Old Time Trains

Logging Railways in British Columbia

Thurston Flavelle
A Brief History

1919

Bloedel Stewart & Welch

In 1951 Bloedel, Stewart and Welch merged with H.R. MacMillan to form MacMillan Bloedel Limited.

Seldom photographed left side of a Shay geared "lokey". Two views 5/8/2015

Nicely repainted June 15, 2018

On display at entrance to Forest Discovery Centre, BC Forest Museum Park, Duncan, VI. 5/8/2015

Bloedel Stewart & Welch. Ltd. 1 a 2-truck Shay 42 ton Lima 2475 9/1911
Duncan, VI 8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

Canadian Forest Products

Canadian Forest Products 111 acq. 1949 (ex Weyerhaeuser 111) 2-6-6-2 BLW 60811 5/1929
Woss Camp, VI September 1956 E.White

At 145 tons it is said to have been the largest logging engine in Canada.

Canadian Forest Products (CANFOR) (acq.1948) 112 2-6-2T 90-ton BLW #56323 3/1923
August 1965 Nimpkish Lake Camp, VI. John R.Cumming/W.G.Carruthers Col'n

Built Snoqualmie Falls Lumber 6 (WA) it became Weyerhaeuser 6 (WA).

CFP 112. It was retired in 1968 and put on display at CANFOR in Beaver Cove, VI

Note: Relocated 3/2015 to Alberni Valley Museum, Port Alberni, VI.
Under restoration for operation on Alberni Pacific Ry. tourist train.

Canadian Forest Products 113 (ex M&B 1055 ex Alberni Pacific 6 ex Portland, Astoria & Pacific 102)
Alco 61859 8/1920 Woss Camp, VI July 30, 1996 Dave Ames

After years of retirement and display (1975-86) this engine was restored to operation (1988) primarily for excursions by CANFOR as public relations effort. It was retired again in 1994 due in part to the retirement of steam qualified employees.

After several years it was again (October 2014) put on display in Woss right near where the roundhouse was once located.

Canadian Forest Products 117 (ex 17, ex 3) Acq. 1/1947 70-ton Shay Lima 2687 9/1913 Englewood, VI
Built for St.Lawrence Pulp & Lumber 1 (Quebec), Nimpkish Timber 3 (became Wood & English Logging in 1924)

Canadian Forest Products fire car. 1956

Channel Logging

Channel Logging 2, ex Camron Lbr. 1, Sahtlam Lake Lbr. nee Shawnigan Lake Lbr. 2
2-truck Climax 23-ton Climax 1057 1910 Duncan, VI 8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

Comox Logging & Railway

2 acq. 1910 ex Canwest 2 2-6-2T Baldwin 34291 7/1910

3 acq. 1911 ex Canwest 3. 2-6-2 Baldwin 35871 1/1911

Comox Logging & Railway 7 (acq. 1920 ex PGE 2 nee Howe Sound & Northern 2) next to log ponds circa 1940's.
2-6-2T&T Baldwin 34270 2/1910

Comox Logging & Railway 11 acq. 1937 ex Simpson Logging, WA Baldwin 57409 11/1923
Last steam locomotive in use. Displayed 1962 Jim Booth

Comox Logging & Railway Co. log flat car.

12 acq. 5/1942 ex Merrill & Ring Lumber 2, nee Squamish Timber 2. 50-ton Lima 3311 6/1927
Displayed with log car CFI 94-83 ex CZC, nee MILW 598306, box car CN 428560 and caboose CN 78876.
Kaatza Station Museum (E&N), Lake Cowichan, VI. July 2, 2018

Elk Falls

Elk Falls 1 2-truck 50-ton Shay oil-fired. Lima 3289 10/1925 Elk Falls, VI. November 1967.
Howard Serig Jr/W.G.Carruthers Col'n

This was the last steam locomotive in Canada in use for revenue freight. It switched the barge operation at Duncan Bay on Vancouver Island and the Elk Falls paper mill an isolated operation, having been transferred there from Comox Logging & Railway of parent company Crown Zellerbach Canada. It was finally retired in 1973 and in 1974 found its way to the National Museum of Science & Technology (now; Canada Science and Technology Museum) in Ottawa where it was eventually restored to occasional operation on their property. Built for Merrill & Ring Lumber 4, Thedosia Arm, BC, it was sold in May 1942 to Comox Logging and Railway 15 for their extensive logging railway at Ladysmith, VI. In 1951 it went to Elk Falls.

