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Harry McLean’s Dominion
Construction and
Grenville Crushed Rock Operations at Deeks.
Introduction
The recent book by Teresa
Charland “Building an Empire –
‘Big Pants’ Harry F. McLean and His Sons of Martha” documents the life
of Harry
McLean who was responsible for the construction of a great deal of the
infrastructure in Eastern Canada such as railway lines, power dams,
tunnels,
harbours, highways and much more. He was
working at a time when the railway was the main form of transport not
only to
the work site but within the work site as well. The
base of operation was a quarry at Deeks,
Ontario, which was on the
Canadian Pacific,
double track, Winchester
subdivision between Merrickville and Bedell. In
this article I will look at some of the activities that
were carried
out at Deeks and document some of the delights that awaited railfan
visitors of
the period.
Although
it was the site of significant industrial activity, Deeks was never
more than a
Canadian Pacific flag station. The small
mailbox where waybills were “posted” can be seen on the wall under the
station
name. This view is taken looking south
away from the quarry and the photographer is likely standing on the
second main
track.
Background
The Dominion
Construction Company (DCC) was incorporated on18
April 1912 in Ontario
to carry out general construction activity. This
required a great deal of ballast and the Grenville
Crushed Rock
Company was incorporated on 14 January 1921 (Grenville Crushed Stone
from
1923).
Work at Deeks
commenced as a rock crushing operation
producing ballast to upgrade a number of railway lines in this area. On
14
October 1920 the Board of Railway Commissioners order No. 30221
authorized the
Canadian Pacific Railway to construct two industrial spurs and through
sidings
for the Dominion Construction Company at mile 109.5, Winchester
subdivision. The work had to be
completed within three months.
However,
while Deeks was the site of a busy ballast crushing
operation, it became evident that Dominion Construction needed a
location where
it could repair and store it’s railway equipment when it was between
jobs. Over a period of years DCC
activities ranged
over a large part of Canada from Manitoba, (Flin Flon), Ontario
(Abitibi Canyon
and the line to Moosonee, Queen
Elizabeth Way), Quebec (Montreal, Wolf Cove Tunnel in Quebec City), New Brunswick (Grand Falls), Nova Scotia
(Halifax Harbour, Guysboro Railway). Thus
a wide range of railway equipment could frequently be
found at
Deeks.
This
aerial view shows the Deeks quarry in 1936.
National Air Photo Library A5403-99.
1. Canadian Pacific
Railway Winchester subdivision main line towards Merrickville and Smiths Falls.
2. The stone quarry.
3. Ballast crushing.
4. Machine shop.
5. Storage sidings
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6. Deeks flag station.
7. Trains of ballast cars standing beside the main
line waiting to be picked up by Canadian Pacific for ballasting.
8. Canadian Pacific main line towards Bedell, Winchester and Montreal.
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This is a
view looking roughly south towards the CPR main line and the Deeks flag
station. A wooden passenger car is in
the foreground with lines of ballast dump cars, all waiting to be
burnt. Canada
Science and Technology
Museum photo.
The locomotives.
I have been collating
information about industrial
locomotives in Canada
since about 1980 and there are still a great many unknowns. Deeks did
not seem
to generate a great number of visits by the railfan community, possibly
because
the locomotives were not, with one notable exception, as interesting to
the
railfan as those of the main line companies. I
have collected information, much of it
conflicting, and with many unknowns, from a great number of sources of
varying
degrees of reliability. It is, therefore,
with some trepidation, that I present two rosters, one for Dominion
Construction and one for Grenville Crushed Rock. These
are not exhaustive rosters for the two
companies as some locomotives lived their lives without visiting Deeks. Not all of the locomotives listed may have
been at Deeks at all and they certainly were not all there at the same
time. One break I have received in my
quest is that, for a large part of the time, the builders’ serial
number was
used as the road number. This has
produced some unusual road numbers but has proved invaluable in
tracking down
locomotives and their history.
The one
notable locomotive of interest to railfans was the 1926 Lima three truck
shay 3298 which received an
overhaul at Deeks. The stack is capped,
possibly in preparation for its move to Abtibi Canyon.
This was not the only shay operated by the company but it was the only
one
known to have been at Deeks. 3298 is
now on display at Kapuskasing,
Ontario. Library and Archives Canada PA 208170.
