Train station and railway display in Clarenville, NL |
Clarenville is an important hub in the area, being the largest town in the area and a service centre for the Trinity-Bonavista peninsula. During the time of the railway, it was a station stop for trains, and the Bonavista branch started at Shoal Harbour, 1.1 miles railway west of the station.
After the railway officially closed on September 29, 1988, a few work trains passed through Clarenville to gather equipment and facilitate rail removal. The last train to enter Clarenville was in October 1990 with engine 914 leading a boxcar, coach and caboose.
NF110 #900 in Clarenville, Newfoundland |
I find it interesting that the Newfoundland locomotives all have a "skirt" along the side covering the wheels that mainland units seem to lack. I wonder why they had it?
Behind CN 900 is diner #176, built in 1958 for CN by National Steel Car. Apparently this was the last diner built in Canada for the CNR.
Dining car CN 176, Clarenville, Newfoundland |
Engine 900 and diner 176 were transported by road from the Railway Coastal Museum in St. John's to Clarenville in the summer of 2007. At the time #900 was in CN "zebra stripes" and the diner was in a two-tone blue colour scheme.
Bringing up the rear of this short train is bright red caboose CN/TT 6061.
Caboose CN 6061 |
Two former US locomotives are preserved on a second track.
Former US Army 7596, Newfoundland Hardwoods #31 |
Former US Navy 65-00236, Newfoundland Hardwoods #32 |
There are three flatcars present, mostly ex Newfoundland Hardwoods cars.
Flatcar at Clarenville, Newfoundland |
A "double gear grab winch", whatever that is |
Newfoundland Hardwoods still had three locomotives in 1989, according to the Canadian Trackside Guide (CTG), even after CN ceased operation. The #30 listed in the 1989 CTG is the #32 shown above; #31 is the same, and the 1989 CTG lists a 14 tonne Plymouth locomotive #32... not sure what happened to that one.
Loco selfie! |
I am glad that the museum was able to acquire the locomotives and a few flat cars. The equipment is owned by the Clarenville Heritage Society.
The station itself is owned by the Clarenville Shriners (shared with the Masons) and is a registered as a municipal heritage building. It was built in 1942 and is one of the few mainline railway stations remaining in Newfoundland.
For more information:
- History of Newfoundland Hardwoods
- Clarenville Railway History
- Whitbourne
- Railway Coastal Museum
- Avondale
- Corner Brook
3 comments:
The skirting might have something to do with the Newfoundland Railway's tendency to cross paths with moose. The Newfoundland section of "Train Country" by Dudley Witney quotes a crewmember who compared the aftermath to hamburger; skirting probably cut down on the mess.
What you are seeing is not skirting but part of the underframe which was specially designed for these narrow gauge versions of GM roadswitchers. Peter Cox provided this explanation in Canadian National Diesl Locomotives Vol. 2 produced by the CNRHA. See www.cnrha.ca. ( This was a similar concept to outside frames on some narrow gauge steam lonomotives therby reducing height and lowering the center of gravity. ). Al Lill
Thanks, Al! I appreciate the explanation and that makes sense.
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