Hillcrest Lumber

Osborn Bay Wharf 1, Crofton; ex Export Lbr. 1, ex Mayo Lbr. nee Hillcrest Lumber Co. 1 (Cowichan Lake)
36" gauge 2 truck Shay 25 ton Lima 3147 12/1920 Duncan, VI 8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

Two views of number 1 below lettered for Cowichan Valley Railway at the British Columbia Forest Museum.
Later renamed BC Forest Discovery Centre.

Hillcrest Lumber Co. Ltd. 9 50-ton Climax #1359 6/1915 Mesachie Lake, VI. July 18, 1957
Fred Spurrell Jr./Walter C. Casler Collection

Preserved 1965 at British Columbia Forest Museum, Duncan, VI.

Two photos of 10 shoving 9. Bud Laws Collection

Hillcrest Lumber 9 2-truck 50-ton Climax 1359 6/1915
This engine had seven owners at eight locations!
Two photos Duncan, VI 8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

Hillcrest Lumber 10 Last Climax geared steam locomotive in Canada

MacMillan and Bloedel

In 1951 Bloedel, Stewart and Welch merged with H.R. MacMillan to form MacMillan and Bloedel Limited.

Note: H.R.MacMillan Export Co. Ltd. formed 1919.

H.R.MacMillan's inspection automobile. Digital restoration Walter Pfefferle

M&B 2 on display in Port Alberni, VI. ex Alberni Pacific Lumber 2 nee Wiest Logging 1. Lima 2548 6/1912

1044 at Chemanius, VI. May 26, 1964 Bud Laws Collection

MacMillan & Bloedel 1044 was one of the last operating steam locomotives in BC.
Porter #6877 5/1924 Chemainus, VI Joseph Testagrose Collection

Mac Millan Bloedel 1044 50-ton Shay Lima #3262 4/1924 with log flat displayed at North Cowichan, VI
8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

MacMillan and Bloedel 1077 one of the last active steam logging engines. MLW 65337 12/1923
It was preserved and operated for historical events including Steam Expo May 1986 Vancouver.

Now operating at Fort Steele BC Provincial Heritage Park
along with yet another BC logging engine Canfor 115 a three truck Shay.

Mayo Lumber

Mayo Lumber 3 50-ton Shay Lima #3262 4/1924 Displayed at Paldi, VI by Mayo Lbr. 1959.
Preserved 1967 at BC Forest Museum, Duncan, VI. 1995 to Kettle Valley Steam (tourist) Ry.
It operated there for several years until replaced by CPR 3716. It was returned to Duncan in 2010.

Mayo Lumber 3 Two photos Duncan, VI 8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

Engineer Brad Coates at the throttle leaving West Summerland Station and heading towards Prairie Valley
station above Summerland, for steam tests and to set the boiler safety valves. April 1997 Dave Ames

Osborne Bay Wharf

Osborne Bay Wharf 1 (acq. 3/1947 ex Mayo Lbr.) Shay Lima #3147 12/1920. Crofton, VI
Originally, Hillcrest Lumber 1, Cowichan Valley;. (2) Export Lumber Co.; (3) Mayo Lumber Co.
Retired 1963. Preserved (conv. narrow gauge) at British Columbia Discovery Center, Duncan, VI.

Another view from the other side of Osborne Bay Wharf 1.

Steam crane. Osgoode-Washington
Preserved at British Columbia Discovery Center.

