Old Time Trains

Inspection Cars

R.L.Kennedy

Canadian Pacific Railway

M-430 a 1928 Cadillac believed to have been used around Banff and acquired from an owner in Kamloops.
It has been re-engined with a 1947 Chevrolet truck engine and waits restoration. .
Reynolds-Alberta Museum, Wetaskiwin, AB
Two more views: One and Two

M-235 a 1929 Packard seven-passenger limousine at Parkdale station (Toronto) 1944 with none other than
the famous N.R. "Buck" Crump, General Superintendent driving. Old Time Trains Archives

M-235 (motor) is the designation of this spotless CPR 1938 Buick Special
shown at West Toronto roundhouse on August 14, 1961. David M. More

M-235 at the Canadian Railway Museum near Montreal. July 29,1982 Pierre Fournier

Spanner August-September 1953

M243 in Hochelaga Yard, Montreal. September 10, 1949 E.A.Toohey Collection

Inspection cars were automobiles used by high ranking company railway officers to conduct inspections of the railway's property. They were equipped with steel wheels to run on track and could not be used on roads, unlike hi-rail vehicles used in recent years that can do both. They were usually equipped with a turntable.

These inspections always brought a certain amount of trepidation with their passing as railway officials often reined terror upon hapless lower ranking officials and employees for anything that didn't please them.

Monthly inspections by the Divisional General Superintendent similarly were preceded by much concern on the part of lesser mortals. These inspections were conducted using the General Superintendent's business car attached to the rear of a passenger or mixed train if available, otherwise a freight train would be used.

Superintendent's business car 35 on the Elora Mixed hauled by D-6 class Ten Wheeler 526
drifting through Belwood, Ont. June 26, 1955 R.J.Sandusky

M-246 (ex C&O 5) at West Toronto Depot Bill Thomson

M-260 waits at West Toronto Depot, likely about to head north on the Mac Tier Subdivision.
Bullet with F-2 class 4-4-4 Jubilee on eastward Galt Sub. Gord Billinghurst Collection

CPR M-260, 1947 Cadillac was used by President N. R. Crump, Smiths Falls Railway Museum.

M-300 Wickham Winnipeg Railway Museum 3/09/2020

M-364 1932 Buick, Brandon, Manitoba. July 19, 1947 David M. More

CPR M-499 1934 Buick

M-499 at the Western Development Museum, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

First assigned in 1939 to Superintendent Harry Taylor, Moose Jaw, in 1957 to Supt. Crawford C. Young.
It was replaced in 1959 by a Hi-rail vehicle.

Close-up of the inspection car turntable, removed for display.

Above three images: Western Development Museum, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

M600 Calgary late 1920's Packard. Note turntable for car. Late 1940's photo by Norm Corness.

Spanner May 1955

M-602 a 1938 Chevrolet is located at the Alexander Galt Museum in Lethbridge, Alberta.

M620 Make and year unknown. Possibly at Prince Albert, SK Keith Bowler

\

M820 Revelstoke, June 1951. W.C.Whittaker/Bill Thomson

CPR Subsidiaries

Even subsidiary Dominion Atlantic had an inspection car, M-107 shown at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.
Reading the orders for Extra M-107 East is J.C.McCuaig, DAR Manager. Next to him is Jack Mc.Quarrie, Engineer
and Reg McGill, General Agent, Yarmouth. Driver is Vince Young, Secretary and passenger is C.E.Haystead, Roadmaster. Mid-1950's. Bob Brooks

DAR Hy-Rail 1958 Pontiac station wagon. Kentville, NS

Quebec Central M-286 a 1929 Packard at Sherbrooke. April 1953
John Lachance/R.S.Ritchie Collection

Note: The building housing the M 286 was a "left over" of an old QCR steam locomotive house.
It was used before the QCR was able to connect directly to CP up town.
This building was located on Rue des Grandes Fourches and was attached to the Quebec Central Bus Garage.
The tracks in the back ground are from the CN yard in Sherbrooke and the building on the other side of the hopper car is the CNR freight sheds that were next to the CNR train station on the road call Depot.
John Lachance

Other railways

GWWD 33 an old Paige shown at St.Boniface, Manitoba, September 19,1959 J.D.Knowles

Greater Winnipeg Water District 34 is a 1946 Packard.
Now at the Winnipeg Railway Museum inside the former CNoR station in downtown Winnipeg.

Northern Alberta 99 a 1930 Buick. R.D.C.Comrie

Pere Marquette Railway IN.2 Inspection Car at Chatham, Ont. Aug. 15,1945
The Sirman Collection

Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo 1, 1951 Chrysler Windsor Deluxe. Tim Miller/Rod Wilson Collection

TH&B 1, is in private hands in Tottenham and occasionally seen at railway hobby shows.

Chatham Street June 9, 1975

Subsequent owner; preserved 1980 by Rod Wilson. It appeared at some Train Shows and
even ran on ocassion at South Simcoe Ry. Changed ownership 12/2015 to former GTR
Freeman Station (ex CNR Burlington Junction) Moved to 1285 Fairview Street, Burlington.

Note: There are only six known preserved Inspection Automobiles, four CPR, one TH&B, one GWWD.

