As you may know, we made a trip to Newfoundland this summer, and I’m just now getting around to editing my photos and writing up some notes. Thought I’d share a few thoughts about the trip. I was born in Newfoundland, but not raised there. And I’ve never been all that interested in the history of the railroad there until I started preparing for this trip. Due to the limit of 4 photos per post, I’m going to divide this into 3 separate posts. To give a quick, condensed summary of the Newfoundland Railway, suffice it to say that it was built between 1881 – 1898. It was narrow gauge, built to 3’-6” gauge. About 550 miles of mainline from the capital, St John’s to Port-aux-Basques on the southwestern coast. Including all branch lines, total mileage was around 900 miles (depending on at what period you were measuring), making it the longest narrow gauge system in North America. After Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949, the Newfoundland Railway came under the control of Canadian National. Towards the end of its run, they changed the name to Terra Transport. Like many railroads serving large, underpopulated regions, it was a money losing proposition. When government funds starting running low, and with the competition from the newly completed Trans-Canada Highway in 1956, traffic decreased and deficits mounted. Service was terminated in 1988. Tracks were torn up almost immediately afterwards. Very little track or equipment remains today. For more detailed information see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_Railway Okay, enough background. We landed at St Johns, and spent most of our time out on the Bonavista Peninsula, so my train watching was limited to spots in between those points, which covers basically the eastern section of the island. Here’s a map of the island: http://home.earthlink.net/~lkstrong/NfldMap.htm Considering that I had the wife and junior in tow, I got to see a good number of sites. We hit the Railway Coastal Museum, Avondale, Whitbourne, Clarenville, Trinity Loop, Bonavista and Pt Union. Best Museum Wow, they sure did a good job on restoring the old main station and railroad headquarters building in St John’s and turning it into the “Railway Coastal Museum”. Good exhibits with lots of photos and displays. Learned a lot about the Coastal Boats too. (The railroad also operated a fleet of small coastal boats providing passenger and freight service to outlying posts). Nice job restoring and/or preserving the building. Too bad they didn’t have more rolling stock outside, but the museum itself is excellent. Here’s a shot of the building. Best preserved rolling stock I have to hand it to Bonavista. The locomotive (#932) and cars there were in the best condition of those that we saw. The station building is nicely maintained and serves as a senior citizen center. I have no idea how much the current condition resembles the station as it was when it was in service. #932 is a class NF210 diesel, 1200 hp, built by EMD in the late 50’s. Biggest (pleasant) surprise I’m originally from Pt Union. Of course, the trains were gone from that particular branch long before I came along. In fact, I never associated trains with Pt Union. I knew they had recently turned the old station into a museum, but didn’t really expect to see much. Turns out that they did a very nice job of reconditioning the building. It was moved some 50-100 yards from where it originally stood. While about half the station is dedicated to the town in general, they do have much more railroadiana than I expected to see. Where the station once stood, you can still see the original platform curb. And you can see where they blasted the spur leading to the station and it’s associated wharf, and the spur leading to the Fisherman’s Union buildings, through the local rock. I also toured the local Fisherman’s Union buildings, and in one of them they had an old (+/- 1918) plot of the town, which showed the whole track arrangement at Pt Union, including the wye, the station and spur, the wharf track, and the spur leading over to the Fisherman’s union buildings and wharf. Didn’t seem to include trackage up to the main branch line at Pt Union Jct, or at least I didn’t make it out. Okay, that's it for part 1. Next stop, Trinity Loop. Regards Ed
