are just waiting to return to Victoria Jct. The Pretty wee Lass is having a quick chat with the Engineer and Fireman. Soon we will be leaving.

It was the ride of a lifetime and I am grateful that my Dad gave me something that will live on forever. He gave me many things and the love of trains is one of them. I am glad he liked to take pictures as much as he liked trains. This is another thing he gave me was how to take pictures and to make a recording of places I have been.

Thank you Dad.

Till the next time.

All Aboard

"The Old Fart"