Caption: CNR 6167 pauses beneath the sand tower at Spadina on Friday, June 8, 1962 while being prepared for an excursion to South Parry taking place that Sunday, June 10. Various GMD and MLW cab units can be seen in the distance, plus an SW1200RS.
Scan and editing by Jacob Patterson.
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This picture is a tribute to my long-time sadly missed friend Jim Brown. It was his hasty phone call invitation to join him at CN Spadina shop to photograph 6167 being prepared for the UCRS Excursion to South Parry that resulted in this picture being taken. Bob Bowman, foreman of engines had advised Jim a few hours earlier that 6167 would be in steam, would be “limbering up” by running back and forth on the shop track. After taking on coal, Bob is filling the sand dome before running out to the west end of the shop lead track. This is not my picture, it was actually taken by Jim (with my Pentax camera) because I was being the “novice hostler” with the green shirt leaning out the cab window. Jim and I took turns photographing each other, then under the watchful eye of Bob, we each took a turn at operating 6167 out to the shop track switch and back ! It was a wonderful morning, wonderful memories. Sadly, Jim is gone, Spadina Shop is now condo towers, but thanks to the City of Guelph and railway volunteers, 6167 is still with us sixty years later.
Quite the experience John. Thanks for sharing the story.
A young John Freyseng at the controls.
This is such a beautiful capture and a fitting tribute to Jim. Bless you for posting. – Ken
Thanks John…Amazing to have “lived” history…a great story, to match an interesting image
Thank you for your comments, looking back sixty years plus has been most enjoyable for me and makes me appreciate even more how fortunate to have been involved with the UCRS and their wonderful steam excursions. Many thanks to Jacob Patterson for his scanning and editing skills and for taking the time in his busy life to post this picture (and others).
Always happy to help, John, though I am merely restoring the images. If not for yourself and other photographers whose collections and stories are now shared here we wouldn’t be able to view these historical moments.
Very cool