Old Time Trains

Beauharnois Power Corporation

Beauharnois, Quebec

Beauharnois Construction Company

114, one of 14 identical 0-4-0T's. 43 tons, 17,000 t.e. oil-fired. CLC #1867 3/11930
Don Mc. Queen Collection
Note: These powerful locomotives had Walschaerts valve gear and were superheated.

These locomotives were used 1930-1932 during construction of the massive hydro-electric dam and powerhouse on the St. Lawrence river. Engines became Beauharnois Light Heat & Power Co. 111-124. 112 and 114 sold 1940 to Defense Industries Ltd. 2001, 2002. (At least one of which was resold to National Steel Car) 118 sold to Quebec Sugar Co. 121 and 124 sold May 1935 to Falconbridge Nickel Mines 102, 103. They converted both to coal account oil firing not suitable for plant switching. Then, in 1950 FNM 103 was sold to M. J. Poupore Lumber Co. (owned by Falconbridge) in Skead. Around 1935-40 123 was sold to Cooksville Brick & Tile, Cooksville. Three more were sold for export to Japan and 5 were scrapped around 1950 by Andrew Merrilees (D), who could no longer market steam locomotives.

CNR locomotive engineer Alexander P. Brown of Parry Sound bought 124 (CLC #1896 2/1930) in July 1969 in derelict condition and restored it to operation on a very short piece of track on his rural property. Upon Alex's death it went to Don Broadbear, who in 2003 began restoring it in St. Thomas, to operation. The work continues in 2014 in St.Jacobs.

Beauharnois Canal

Construction work began on August 1, 1929 on the massive project to dig a canal 15 miles long and over 3,000 feet wide with a ship channel 600 feet wide and 27 feet deep within it. Two 45 foot ship locks near the power house completed the works.

A construction railway with 14 new steam locomotives and about 40 miles of track was built and over 3, 000 men hired to carry out the work 24 hours a day.

Central to all this was a hydro-electric generating station with ten 50,000 h.p. units and two 8,000 auxiliary units with a start up of 200,000 h.p. planned for October 1, 1932. Planned potential was 700,000 h.p. with 2,000,000 eventually possible.

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Old Time Trains © 2014

Beauharnois Power Corporation

Beauharnois, Quebec

Beauharnois Construction Company

114, one of 14 identical 0-4-0T's. 43 tons, 17,000 t.e. oil-fired. CLC #1867 3/11930
Don Mc. Queen Collection
Note: These powerful locomotives had Walschaerts valve gear and were superheated.

These locomotives were used 1930-1932 during construction of the massive hydro-electric dam and powerhouse on the St. Lawrence river. Engines became Beauharnois Light Heat & Power Co. 111-124. 112 and 114 sold 1940 to Defense Industries Ltd. 2001, 2002. (At least one of which was resold to National Steel Car) 118 sold to Quebec Sugar Co. 121 and 124 sold May 1935 to Falconbridge Nickel Mines 102, 103. They converted both to coal account oil firing not suitable for plant switching. Then, in 1950 FNM 103 was sold to M. J. Poupore Lumber Co. (owned by Falconbridge) in Skead. Around 1935-40 123 was sold to Cooksville Brick & Tile, Cooksville. Three more were sold for export to Japan and 5 were scrapped around 1950 by Andrew Merrilees (D), who could no longer market steam locomotives.

CNR locomotive engineer Alexander P. Brown of Parry Sound bought 124 (CLC #1896 2/1930) in July 1969 in derelict condition and restored it to operation on a very short piece of track on his rural property. Upon Alex's death it went to Don Broadbear, who in 2003 began restoring it in St. Thomas, to operation. The work continues in 2014 in St.Jacobs.

Beauharnois Canal

Construction work began on August 1, 1929 on the massive project to dig a canal 15 miles long and over 3,000 feet wide with a ship channel 600 feet wide and 27 feet deep within it. Two 45 foot ship locks near the power house completed the works.

A construction railway with 14 new steam locomotives and about 40 miles of track was built and over 3, 000 men hired to carry out the work 24 hours a day.

Central to all this was a hydro-electric generating station with ten 50,000 h.p. units and two 8,000 auxiliary units with a start up of 200,000 h.p. planned for October 1, 1932. Planned potential was 700,000 h.p. with 2,000,000 eventually possible.