Ross-Saskatoon Lumber
Waldo, BC

42" gauge

No. 1 wood burning 28-ton Shay with crew posing. Lima 2253 2/1910

BC Archives

Mill site BC Archives

Diesel era

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Logging Railways in British Columbia

Thurston Flavelle
A Brief History

1919

Bloedel Stewart & Welch

In 1951 Bloedel, Stewart and Welch merged with H.R. MacMillan to form MacMillan Bloedel Limited.

Seldom photographed left side of a Shay geared "lokey". Two views 5/8/2015

Nicely repainted June 15, 2018

On display at entrance to Forest Discovery Centre, BC Forest Museum Park, Duncan, VI. 5/8/2015

Bloedel Stewart & Welch. Ltd. 1 a 2-truck Shay 42 ton Lima 2475 9/1911
Duncan, VI 8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

Canadian Forest Products

Canadian Forest Products 111 acq. 1949 (ex Weyerhaeuser 111) 2-6-6-2 BLW 60811 5/1929
Woss Camp, VI September 1956 E.White

At 145 tons it is said to have been the largest logging engine in Canada.

Canadian Forest Products (CANFOR) (acq.1948) 112 2-6-2T 90-ton BLW #56323 3/1923
August 1965 Nimpkish Lake Camp, VI. John R.Cumming/W.G.Carruthers Col'n

Built Snoqualmie Falls Lumber 6 (WA) it became Weyerhaeuser 6 (WA).

CFP 112. It was retired in 1968 and put on display at CANFOR in Beaver Cove, VI

Note: Relocated 3/2015 to Alberni Valley Museum, Port Alberni, VI.
Under restoration for operation on Alberni Pacific Ry. tourist train.

Canadian Forest Products 113 (ex M&B 1055 ex Alberni Pacific 6 ex Portland, Astoria & Pacific 102)
Alco 61859 8/1920 Woss Camp, VI July 30, 1996 Dave Ames

After years of retirement and display (1975-86) this engine was restored to operation (1988) primarily for excursions by CANFOR as public relations effort. It was retired again in 1994 due in part to the retirement of steam qualified employees.

After several years it was again (October 2014) put on display in Woss right near where the roundhouse was once located.

Canadian Forest Products 117 (ex 17, ex 3) Acq. 1/1947 70-ton Shay Lima 2687 9/1913 Englewood, VI
Built for St.Lawrence Pulp & Lumber 1 (Quebec), Nimpkish Timber 3 (became Wood & English Logging in 1924)

Canadian Forest Products fire car. 1956

Channel Logging

Channel Logging 2, ex Camron Lbr. 1, Sahtlam Lake Lbr. nee Shawnigan Lake Lbr. 2
2-truck Climax 23-ton Climax 1057 1910 Duncan, VI 8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

Comox Logging & Railway

2 acq. 1910 ex Canwest 2 2-6-2T Baldwin 34291 7/1910

3 acq. 1911 ex Canwest 3. 2-6-2 Baldwin 35871 1/1911

Comox Logging & Railway 7 (acq. 1920 ex PGE 2 nee Howe Sound & Northern 2) next to log ponds circa 1940's.
2-6-2T&T Baldwin 34270 2/1910

Comox Logging & Railway 11 acq. 1937 ex Simpson Logging, WA Baldwin 57409 11/1923
Last steam locomotive in use. Displayed 1962 Jim Booth

Comox Logging & Railway Co. log flat car.

12 acq. 5/1942 ex Merrill & Ring Lumber 2, nee Squamish Timber 2. 50-ton Lima 3311 6/1927
Displayed with log car CFI 94-83 ex CZC, nee MILW 598306, box car CN 428560 and caboose CN 78876.
Kaatza Station Museum (E&N), Lake Cowichan, VI. July 2, 2018

Elk Falls

Elk Falls 1 2-truck 50-ton Shay oil-fired. Lima 3289 10/1925 Elk Falls, VI. November 1967.
Howard Serig Jr/W.G.Carruthers Col'n

This was the last steam locomotive in Canada in use for revenue freight. It switched the barge operation at Duncan Bay on Vancouver Island and the Elk Falls paper mill an isolated operation, having been transferred there from Comox Logging & Railway of parent company Crown Zellerbach Canada. It was finally retired in 1973 and in 1974 found its way to the National Museum of Science & Technology (now; Canada Science and Technology Museum) in Ottawa where it was eventually restored to occasional operation on their property. Built for Merrill & Ring Lumber 4, Thedosia Arm, BC, it was sold in May 1942 to Comox Logging and Railway 15 for their extensive logging railway at Ladysmith, VI. In 1951 it went to Elk Falls.

