Fifty years separate the two images used in this then and now. Our subject will be the Canadian Pacific Railway and the location, a spot by the Elbow River, in the community of Inglewood, just east of downtown Calgary. We’ve been supplied an old image showing a passing train and our goal is shoot a photo similarly composed, same angle and all and then compare the two. We love how these demonstrate just how closely linked time and change are.
The “then” image comes via our friends at the Galt Railway History Park (Great Canadian Plains Railways Society) in Stirling Alberta and is their copyright used with permission. It’s from the Ken Hooper collection of railway images which that group oversees (it’s extensive and no doubt will spawn more posts like this). Have an old street/building/transit/train scene photo you want included in a BIGDoer.com then and now? Send it our way!
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The old image is dated October 1965 and shows a passenger run heading towards the camera position. Data accompanying the photo mentions it’s heading southbound (temporarily eastbound here) on the railway’s MacLeod Subdivision. That’s in error, but only by a small margin. At this point the train is a few hundred metres west of the junction with that line. At this position it’s on the CPR’s east/west mainline, here, the Brooks Subdivision. The MacLeod line is branch off it.
The train has just left the CPR’s downtown Calgary station, off frame and to the left. The final destination is the city of Lethbridge, either via the entire MacLeod Subdivision or the more easterly Aldersyde Subdivision (the train alternated between them). This run would take several hours to complete.
Instead of a traditional locomotive hauled consist, the train is comprised of two self propelled RDC (Rail Diesel Cars). These came on the scene in the 1950s and were generally used on the lesser patronized and/or shorter runs. The lead unit, as can be seen, has a small baggage compartment in the front so it’s an RDC-2. The other is all coach, so it’s an RDC-1. There were also other configurations. These came from the Budd company in the US, although a number were also assembled in Canada by Canadian Car and Foundry (or Can-Car). Both major Canadian railways operated them. The CPR called them “Dayliners”. Another RDC run out of Calgary was to Edmonton.
The drive train was located sub-floor with the prominent hump on the roof housing the radiators (I assume a leak there would be disastrous). These cars are made of stainless steel which makes them quite durable. A few are still in use today.
The Calgary to Lethbridge service was cancelled in the early 1970s. The last true passenger run of any kind to serve Calgary (discounting expensive “tour” trains), under the auspices of Via Rail, who took over CPR’s passenger business in the late 1970s, was in 1990.
On our visit we catch a slow moving sulphur train, which stirred up the pigeons. Since it’s eastbound, it’s empty (read on). Pulled by a trio of GE locomotives (all model ES44ACs built in the mid to late-2000s), two in the lead and a third DPU, aka Distributed Power Unit, bringing up the rear. That last unit, #8862, was once painted up in celebration of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
The sulphur comes from various gas plants in Alberta, as a by-product, and is transported to the west coast for export. A low value product, these trains are at best spotty and run only when the commodity price is favourable. Cars in this dedicated “unit” train are aluminum hoppers that get rotary dumped at the destination – so flipped upside down without being detached form the train.
A lot has changed in the fifty years between shots. The skyline, my oh my, how that differs – in 1965 the city had a population of some 300 000, today, it’s over a million! As a result, downtown keeps growing to the right. The railway bridge is different (BTW, the old one makes a brief appearance in the 1970s film Silver Streak). One line pole, right of centre remains, hard to see, and helped us line up our shot. The 9th Avenue road bridge in back right connects both photos. Some of the trees blocking the view to it are the same, as seen by their position, but are perhaps a bit bigger. One is certainly leaning more.
The fence got in the way in our shot, but we have to duplicate the position as best we can, so have to live with it. Side note: in the old photo notice the white car to the right, complete with massive tail fins.
One thing that bugs us doing these then and nows, a technical problem, is how different the photos look when compared one way over another. Notice how the tracks in the stacked photo seems to trail off at diverging angles (we call it the fall-away problem) yet when placed side by side, they seem to match up pretty well. Optical illusion! I have no idea why this happens. Still, the one atop the other version is visually a better arrangement, even with that issue.
Our now photos are composed in camera. We line-em up, take a shot or a few and hope like hell it or they end up looking like the original. That’s how it’s done and it’s more challenging than it appears. We could of course do it all in post production I guess. But no. We’d rather have them imperfect, and doing it this way, we’ll never totally ace it, than to fake the results.
If you wish more information on what you’ve seen here, by all means contact us!
Date: December, 2015. Location: Calgary, AB. Article references: Canadian Trackside Guides, Galt Railway Historic Park/Great Canadian Plains Railway Society, CPR records @ Exporail Quebec. Our photos were shot from public property.
