Selkirk locomotive
Encyclopedia
The Selkirk locomotives were 36 steam locomotive
s of the 2-10-4
wheel arrangement built for Canadian Pacific Railway
by Montreal Locomotive Works
, Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
.
The first of these large engines, which had a 2-10-4 wheel arrangement
, was built in July 1929. Altogether, twenty were constructed before the end of this year bearing numbers 5900 to 5919. The Canadian Pacific Railway
's classification was T1a. These locomotives weighed 375 short tons (334.8 LT) fully loaded. They were the largest and most powerful non-articulated locomotives in the British Empire. They were named after the Selkirk range of mountains that they crossed, the (railway) summit of which was located just inside the western portal of the Connaught Tunnel beneath Rogers Pass.
Montreal Locomotive Works built another ten of these successful mountain locomotives during November and December 1938. The Canadian Pacific Railway assigned them T1b class. They were numbered from 5920 to 5929. Modifications led the T1b to be ten tons or tonnes lighter while increasing steam pressure from 275 to 285 psi (1.9 to 2 MPa). A further six Selkirks, classed T1c, were built by the Montreal Locomotive Works shop in 1949. They were the last standard gauge
steam locomotives built in Canada
for a Canadian railroad. They were much the same as the T1b except for a few refinements, including two cross-compound air compressors to speed recharging of the air brake system. Some small streamlining "touches" were not retained. The streamlined "casing" around the smokebox stack was now absent as was the "teardrop" shape of the classification lights. Also, the inside of the cabs were no longer lined/insulated in the same manner as the previous classes. (Previous classes had provided better cold-weather cab insulation and were better-liked by engine crews.) They were all equipped with boosters
(some shortly after being built) and all Selkirks (5900 through 5935) were built as oil burners. The tenders held 12000 gallons (54,553.1 l) of water and 4100 gallons (18,639 l) of fuel oil. They had to be equipped with two pair of six-wheel trucks because the total tender weight
was 148 short tons (132.1 LT).
The last Selkirks (5930 through 5935) were taken out of service in 1959. All but two of this (T1c) class were scrapped. None of the earlier T1a class or T1b class locomotives was preserved. The first (T1a class) Selkirks had a heavier-looking, non-streamlined appearance which were better examples of the heavy mountain steam-power "look" and their original, as-delivered rear sand-domes were removed early in their service-life. The 5935 is preserved in Delson
, Quebec
. The 5931 (which was repainted and intentionally renumbered incorrectly as 5934 upon initial public display near downtown Calgary) was eventually repainted and renumbered again, this time with its correct/original number; 5931. This coincided with its move and relocation to the main entrance to Heritage Park in Calgary
, Alberta
. All of the later T1b and T1c class locomotives were semi-streamlined and were painted with CPR tuscan red panels along the sides of their running boards, beneath the cab windows and on the sides of the tenders with gold leaf (originally) border trim (which was later changed to a type of yellow similar to "duluxe gold"). Some of the original T1a class Selkirks also received this paint scheme (but with narrower panels along the sides of the running boards that "widened in the middle" to carry the locomotive's road number).
All of the 36 Selkirk locomotives (5900 through 5935) were initially assigned to handle both freight as well as passenger trains between the major division points of Calgary
and Revelstoke
a distance of 262 miles (421.6 km). They were also used for 23 miles (37 km) in pusher service from Revelstoke west (uphill) to the wye at Taft, assisting the road engines of both freight as well as passenger trains up the steep grade to this location. The Laggan Subdivision covered the Eastern portion of their assigned territory 137 miles (220.5 km) and included the Field Hill
and the famous Spiral Tunnels
while the Western portion of their primary, assigned territory consisted of the Mountain Subdivision which covered the remaining 126 miles (202.8 km) and included the famous Rogers Pass
, the Connaught Tunnel
and Stoney Creek Bridge
. The grades encountered had a maximum of 2.2 per cent (1 in 45), with curves of 12 degrees or 480 feet (146.3 m) radius. Rated at 78000 pound-forces (347 kN) tractive effort, on the lesser grades they could haul 1050 short tons (937.5 LT) unassisted and without the booster cut-in. The booster engine
added an additional 12000 lbf (53.4 kN) of tractive effort up to a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour (8.9 m/s). Due to their extreme weight, they could not proceed west of Taft to Vancouver.
