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| WCR #16
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No.16 was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works for C. R. McCormick , a large
Washington state logging company the year the Great Depression began . Typical of
thousands of powerful "Rod" engines, No. 16 was the standard Baldwin logging
locomotive design. With a 2-8-2 wheel arrangement this "Mikado" type locomotive has
relatively small drivers, only 45" in diameter giving power rather than speed. The centre
2 drivers are "blind" which means they do not have flanges. This enables No. 16 to
negotiate the very sharp curves which were found on logging railways. No 16 was built
as a Saddle Tank engine. The water tanks were carried over the boiler like a saddle.
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For the full size image, click on the photo.
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Sold in 1944 to Comox Logging & Railway Co., No. 16 started work on Northern
Vancouver Island near Headquarters, B.C. The new owners removed the saddle tank and
added two concrete filled " side tanks" to compensate for the loss of weight of the saddle
tank. They gave No. 16 the tender from Comox Logging No. 3 which had just been
scrapped. The locomotive worked at Headquarters, B.C. until 1945 when the Nanaimo
Lakes line was built west out of Ladysmith.. A memento of the days in the woods is a
very large dent in the rear end of the tender caused when a load of logs shifted and came
crashing forward. One can only imagine the feelings of the engine crew at that moment!
No. 16 was retired in 1960.
The locomotive was acquired by the West Coast Railway Association in 1964. In 1967
No. 16 was leased to the Alaska Railroad who were in need of a steam locomotive with
which to celebrate Alaska's centennial. The Alaska Railroad ignominiously named their
acquisition the "Moose Gooser". Returned from Alaska Railroad, it was sent to
Vancouver Island in 1970 where the locomotive was used briefly by the Victoria Pacific
to haul a tourist train. In 1980 the locomotive was returned to the West Coast Railway
Association. No. 16 is scheduled for restoration to full service as soon as possible.
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