In behind the RDC (current site of Fort Calgary) was a Macosham (sp?) warehouse. It was served by rail, but I don’t remember how it got in there. Across 9 Ave or along the river berm behind Inglewood (I think).
The Canadian National had a spur line into what is present day Fort Calgary, back populated by warehouses, into the late 1960s perhaps even a bit longer. It paralleled the Bow and today is that walking path. There was a bridge right where the Elbow and Bow joined up.
My buddy is a conductor and took me along on his hot shot into Cowtown. I got to sit in the engineers seat of the second locomotive ( “just don’t touch nothing!” ) all the way in to Alyth yard. When we crossed Glenmore trail I slid the window open and hung my arm out, thinking someone I know might see me, but nobody did. It was a very cool ride. I may not have been a huge railway fan before that night, but I was after.
no problem. I grew up not far from Rosetown, my dad owned a farm equipment dealership. So I got to travel with him to all the major centers to pick up equipment and parts, and then deliveries all over the 3 western provinces. Then I began trucking when I was 21, so I know the provinces pretty well. I have really been enjoying your site, I have memories of a lot of your visited spots. Hey! You know Chris Attrell! thanks for documenting what you are.
That all sounds so interesting. Glad you like our little corner of the Internet too, we try hard, and of course we have a ton of fun doing it and sharing it with others. Yes, I know Chris. Now that guy is a photographer. I dream of being half as good.
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Beer Parlour Fridays: before Pilsner in Saskatchewan, there was Bohemian or simply Boh. For decades, it was the most popular beer in the province. Incidentally, both Pil and Boh were for decades products of Sick's Brewery. This Boh cap was found in the basement of an old hotel in SW Saskatchewan during a visit by the Beer Parlour Project. It celebrates the beer winning a prestigious best in world award in the late 1960s.
Beer Parlour Fridays: here's a standard issue cast-metal round-top Beer Parlour table. These were supplied through the liquor control board (who heavily regulated the business) and therefore could be found at most drinking establishments. They date back to the 1940s-1960s period and surprisingly, we still see them out there in the wild all the time. Often they were covered in terrycloth to help sop up spilled beer. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
Beer Parlour Fridays: The Tompkin's SK Hotel/Lucky Loon Saloon, previously Woody's. It was just a drive by visit and not a stop on the recent Beer Parlour Project tour of SW Saskatchewan. Had it been open we would have checked it out, however. Celebrating old school watering holes at https://www.BeerParlourProject.com. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
Beer Parlour Fridays: The Wildwood Hotel in Wildwood Alberta, built in the late 1950s to replace one that earlier burned down. Visited in October 2024 by Chris and Rob. Watch for this hotel and others appearing at https://www.BeerParlourProject.com. Celebrating old school watering holes!
Scroll down to the comments for more!👇 _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
A retro, all-metal playground in Burstall Saskatchewan. The rocking horse, aka the tooth chipper or shin buster, was perhaps the most dangerous. Chris says he still has scars from one. But on a summer's day, those slides could get as hot as a baking pan fresh from the oven and gave new meaning to the words toasted buns. If you survived this playground, you were ready to take on the world. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Date: 2024. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
In behind the RDC (current site of Fort Calgary) was a Macosham (sp?) warehouse. It was served by rail, but I don’t remember how it got in there. Across 9 Ave or along the river berm behind Inglewood (I think).
The Canadian National had a spur line into what is present day Fort Calgary, back populated by warehouses, into the late 1960s perhaps even a bit longer. It paralleled the Bow and today is that walking path. There was a bridge right where the Elbow and Bow joined up.
My buddy is a conductor and took me along on his hot shot into Cowtown. I got to sit in the engineers seat of the second locomotive ( “just don’t touch nothing!” ) all the way in to Alyth yard. When we crossed Glenmore trail I slid the window open and hung my arm out, thinking someone I know might see me, but nobody did. It was a very cool ride. I may not have been a huge railway fan before that night, but I was after.
Now that’s a memory!! Thanks for commenting.
no problem. I grew up not far from Rosetown, my dad owned a farm equipment dealership. So I got to travel with him to all the major centers to pick up equipment and parts, and then deliveries all over the 3 western provinces. Then I began trucking when I was 21, so I know the provinces pretty well. I have really been enjoying your site, I have memories of a lot of your visited spots.
Hey! You know Chris Attrell!
thanks for documenting what you are.
That all sounds so interesting. Glad you like our little corner of the Internet too, we try hard, and of course we have a ton of fun doing it and sharing it with others. Yes, I know Chris. Now that guy is a photographer. I dream of being half as good.
As a kid, I loved riding on the dayliner.
I recall heading to Edmonton on one (1970s).
Cool pic of the RDC!
I know, so nice!