Canadian Northern/National Railway

S

Singlepole

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Mar 25, 2005
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I am looking for info on a steam engine that I am told ran primarily on the CNR line between Winnipeg and Rainy River. This one made it's last run from Winnipeg to Rainy River in 1958 and is still parked there.
CNR4008.jpg
It's road number was 4008 and I was told that its model name was Santa Fee, but I think that maybe incorrect. I was also told that it was very hard on track and was limited to 40mph, but was one of the largest engines, note the 5 wheels. Does anyone have any info on this unit?
Thanks Sp
 
The wheel arrangement 2-10-2 is called Santa Fe, probably because the Santa Fe RR had the first ones. A few railroads managed to get their names for locos accepted as standard, but often a close competitor would give theirs a different name. (NYC called the 4-8-4 a Niagara; CN called it a Northern.)
Look in your library for a book Canadian National Steam Power by Clegg and Corley. It's probably the best book on the topic.
 
Thanks for you help everyone. Me and my boys are still pretty new to model railroading, but we are very excited to start learning. Any more advice you can give us to get us started we would appeciate.
Thanks
Sp
 
Sp, you'll find plenty of information and people willing to help here at the Gauge. If you need specific help, you can post your questions in the Technical Q & A section. If you're looking for more general information, The Gauge has a search function - it's up top in the blue bar under the Gauge logo. Type in "scenery" for example and you'll get a list of all the threads that deal with scenery.

Welcome aboard by the way!! :wave:

Val
 
I want my layout to exact the former yards that were here in my home town and I also want that engine to pull the lumber cars that built this community. The trains roll through here now barely slowing, but at one time it was a large train center. It is all gone now except in the memories of the ones who worked the trains. I have alot of work to do.
Sp
 
Where is your hometown Sp? If it's anywhere in Ontario you may be in luck. There's an excellent series of books by Ian Wilson, covering the last days of CN steam in this province with scale track plans from all the towns along the various routes.

So far he has covered Allandale, Stratford, Palmerston, London and the Niagara Frontier.

If you're interested, his website is http://www.canadianbranchline.com/

Val
 
Thank you spitfire, I'm there. My home town is, as you may have guessed Rainy River. Its original name was Beaver Mills after the mill that was first erected there. The railway needed a connecting route from Winnpeg to Thunder Bay and Chicago so this line was built, but a bridge neede to be erected here and to keep things simple shipments were sent to Rainy River (the river) and the town site was moved about a mile away, the name stuck and has been used for 100 years. The bridge was erected in 1903 and was replaced last year using and new meathod that did'nt interupt service for more than 2 hours at a time. I'm babbling on here. Anyway we are very proud of our 4008 (she is a beauty eh Livesteamer) and our railway ties even though the CNR has decided that the trains will no long stop here and have moved the turn to Fort Frances. I will be looking for that book in our library. L8r
Sp
 
Class T-1-a 2-10-2 #4008 was built in 1916 by Alco (Brooks) for the Canadian Government Railways (the boiler was built by Montreal Locomotive Works) as #2008. It was brought into the Canadian National fold when CN was entrusted with the operations of the CGR around 1918. The CGR was the former Intercolonial Railway which ran from Montreal to Halifax. #4008 was one of 10 locos of this class that were built for the CGR. It ended up in Rainy River in October of 1959. All other locos of this class were scrapped. There is only one other CNR 2-10-4 that has been preserved. This is at the CRHA in Delsun QC. This one was built at Kingston, ON in 1924 as #4100 but was renumbered to #4190 in 1957.

For more information on CN steam locos, refer to Page 97 of "Canadian National Steam Power" by Anthony Clegg and Ray Corley.
 
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