Old Time Trains

CPR Facilities

Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Map Yard and Plans of new Shops 1913

Table is lined up for stall #1 which runs through into the backshop behind.
Note the two big pieces of concrete likely placed to balance the table.

Three photos mid-1990's Jim Booth

View to the left showing part of the car shop.

Looking back towards CP Transport terminal.

New high rise in the background portends of things to come. .

Typical firewall between portions of a roundhouse.

Fire door is normally left in the open position. Door will close when cable holding it open is released.

Note the street number 253 over door. This was once Johnson Street, now Esquimalt Road.

Track ran through stall #1 into backshop in rear of roundhouse.
Outside track has been removed from second entrance door (behind pickup).

This moveable jack on narrow gauge rails is air operated and is the same type used in roundhouse pits for dropping steam locomotive wheels including drivers.

Stores Dept. building in the background.

VIA Rail RDC 6133

Former Stores Department building shown in use as The Stores Building, a furniture re-finishing business
at 265 Johnson Street. The left front door was the yardmaster's office and it was being used by an architect.

Esquimalt & Nanaimo

E&N Railfreight

Short-lived CP internal shortline on Vancouver Island from 1996 until December 31, 1998.
Victoria Subdivision from Victoria to Courtney 140 miles and Port Alberni Sub. Parksville to Port Alberni 38 miles.

The power has been cut off and is heading east towards the roundhouse in the first of this series of five photographs. .

On the table ready to be turned.

Turning clockwise. The soft chugging of the air motor is unmistakable.

Just about lined up.

Backed onto the train preparing to depart back north to Nanaimo.

In the distance directly behind the slip dock is the Stores Department building (light roof) and to the right is the Car shop. Downtown Victoria is beyond to the right. The car slip dock was operated by Island Tug and Barge connecting with Seattle. This dock on Lime Bay closed sometime in the 1980's leaving the main CP slip dock at Nanaimo to serve the island. On some occasions CP traffic came via the nearby CN slip dock. The large stack with SWEENEY on it was formerly the Sweeney Cooperage mill (1889-1981) which was shut down in 1948 when its operation was transferred to their Vancouver main location. Its use by the time of this undated photograph is unknown at present.

Note: Redevelopment of Vancouver's False Creek area forced the closure of Sweeney's in 1981 and resulted in the sale of their machinery to McGinnis Wood Products, Inc. in Cuba, Missouri. A family owned business started in 1968 just as was the original Sweeney's which began in 1889. McGinnis continues making wooden barrels for bourbon and whiskey using white oak from the Ozarks of Missouri. Check out their website for an interesting brief slideshow of this fascinating work.

McGinnis Wood Products

Old Time Trains © 2013

CPR Facilities

Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Map Yard and Plans of new Shops 1913

Table is lined up for stall #1 which runs through into the backshop behind.
Note the two big pieces of concrete likely placed to balance the table.

Three photos mid-1990's Jim Booth

View to the left showing part of the car shop.

Looking back towards CP Transport terminal.

New high rise in the background portends of things to come. .

Typical firewall between portions of a roundhouse.

Fire door is normally left in the open position. Door will close when cable holding it open is released.

Note the street number 253 over door. This was once Johnson Street, now Esquimalt Road.

Track ran through stall #1 into backshop in rear of roundhouse.
Outside track has been removed from second entrance door (behind pickup).

This moveable jack on narrow gauge rails is air operated and is the same type used in roundhouse pits for dropping steam locomotive wheels including drivers.

Stores Dept. building in the background.

VIA Rail RDC 6133

Former Stores Department building shown in use as The Stores Building, a furniture re-finishing business
at 265 Johnson Street. The left front door was the yardmaster's office and it was being used by an architect.

Esquimalt & Nanaimo

E&N Railfreight

Short-lived CP internal shortline on Vancouver Island from 1996 until December 31, 1998.
Victoria Subdivision from Victoria to Courtney 140 miles and Port Alberni Sub. Parksville to Port Alberni 38 miles.

The power has been cut off and is heading east towards the roundhouse in the first of this series of five photographs. .

On the table ready to be turned.

Turning clockwise. The soft chugging of the air motor is unmistakable.

Just about lined up.

Backed onto the train preparing to depart back north to Nanaimo.

In the distance directly behind the slip dock is the Stores Department building (light roof) and to the right is the Car shop. Downtown Victoria is beyond to the right. The car slip dock was operated by Island Tug and Barge connecting with Seattle. This dock on Lime Bay closed sometime in the 1980's leaving the main CP slip dock at Nanaimo to serve the island. On some occasions CP traffic came via the nearby CN slip dock. The large stack with SWEENEY on it was formerly the Sweeney Cooperage mill (1889-1981) which was shut down in 1948 when its operation was transferred to their Vancouver main location. Its use by the time of this undated photograph is unknown at present.

Note: Redevelopment of Vancouver's False Creek area forced the closure of Sweeney's in 1981 and resulted in the sale of their machinery to McGinnis Wood Products, Inc. in Cuba, Missouri. A family owned business started in 1968 just as was the original Sweeney's which began in 1889. McGinnis continues making wooden barrels for bourbon and whiskey using white oak from the Ozarks of Missouri. Check out their website for an interesting brief slideshow of this fascinating work.

McGinnis Wood Products