When diesels began operation between Calgary and Revelstoke in the early 1950s, the Selkirks were re-assigned to work the Brooks, Alberta
and Maple Creek
, Saskatchewan
subdivisions between Calgary and Swift Current, Saskatchewan
. They were also used to haul freight trains north of their new Alyth terminal (located in Calgary
, Alberta
) as far as Edmonton
, Alberta
. At least some of the re-assigned Selkirks received an "all black" (non-passenger) paint scheme without CPR tuscan red panels and without gray or "blued" metal boiler-jackets; however, they still retained the yellow panel trim around the previous CPR tuscan red (now black) panels (on those locomotives formerly painted with "outlined" panels).
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s of the 2-10-4
2-10-4
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 2-10-4 locomotive has two leading wheels, ten driving wheels , and four trailing wheels...
wheel arrangement built for Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
by Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883–1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive Company...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The first of these large engines, which had a 2-10-4 wheel arrangement
Wheel arrangement
In rail transport, a wheel arrangement is a system of classifying the way in which wheels are distributed beneath a locomotive.. Several notations exist to describe the wheel assemblies of a locomotive by type, position, and connections, with the adopted notations varying by country...
, was built in July 1929. Altogether, twenty were constructed before the end of this year bearing numbers 5900 to 5919. The Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
's classification was T1a. These locomotives weighed 375 short tons (334.8 LT) fully loaded. They were the largest and most powerful non-articulated locomotives in the British Empire. They were named after the Selkirk range of mountains that they crossed, the (railway) summit of which was located just inside the western portal of the Connaught Tunnel beneath Rogers Pass.
Montreal Locomotive Works built another ten of these successful mountain locomotives during November and December 1938. The Canadian Pacific Railway assigned them T1b class. They were numbered from 5920 to 5929. Modifications led the T1b to be ten tons or tonnes lighter while increasing steam pressure from 275 to 285 psi (1.9 to 2 MPa). A further six Selkirks, classed T1c, were built by the Montreal Locomotive Works shop in 1949. They were the last standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
steam locomotives built in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
for a Canadian railroad. They were much the same as the T1b except for a few refinements, including two cross-compound air compressors to speed recharging of the air brake system. Some small streamlining "touches" were not retained. The streamlined "casing" around the smokebox stack was now absent as was the "teardrop" shape of the classification lights. Also, the inside of the cabs were no longer lined/insulated in the same manner as the previous classes. (Previous classes had provided better cold-weather cab insulation and were better-liked by engine crews.) They were all equipped with boosters
Booster engine
A booster engine for steam locomotives is a small two-cylinder steam engine back-gear-connected to the trailing truck axle on the locomotive or, if none, the lead truck on the tender. A rocking idler gear permits it to be put into operation by the engineer...
(some shortly after being built) and all Selkirks (5900 through 5935) were built as oil burners. The tenders held 12000 gallons (54,553.1 l) of water and 4100 gallons (18,639 l) of fuel oil. They had to be equipped with two pair of six-wheel trucks because the total tender weight
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
was 148 short tons (132.1 LT).
The last Selkirks (5930 through 5935) were taken out of service in 1959. All but two of this (T1c) class were scrapped. None of the earlier T1a class or T1b class locomotives was preserved. The first (T1a class) Selkirks had a heavier-looking, non-streamlined appearance which were better examples of the heavy mountain steam-power "look" and their original, as-delivered rear sand-domes were removed early in their service-life. The 5935 is preserved in Delson
Delson, Quebec
Delson is an off-island suburb of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is situated 8 mi/13 km SSE of Montreal within the regional county municipality of Roussillion in the administrative region of Montérégie. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 7,322.On its small territory, Delson is crossed...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. The 5931 (which was repainted and intentionally renumbered incorrectly as 5934 upon initial public display near downtown Calgary) was eventually repainted and renumbered again, this time with its correct/original number; 5931. This coincided with its move and relocation to the main entrance to Heritage Park in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. All of the later T1b and T1c class locomotives were semi-streamlined and were painted with CPR tuscan red panels along the sides of their running boards, beneath the cab windows and on the sides of the tenders with gold leaf (originally) border trim (which was later changed to a type of yellow similar to "duluxe gold"). Some of the original T1a class Selkirks also received this paint scheme (but with narrower panels along the sides of the running boards that "widened in the middle" to carry the locomotive's road number).
