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Caption: Here is a curiosity. You can make your own conclusions. Looking up 'Alma' on google; there is a photo of this engine, referring to it as a "historic steam engine on display near the old Alma Station".
But it appears this is a non-operable replica of sorts. If so, whoever constructed this did a remarkable job.
Old gauges inside, iron firebox door; whistle, bell and lamp all look real, but the pilot is wooden. Huh? And why would it be lettered for the Lacombe and Northwestern, which is a long gone road out in Alberta? Certainly is worth checking out if you are ever in the area. Personally, I thought it was built for use in an amusement park or something of that sort. And this remarkable "replica" appears to be built more than 60-70 years ago.
Very close by, the old GTR turned CN line went thru.
The line was removed around 1970. Not known when the station came down.
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I imagine it will be quite the ride with no counterweights on those big drivers.
An inch of ice would put it in the ditch, too.
)
Nice, I drive by thing thing pretty frequently. I spoke to someone awhile back about it and apparently it is built on the frame of an old steam tractor. The drive wheels are fly wheels of some old stationary gas engines.
I’ll have to check some records but my grandfather (from St. Mary’s) used to spend his summers helping the operator at Alma who I believe was his uncle or another relative. Would have been circa 1930.
Good Show, Jacob. I knew if I put this image to the group it would get some discussion. THANKS
Great photo Arnold! I believe that Alma’s station burned down mid to late 50′s. I know there is a photo of the replacement baggage car turned station in Ian Wilson’s book “Steam Through Palmerston’. But, even that did not last.
slim boiler
It’s a neat one. Boiler is very much real, albeit off a traction engine rather than a locomotive.
I also believe that headlight to be a real antique, although the base heavily modified for added ‘railway’ affect. Again, it’s a traction engine headlight, not locomotive. Side note I guess, in some cases those types of headlights were adapted for railway use, often on interurban or trolleys. Those meant for railways are easily recognizable by the large vertical brackets ending with a hanger at the top of the headlight so it could be placed on the equipment. Traction engine headlights had two strips of holes on the back on the top and bottom where two brackets could be fitted, the top one would wrap around the smokestack and the bottom to a holder on the engine. I’ve got both a traction engine headlight and a traction engine headlight used on an interurban.