Newfoundland Railway (2 of 3) Okay, here we go with the second installment of the trip report. Trinity Loop was a well known site on the railroad. As far as I know it’s the only visible train loop in Canada. Originally constructed as a long trestle, it was eventually filled for most of its length. See also: http://www.heritage.nf.ca/society/rhs/tz_listing/155.html When most of the tracks of the Nfld Railway were taken up, they left the trackage at the loop, which was operated as a very short tourist attraction for a number of years (using small home made motors and cars). It was apparently still operating last year, but I’m sorry to report that Trinity Loop park was shut down by the time we got there this summer. We walked around the loop just for the sake of it. The right of way is really overgrown with weeds, and the ties are badly in need of replacement. The little Plymouth switcher they have there has suffered badly from vandalism. I understood that the #802 (a class G8, 875 hp unit built by EMD in 1954. Designed for use on light weight branch lines) was supposed to be there, but if it is it must be well camouflaged. We looked around and found the few cars that they have spread around. As a side note, I was surprised and a bit disappointed at the amount of vandalism I saw at the various sites. Maybe I shouldn’t be. But I guess I just didn’t expect it. It was especially evident at Trinity Loop, Whitbourne, and to a lesser extent at Avondale. That's all for part 2. Stay tuned for the last part. Regards Ed
Newfoundland Railway (part 3 of 3) Time for the last few pix and comments. Whitbourne I guess I expected the museum to have more of a train orientation, especially considering that for a long time the railroad maintained their main shops here, but most of the material was about the town in general. They did have a locomotive, snowplow, and a few cars on a siding. Avondale Excellent job of restoring the depot. Nice selection of items on display. I think they are operating one of the cars as a diner, but it didn’t appear to be open when we were there. Here’s an overall shot of the depot area. Clarenville The station is now a Shrine Masonic Center. As at Bonavista, at least the building still exists and is being used for something. Kind of easy to see where the yard tracks were. Considering that it was a division point it’s too bad they didn’t preserve more equipment or make the station into a rail museum. But hey, at least they have something there. Please excuse the lousy shot, but the sun was directly down track from the cars, throwing everything in shade. Overall it was a great trip. We’re hoping to get back there again next year. If I do I’ll certainly continue exploring what’s left of the railway. By the way, if anyone is interested I do have more photos. But the ones here are representative. Since I was only photographing static displays and old station buildings, there are no dramatic shots. Best regards Ed
Ed, thanks for posting that interesting report. I had no idea that Newfoundland had a narrow gauge road. Sorry to hear of the vandalism, but I guess that's part of society now, unfortunately. The restored buildings look great, in contrast to the vandalism. Would enjoy seeing more photos. :teeth:
That Avondale depot was certainly a different style. Nice to know that they have tried to remember some of their history. in so many places these days, nothing is found. Anyhow, looks like you have a very good trip! Boxcab E50
Ed, thanks. I was not aware of the Newfoundland Railway or its history. What has taken the place of railroad service in terms of commerce and moving goods around the Island?
Like everywhere, trucks. As I mentioned, the railway never was a profitable enterprise, trying to move too few people and too little cargo over too much distance. They finally completed a highway around the island, basically paralleling the railway, in 1956. That was the real beginning of the end. Bus service ate into passenger traffic. Trucks started taking away freight business. And the government decided to get out of subsidizing the railroad. Ed
At least you knew about Newfoundland. Wouldn't surprise me today to find that a lot of people have either never heard of it, or a) don't know it's a province, b) don't know it's an island, or c) don't have any idea where it's located. When I was born there it wasn't part of Canada. Didn't join until 1949. That's when the railway came under the control of CN. Regards Ed
Wasn't on my watch, I was long gone by then...... The Labrador part of "Newfoundland and Labrador" still has a railroad, by the way. Besides, although the name of the province was officially changed in 2001, Labrador had been part of the province since Confederation, or at least that's the way Irecall it. After all, who else besides Newfie's would have wanted to settle a place as rugged as the coast of Labrador? I had a chance to visit Ireland about 20 years ago. We were out on the southwest coast, on the Dingle Peninsula, and that's one rugged coastline. I remember commenting at the the that it reminded me a lot of the coast of Nfld. I thought, that's why there are so many Irish in Nfld. The first few got there and said "Here's a place that's just as barren and windblown as home. It's perfect! Send for the family." Ed
Ed, I'm quite familiar with the Atlantic provinces. When I was in the flight test business, we usually refueled at the "closest" places to Europe when flying across the Atlantic. Been to Goose Bay, Labrador, St. John's, Halifax.
I'm not sure. I know we considered it at times. Have to check my old flight logs. My cousin used to fly the triangle many years ago, and I think it was Gander, Azores and ????? Navy patrol.
