It’s of beastly proportions and sitting in a building barely larger than itself means it’s difficult to photograph. It’s just too big and the space too cramped. Anyway, it’s not at its best all naked and vulnerable while being restored, so those type of photos can wait. You know, roll it outside when it’s all done up pretty and snap away but until then it’s close-in detail shots. We’re talking about a famous steam locomotive, #6060, and it’s a sleeping giant present day after being out of service for a couple years. A group is working to change that, however, so it can again polish the rails.
Getting to that point will be a long process so in the meantime, here’s a couple random teaser images from one of our visits to the site. We’ve dropped by a couple times now and have volunteered to document each major step along the way. However long it takes and when done we’ll (hopefully) make a story out of this. To see it go from an in-pieces state to back on the road is something we can all look forward too.
We’ve blindly picked photos out of a hat here and thankfully it’s nothing out of focus or something embarrassing. It’ll happen one day in a “Random Pick” post as we’ve got no shortage of stinkers and rejects in our collection.
Perhaps the most widely recognized steam locomotive in Canada, #6060 dates from 1944 and when back in service will be the largest operational example in the country. For decades it’s pulled various excursions (why it’s so well known) but that has taken its toll and so it’s what you see here. But it’ll roll again and you can help the project move forward by going here: Rocky Mountain Rail Society #6060.
Short Subjects: reports that are short and sweet in nature. It’s stuff interesting enough in itself, but not deserved of the full on BIGDoer.com treatment. Think silly little snippets, vignettes and likewise things of that sort and you’ll be in and out in no time.
While the Mountains were the largest CN passenger locomotives to operate regularly in western Canada (CN’s more famous Northerns were not used much west of Winnipeg, and were most common in southern Ontario and farther east), the CN T-4-b Santa Fe’s have them beat in tractive effort. They were the most powerful CN steam locomotives to regularly operate in western Canada, but unfortunately none were preserved.
Different engines for different tasks, 6060 could do 90 mph with a good size passenger train while the 4300s were designed for slower speed heavy freight work, and by 35-40 mph their rods were a blur and the exhaust one continuous roar with no discernible chuffing (as told to me by another volunteer who used to fire them).
As preserved engines go 6060 is indeed one of the most famous, but is again beaten in weight and power by a number of other Canadian engines. Even CP’s last class of Royal Hudsons weigh more, the difference being explained by CP’s better track allowing higher axle loadings.
The largest and most powerful steam locomotives in Canada, and indeed in the whole British Empire were CN’s T-2-a Santa Fe’s (one, 4100, is preserved at the Canadian Railway Museum) and CP’s Selkirks. There is some debate about which one deserves the crown as “largest”, as the CN 4100s produced more tractive effort but were strictly low speed engines (being designed for transfer and helper service on the grades around Toronto), while the Selkirks weighed around 40,000 lbs more and were far more versatile.
The CNRHA site has a number of scanned steam data sheets, here’s the one for 6060’s class:
Thank you so much and on review see that the wording needed some serious clarification. We thought one thing and wrote down another – sigh – if you see my brain, send it home. It should have read when in service it’s the largest (in terms of size) operational steamer in the country, but by the time it was typed, the context was messed up. We’ve since updated the post to make it a little more clear.
Still, what you shared was an enjoyable read and we appreciate you taking the time.
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Beer Parlour Fridays: The Cadillac Hotel in Cadillac Saskatchewan, visited in June 2024 by Chris and Rob. Sadly, they unexpectedly closed soon after their visit, but it is for sale and hopefully will reopen under a new owner. Those amazing SK skies! Watch for the Cadillac 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).
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 leg 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).
So there’s where it’s been hiding?
It’s not been in the news much lately (Covid stuff I suspose).
A fun day to visit the locomotive! I look forward to returning with you on future visits!
Yes!
While the Mountains were the largest CN passenger locomotives to operate regularly in western Canada (CN’s more famous Northerns were not used much west of Winnipeg, and were most common in southern Ontario and farther east), the CN T-4-b Santa Fe’s have them beat in tractive effort. They were the most powerful CN steam locomotives to regularly operate in western Canada, but unfortunately none were preserved.
Different engines for different tasks, 6060 could do 90 mph with a good size passenger train while the 4300s were designed for slower speed heavy freight work, and by 35-40 mph their rods were a blur and the exhaust one continuous roar with no discernible chuffing (as told to me by another volunteer who used to fire them).
As preserved engines go 6060 is indeed one of the most famous, but is again beaten in weight and power by a number of other Canadian engines. Even CP’s last class of Royal Hudsons weigh more, the difference being explained by CP’s better track allowing higher axle loadings.
The largest and most powerful steam locomotives in Canada, and indeed in the whole British Empire were CN’s T-2-a Santa Fe’s (one, 4100, is preserved at the Canadian Railway Museum) and CP’s Selkirks. There is some debate about which one deserves the crown as “largest”, as the CN 4100s produced more tractive effort but were strictly low speed engines (being designed for transfer and helper service on the grades around Toronto), while the Selkirks weighed around 40,000 lbs more and were far more versatile.
The CNRHA site has a number of scanned steam data sheets, here’s the one for 6060’s class:
http://www.cnrha.ca/node/704/
It’s nice to see you are following 6060’s story, we all look forward to the day when she will operate again.
Thank you so much and on review see that the wording needed some serious clarification. We thought one thing and wrote down another – sigh – if you see my brain, send it home. It should have read when in service it’s the largest (in terms of size) operational steamer in the country, but by the time it was typed, the context was messed up. We’ve since updated the post to make it a little more clear.
Still, what you shared was an enjoyable read and we appreciate you taking the time.