I don’t recall what year it was but it was before the C.P.R. had any main line diesels on the passenger trains out of Calgary so it must have been in the late fortes. Twenty eight hundred “Hudson” class locomotives were used east of Calgary and fifty nine hundred “Selkirks” were used west to Revelstoke for all the main line passenger trains. I do recall that Engineer Fred Miller and I were called to handle express train number one west as far as Field on a cold
winter evening. It had been snowing heavily all day in south western Alberta and there hadn’t been a train run west for over twenty hours because of the heavy snow conditions. The morning trains numbers three and seven hadn’t arrived until the afternoon because of the stormy weather to the east and were being held in Calgary.
Still, someone upstairs decided that it wouldn’t be necessary to run a snow plow train west but would let our express train plow the main line west with the heavy pilot plow that all 59 hundreds were equipped with each winter. Every fall these plows were attached to the front of all the Selkirk locomotives for clearing a path through deep snow and snow-slides between Calgary and Revelstoke. Extra heavy rock and snow slides would have to be cleared off the rails by large wedge or rotary plow that were pushed by large steam engines.
It was around 22 o-clock when our express train pulled out for Field with an R.P.O. [railway post office] car behind, at least two box baggage’s [to be set off at Banff], then two cars of express, a baggage car, one or two day coaches then two tourist sleepers for a total of ten heavy loaded steel cars. Trains three and seven would have around twelve or fourteen cars each and were even heavier so I guess that’s why we were given the job of plowing the way clear for them.
Right away, we began pushing through the deep snow on the outskirts of Calgary and as our speed increased the plow threw the snow out to the sides. It also blew up and over the engine cab making it difficult to see ahead at times. The Selkirk locomotives had enclosed cabs, but the blowing snow drifted in around the doors. We also had to keep the side windows open in order to lean out to see the track ahead [the front cab windows were very small] so some snow drifted in there too.
The first stop was at Cochrane where Engineer Miller spotted the engine at the tank, at the west end of the station platform, so that I could fill the tender with enough water to take us to Banff. When I climbed up on the high tender the cold wind froze my overalls stiff because they were very wet from that blowing snow melting on them when it entered the cab around the windows and doors. It was good to get back into the sheltered cab again after taking water and there Engineer Miller was trying to dry his overalls off. His had also frozen stiff when he got down to check the running gear and to oil the locomotive guide bars.
West of Cochrane the snow got deeper and more and more snow blew into the engine cab. As a result, Miller and I got wetter as it melted on our clothes. The next stop was at Morley to unload more express and maybe a few passengers but we didn’t have to leave the warm steamy cab. I did sweep the accumulated snow out from around the rear side doors.
The next stop was Exshaw then Canmore to unload express and passengers then we stopped at Banff, where I again filled that twelve thousand gallon tender with water. When the two brakemen came up to uncouple the cars that had to be set off they were surprised to see just
how wet both Fred and I were. I think that they were both very happy to get back inside the warm dry coaches when the set off was completed and the air brake test had been made. West of Banff it didn’t seem to matter how fast or slow we went, that damn snow blew into the cab even with the side windows nearly closed with just our heads poking out to see the track ahead.
When we stooped at Lake Louise the pusher locomotive was coupled on while I was taking water and again my wet clothing froze stiff. For the next eight miles up to Stephen, Engineer Miller and I could keep our windows closed tight for it was up to the two men on the pusher engine to watch the track ahead and for signals. We both peeled off our now saturated overalls and put on our mackintosh coats and blocked the hinged firebox door open a little so as to try to dry ourselves a bit more. The pusher loco. was cut off at Stephen and after another brake test we started our train down the big hill.
Our speed was only twenty miles per hour the rest of the way to Field so there wasn’t much snow blowing up toward the locomotive cab but we both found it very chilling leaning out the windows in our very damp clothing. Engineer Miller spotted our train at the station at Field and the two Revelstoke engine crew members climbed aboard to take over from us.
Miller and I headed for the restaurant in the Y.M.C.A. crew hostel [the old Mount Stephen House] where we each ordered a large bowl of what was known as Graveyard Stew. This consisted of a very hot milk into which was dropped chunks of toasted bread which floated half submerged to look like tombstones, hence the name. It was a great mixture to go to bed on and after eating we walked the short distance to the Enginemen’s bunk house where Miller and I took room six, one of the largest and with two steam radiant heaters in it. There we proceeded to undress and drape all our soaked clothing over the heaters before climbing into our single bunks for a well deserved rest. The time would have been just after four in the morning and we were both very tired. We enjoyed a very sound sleep until being called for our return trip to Calgary on passenger train number four around three in the afternoon.
Our clothes were now completely dry and we were now well rested. We were glad to dress then head over to the restaurant for a hot three course meal before facing the cold snowy winter weather. The run east to Calgary would put Fred and I on Alyth shop track at about 21-30 [nine thirty] that night and home an hour later. We wouldn’t be required to go back west again for twenty three hours on the same express train number one the next evening. Thank goodness there wasn’t near as much snow on the tracks the next trip for other trains had done their share of clearing the wet white stuff.
Some railfans think back to those days as the “Good Old Days”. While many aspects were just that, there certainly were operating conditions that wouldn’t even be considered today. I’m sure glad to be retired when I think back to the “GOOD OLD DAYS” stories like this one, which occurred over forty-five years ago.