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Old Time Trains © 2021

Inspection Cars

R.L.Kennedy

Canadian Pacific Railway

M-430 a 1928 Cadillac believed to have been used around Banff and acquired from an owner in Kamloops.
It has been re-engined with a 1947 Chevrolet truck engine and waits restoration. .
Reynolds-Alberta Museum, Wetaskiwin, AB
Two more views: One and Two

M-235 a 1929 Packard seven-passenger limousine at Parkdale station (Toronto) 1944 with none other than
the famous N.R. "Buck" Crump, General Superintendent driving. Old Time Trains Archives

M-235 (motor) is the designation of this spotless CPR 1938 Buick Special
shown at West Toronto roundhouse on August 14, 1961. David M. More

M-235 at the Canadian Railway Museum near Montreal. July 29,1982 Pierre Fournier

Spanner August-September 1953

M243 in Hochelaga Yard, Montreal. September 10, 1949 E.A.Toohey Collection

Inspection cars were automobiles used by high ranking company railway officers to conduct inspections of the railway's property. They were equipped with steel wheels to run on track and could not be used on roads, unlike hi-rail vehicles used in recent years that can do both. They were usually equipped with a turntable.

These inspections always brought a certain amount of trepidation with their passing as railway officials often reined terror upon hapless lower ranking officials and employees for anything that didn't please them.

Monthly inspections by the Divisional General Superintendent similarly were preceded by much concern on the part of lesser mortals. These inspections were conducted using the General Superintendent's business car attached to the rear of a passenger or mixed train if available, otherwise a freight train would be used.

Superintendent's business car 35 on the Elora Mixed hauled by D-6 class Ten Wheeler 526
drifting through Belwood, Ont. June 26, 1955 R.J.Sandusky

M-246 (ex C&O 5) at West Toronto Depot Bill Thomson

M-260 waits at West Toronto Depot, likely about to head north on the Mac Tier Subdivision.
Bullet with F-2 class 4-4-4 Jubilee on eastward Galt Sub. Gord Billinghurst Collection

CPR M-260, 1947 Cadillac was used by President N. R. Crump, Smiths Falls Railway Museum.

M-300 Wickham Winnipeg Railway Museum 3/09/2020

M-364 1932 Buick, Brandon, Manitoba. July 19, 1947 David M. More

CPR M-499 1934 Buick

M-499 at the Western Development Museum, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

First assigned in 1939 to Superintendent Harry Taylor, Moose Jaw, in 1957 to Supt. Crawford C. Young.
It was replaced in 1959 by a Hi-rail vehicle.

Close-up of the inspection car turntable, removed for display.

Above three images: Western Development Museum, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

M600 Calgary late 1920's Packard. Note turntable for car. Late 1940's photo by Norm Corness.

Spanner May 1955

M-602 a 1938 Chevrolet is located at the Alexander Galt Museum in Lethbridge, Alberta.

M620 Make and year unknown. Possibly at Prince Albert, SK Keith Bowler

M820 Revelstoke, June 1951. W.C.Whittaker/Bill Thomson

CPR Subsidiaries

Even subsidiary Dominion Atlantic had an inspection car, M-107 shown at Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.
Reading the orders for Extra M-107 East is J.C.McCuaig, DAR Manager. Next to him is Jack Mc.Quarrie, Engineer
and Reg McGill, General Agent, Yarmouth. Driver is Vince Young, Secretary and passenger is C.E.Haystead, Roadmaster. Mid-1950's. Bob Brooks

DAR Hy-Rail 1958 Pontiac station wagon. Kentville, NS

Quebec Central M-286 a 1929 Packard at Sherbrooke. April 1953
John Lachance/R.S.Ritchie Collection

Note: The building housing the M 286 was a "left over" of an old QCR steam locomotive house.
It was used before the QCR was able to connect directly to CP up town.
This building was located on Rue des Grandes Fourches and was attached to the Quebec Central Bus Garage.
The tracks in the back ground are from the CN yard in Sherbrooke and the building on the other side of the hopper car is the CNR freight sheds that were next to the CNR train station on the road call Depot.
John Lachance

Other railways

GWWD 33 an old Paige shown at St.Boniface, Manitoba, September 19,1959 J.D.Knowles

Greater Winnipeg Water District 34 is a 1946 Packard.
Now at the Winnipeg Railway Museum inside the former CNoR station in downtown Winnipeg.

Northern Alberta 99 a 1930 Buick. R.D.C.Comrie

Pere Marquette Railway IN.2 Inspection Car at Chatham, Ont. Aug. 15,1945
The Sirman Collection

Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo 1, 1951 Chrysler Windsor Deluxe. Tim Miller/Rod Wilson Collection

TH&B 1, is in private hands in Tottenham and occasionally seen at railway hobby shows.

Chatham Street June 9, 1975

Subsequent owner; preserved 1980 by Rod Wilson. It appeared at some Train Shows and
even ran on ocassion at South Simcoe Ry. Changed ownership 12/2015 to former GTR
Freeman Station (ex CNR Burlington Junction) Moved to 1285 Fairview Street, Burlington.

Note: There are only six known preserved Inspection Automobiles, four CPR, one TH&B, one GWWD.