Canadian Arsenals No. 1
Photos by FM1980 - Lake Windermere, BC
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In 1979 or so, Westroc Industries of Lake Windermere on the Kootenay Central decided that they required their own diesel switcher to move the hoppers and covereds being loaded at their gypsum plant adjacent to the Windermere Sub. The gypsum is quarried in the mountains to the east and trucked on a private haul road to the load out by the Columbia River. This plant is adjacent to the CPR swing bridge over the mighty Columbia River, the first bridge on the river's way to the coast at Astoria, Wash. |
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Canadian Arsenals No. 1, MLW 05-52 C/N 77280 was
acquired from the east.
However, there was one important modification
before the locomotive was sent west.
It was converted to unmanned (remote) operation!!
The antenna platform and aerial can be seen above
the engineer's side window.
The modifications overlooked a truck inspection,
and a traction motor suspension bearing seized in
transit around Lake Superior.
A replacement traction motor/wheel set from a CPR
539 switcher was inserted, and the unit continued
west.
The problems were not over.
CPR demanded that a run away switch and lead
track be constructed so that the unmanned locomotive
would not go foul of their main track. Cost prohibitive, and the locomotive was never used at Westroc. Around 1980, a railway museum asked me to go to Lake Windermere and look the unit over and assess the external condition to see if it would be a candidate for preservation. I traveled north with the CPR CSC Road Runner to gain access to the plant. The locomotive was in MINT condition! BOTH brass MLW GE builder's plates. Still had the Lens in the cab light! Cab immaculate with no wear nor clumsy modifications. The only 'defects' were the VERY worn wheels on the CPR replacement wheel set. Other three sets were perfect. The air filters for the intake valves on the diesel were missing and the valve stems visible. In the centre of the cab was the 'remote equipment.' A servo was added at engine governor in place of the mechanical throttle linkage and the cab throttle handle removed. I did not see the 'Beltpack' radio control Unit. In 1987 the unit was sold to Lehigh Cement at Metaline Falls, Wash. and moved south on south Wyft. By this time one of the builder's plates had been removed, and gone a long time as covered with gypsum dust from plant load out. The second plate was removed on the journey south from Lake Windermere, as 'fresh' shadow where it had been. After Metaline Falls, the unit went to Exshaw, Alta. Now at Calgary along with CP 4104, "CP 7009" and CP 8000. |