Steve Hauff has been visiting and taking photos of Canadian Railroading for over 40 years, much of it on Vancouver Island. A resident of Port Angeles, WA, he is just a short ferry ride form Victoria. Steve is an ex Rayonier Gandy Dancer, and is co-author of The Willamette Locomotive, The Climax Locomotive, and has contributed to several other books and magazines. Steve provides the following item for WCRA News.
While doing some research at the National Railway Historical Society library in Portland, Oregon, I stumbled across several images of the E & N Railway that were taken at Nanaimo in 1939 by the late Walt Grande. There were only three images, but they certainly evoked memories of a different era of passenger service on Vancouver Island.
Walt was apparently impressed with the operation. Quoting him, “The equipment is painted maroon with gold lettering and striping and is kept immaculately clean”. At least, in November 1939 there was great pride in the passenger service on the Island. Certainly, the next several wartime years would take their toll on both the railway and its equipment. The Island highway would then all but close the book on passenger service as it had been.
Although I live only 18 miles (and an international ferry ride) from Victoria, my rides on the E & N over the past four decades have been relatively few, and all during the Budd car era. After seeing Walt’s photos, however, my next excursion will be filled with visions of a chunky ten wheeler, exhaust echoing off the side hills as she fights her way up the Malahat, her first coach filled with workers headed for the mill at Chemainus or the logging camps at Nanaimo lakes or Cowichan, and the first class coach filled with proper ladies and gentlemen headed up Island for business or pleasure. It will be a wonderful trip into history.
Page 30, northbound trains in 1939 and 2002 at Nanaimo station. You can see the full consist as ten wheeler #463 heads the northbound train. (Walt Grande photo, NRHS Portland collection)
Contrast to 2002 when Steve Hauff caught the VIA Malahat’s RDC’s at the same location.