All of the 36 Selkirk locomotives (5900 through 5935) were initially assigned to handle both freight as well as passenger trains between the major division points of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
and Revelstoke
Revelstoke, British Columbia
Revelstoke is a city in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It is located east of Vancouver, and west of Calgary, Alberta. The city is situated on the banks of the Columbia River just south of the Revelstoke Dam and near its confluence with the Illecillewaet River...
a distance of 262 miles (421.6 km). They were also used for 23 miles (37 km) in pusher service from Revelstoke west (uphill) to the wye at Taft, assisting the road engines of both freight as well as passenger trains up the steep grade to this location. The Laggan Subdivision covered the Eastern portion of their assigned territory 137 miles (220.5 km) and included the Field Hill
Field Hill
Field Hill is a steep portion of the mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway located near Field, British Columbia. Field was created solely to accommodate the Canadian Pacific Railway's need for additional locomotives to be added to trains about to tackle both Field Hill, and the Big Hill. Here a...
and the famous Spiral Tunnels
Big Hill
The Big Hill on the Canadian Pacific Railway main line in British Columbia, Canada, was the most difficult piece of railway track on the Canadian Pacific Railway's route. It was situated in the rugged Canadian Rockies west of the Continental Divide and Kicking Horse Pass...
while the Western portion of their primary, assigned territory consisted of the Mountain Subdivision which covered the remaining 126 miles (202.8 km) and included the famous Rogers Pass
Rogers Pass
Rogers Pass is a high mountain pass through the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia used by the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Trans-Canada Highway. The pass is a shortcut across the "Big Bend" of the Columbia River from Revelstoke on the west to Donald, near Golden, on the east...
, the Connaught Tunnel
Connaught Tunnel
Connaught Tunnel, in the Selkirk Mountains under Rogers Pass on the Canadian Pacific Railway main line between Calgary, Alberta, and Revelstoke, British Columbia, at long was, at the time it was built, the longest railway tunnel in North America. Dug under Mount Macdonald to ease growing traffic...
and Stoney Creek Bridge
Stoney Creek Bridge
Stoney Creek Bridge is a long truss arch bridge in British Columbia, Canada. It carries the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks over the Stoney Creek, between Revelstoke and Golden. A wooden bridge was originally built on the site in 1885, and the current steel structure was built in 1893. A second...
. The grades encountered had a maximum of 2.2 per cent (1 in 45), with curves of 12 degrees or 480 feet (146.3 m) radius. Rated at 78000 pound-forces (347 kN) tractive effort, on the lesser grades they could haul 1050 short tons (937.5 LT) unassisted and without the booster cut-in. The booster engine
Booster engine
A booster engine for steam locomotives is a small two-cylinder steam engine back-gear-connected to the trailing truck axle on the locomotive or, if none, the lead truck on the tender. A rocking idler gear permits it to be put into operation by the engineer...
added an additional 12000 lbf (53.4 kN) of tractive effort up to a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour (8.9 m/s). Due to their extreme weight, they could not proceed west of Taft to Vancouver.
When diesels began operation between Calgary and Revelstoke in the early 1950s, the Selkirks were re-assigned to work the Brooks, Alberta
Brooks, Alberta
Brooks is a city in southeast Alberta, Canada surrounded by the County of Newell. It is located on Highway 1 and the Canadian Pacific Railway, approximately southeast of Calgary, and northwest of Medicine Hat. The city has an elevation of .- History :The area that is now Brooks was originally...
and Maple Creek
Maple Creek
Maple Creek may refer to:*Maple Creek, California*Maple Creek, Saskatchewan*Maple Creek , Canadian riding*Maple Creek, Wisconsin*Maple Creek crater...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
subdivisions between Calgary and Swift Current, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. They were also used to haul freight trains north of their new Alyth terminal (located in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
) as far as Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. At least some of the re-assigned Selkirks received an "all black" (non-passenger) paint scheme without CPR tuscan red panels and without gray or "blued" metal boiler-jackets; however, they still retained the yellow panel trim around the previous CPR tuscan red (now black) panels (on those locomotives formerly painted with "outlined" panels).