Hillcrest Lumber

Osborn Bay Wharf 1, Crofton; ex Export Lbr. 1, ex Mayo Lbr. nee Hillcrest Lumber Co. 1 (Cowichan Lake)
36" gauge 2 truck Shay 25 ton Lima 3147 12/1920 Duncan, VI 8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

Two views of number 1 below lettered for Cowichan Valley Railway at the British Columbia Forest Museum.
Later renamed BC Forest Discovery Centre.

Hillcrest Lumber Co. Ltd. 9 50-ton Climax #1359 6/1915 Mesachie Lake, VI. July 18, 1957
Fred Spurrell Jr./Walter C. Casler Collection

Preserved 1965 at British Columbia Forest Museum, Duncan, VI.

Two photos of 10 shoving 9. Bud Laws Collection

Hillcrest Lumber 9 2-truck 50-ton Climax 1359 6/1915
This engine had seven owners at eight locations!
Two photos Duncan, VI 8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

Hillcrest Lumber 10 Last Climax geared steam locomotive in Canada

MacMillan and Bloedel

In 1951 Bloedel, Stewart and Welch merged with H.R. MacMillan to form MacMillan and Bloedel Limited.

Note: H.R.MacMillan Export Co. Ltd. formed 1919.

H.R.MacMillan's inspection automobile. Digital restoration Walter Pfefferle

M&B 2 on display in Port Alberni, VI. ex Alberni Pacific Lumber 2 nee Wiest Logging 1. Lima 2548 6/1912

1044 at Chemanius, VI. May 26, 1964 Bud Laws Collection

MacMillan & Bloedel 1044 was one of the last operating steam locomotives in BC.
Porter #6877 5/1924 Chemainus, VI Joseph Testagrose Collection

Mac Millan Bloedel 1044 50-ton Shay Lima #3262 4/1924 with log flat displayed at North Cowichan, VI
8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

MacMillan and Bloedel 1077 one of the last active steam logging engines. MLW 65337 12/1923
It was preserved and operated for historical events including Steam Expo May 1986 Vancouver.

Now operating at Fort Steele BC Provincial Heritage Park
along with yet another BC logging engine Canfor 115 a three truck Shay.

Mayo Lumber

Mayo Lumber 3 50-ton Shay Lima #3262 4/1924 Displayed at Paldi, VI by Mayo Lbr. 1959.
Preserved 1967 at BC Forest Museum, Duncan, VI. 1995 to Kettle Valley Steam (tourist) Ry.
It operated there for several years until replaced by CPR 3716. It was returned to Duncan in 2010.

Mayo Lumber 3 Two photos Duncan, VI 8/29/2010 Graham Harrison

Engineer Brad Coates at the throttle leaving West Summerland Station and heading towards Prairie Valley
station above Summerland, for steam tests and to set the boiler safety valves. April 1997 Dave Ames

Osborne Bay Wharf

Osborne Bay Wharf 1 (acq. 3/1947 ex Mayo Lbr.) Shay Lima #3147 12/1920. Crofton, VI
Originally, Hillcrest Lumber 1, Cowichan Valley;. (2) Export Lumber Co.; (3) Mayo Lumber Co.
Retired 1963. Preserved (conv. narrow gauge) at British Columbia Discovery Center, Duncan, VI.

Another view from the other side of Osborne Bay Wharf 1.

Steam crane. Osgoode-Washington
Preserved at British Columbia Discovery Center.

Ross-Saskatoon Lumber
Waldo, BC

42" gauge

No. 1 wood burning 28-ton Shay with crew posing. Lima 2253 2/1910

BC Archives

Mill site BC Archives

Diesel era