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Caption: Canadian Pacific Railway gas-electric car, or "doodlebug", 9004 is seen resting on its service track in Guelph just south of Norwich Street, what was then the northernmost point of Guelph Junction Railway ownership on the Goderich Sub. This car made the run from Guelph south to Guelph Junction to connect with mainline Toronto - Windsor and Detroit trains up to 12 times per day per the 1947 CPR Goderich Sub timetable.
Originally built in June 1930 by the St. Louis Car Company as CPR 47, the car would be renumbered in April, 1934 to 9004. It would be scrapped at CPR's Angus Shops in Montreal alongside other doodlebugs of the series on December 24, 1958.
Original Photographer Unknown, Al Chione Duplicate, Jacob Patterson Collection Slide.
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My father rode the train from the JCT to Guelph a couple of summers in his younger days. He had some relatives that owned a farm at the north end of Guelph.
Sadly, not one of these self-propelled cars was saved. Would have made a nice low-cost tourist train with a coach or two.
Great picture Jacob. Took 8mm movie film of 9004 in 1957 departing Guelph Jct, and one of my very early b&w railway pictures was taken at Guelph station platform showing a few passengers detraining – size 127 Kodak Brownie. Never did ride on 9004, but did ride on 2 sister cars in NB, May 1958, 9003 from McAdam to Watt Jct (on its way to St Stephen’s) and 9008 from Fredericton Jct to Fredericton, connecting Fredericton with CPR main line passenger trains Saint John to/from Montreal. By Sept 1958, 9004 had been transferred to Ottawa-Minawaki run. Have a movie of 9004 rolling off the bridge from Hull towing trailer 9002, just before ducking underground & entering Ottawa Union Station – see Steam on the Move, CPR Vol 1,a VHS put out 20 years ago by Village Station Productions. Thank you very much for posting, John
@John, pulling 9002 eh? Before 9004 worked the GJR this run was handled by battery car 9002 ( trailer of course by the late ’50s). 9002 was nicknamed “Old Sparky” by Guelph residents.