An
interesting line up of locomotives with two Grenville Crushed Rock
0-4-0 saddle
tanks 5443 and 3355, followed by an 0-6-0 and a steam crane. Library
and
Archives Canada
PA 203938.
Davenport 0-6-0
1300 of
1912 awaiting scrapping at Deeks. This
picture was taken by Aubrey Mattingly during a visit between 1932 and
1939. On the back of the photo is the
notation “Wayne
on the front”. Canada Science and Technology Museum
Matt-3034.
Davenport
0-6-0 2187 of
1931, fresh from a repaint. This found
further work at Gulf Pulp and Paper, Clarke City, Quebec.
Library
and Archives Canada
PA 206774.
Passenger Cars
Much of the
work of Dominion
Construction was carried out in
areas far from centres of population and many had no access to the
highway
network. Passenger cars were used in
many cases to provide sleeping, dining and office accommodation. The following are known to have been stored
at Deeks:
Illinois
Central baggage cars bought about 1929:
DCC 700; 701; 703; 705; 709; 710; 712; 713; 716; 718; 720;
721.
Illinois Central Chicago
suburban coaches bought about 1929:
DCC 1184; 1188; 1189; 1193; 1199; 1202; 1204; 1207; 1208;
1210; 1212; 1217; 1218; 1220; 1222; 1223; 1224; 1225; 1226; 1228; 1229.
GCR 1198; 1200; 1201; 1203*; 1214; 1215; 1221; 1232; 1234;
1238; 1239; 1241.
*GCR
1203
was subsequently sold to Therien Construction, Toronto in 1948.
Kitchen
Cars
H.F. McLean 100 – ex-Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo 12.
GCR 300; 301.
Official Car
H.F. McLean “Renee”, ex-Hocking Valley “Ohio” about
1929.
A line of
passenger cars stored at Deeks. Library and Archives Canada
PA 205863.
Harry
McLean’s Official Car “Renee”, ex-Hocking Valley “Ohio”. There is a conflict in the number
of this car
as there was also a 1204 acquired from the Illinois Central Railroad. Canada Science and Technology
Museum
Matt-0201.
Other Equipment
There was also a great deal of railway
equipment at Deeks at
various times. From steam cranes and steam shovels to ballast cars.
A
steam
shovel at Deeks. Bytown Railway Society
collection.
An
air-operated side dump ballast car with
archbar trucks which has just received a repaint. Library and Archives Canada
PA 205643.
Conclusion
Deeks was active in the 1920s
and 1930s and was used for
storage during the Second World War. However,
by the late 1930s the activities of the Dominion Construction Company
were
winding down and Deeks became a storage yard for surplus railway
equipment
(locomotives as well as passenger and work cars). It
then became a graveyard for equipment that
could not be re-sold and which was waiting to be burnt and salvaged. The end came in 1952-53.
It is pity
that not there is not a
better record of
Deeks. It was active at a time when
personal transport was in its infancy and when (black and white only)
photographic film was expensive. If there is a lesson to be learnt it is that,
with the freedom of digital photography, we should take lots and lots
of
pictures and we should fully document
them at the time.
I set out
below the best information I
have been able to
obtain on the locomotives that may have been at this location. I would welcome corrections and comments.
For those
interested in DCC and GCR
locomotives at other
locations please visit my web site at:
again, I
welcome any information which
will make this work
more accurate.
Dominion
Construction Company Roster for Deeks
|
Number
|
Builder
|
Serial
|
Date
|
Type
|
Disposition
|
Notes
|
|
?
|
Vulcan
|
3893
|
9/1928
|
4 wheel gas
24” ga.
|
DU
|
[n]
P.J. Lyall #1?
Converted from 24" to 36" gauge;
[2] Dominion Construction, assume Deeks. |
|
?
|
Unknown
|
|
|
|
DU
|
(n) Michigan Central #8854;
[2] Dominion Construction, assume Deeks.
|
|
?
|
Unknown
|
|
|
|
DU
|
(n) Michigan Central #2684;
[2] Dominion Construction, assume Deeks.
|
|
No#
|
Porter
|
4963
|
6/1912
|
0-4-0ST 36"
ga.
|
DU
|
[n] Dominion Construction No#.
|
|
2
|
Unknown
|
|
|
0-4-0ST
|
DU
|
[1] Dominion Construction #2.
|
|
3
|
Unknown
|
|
|
0-4-0ST
|
DU
|
[1] Dominion Construction #3.
|
|
4
|
Porter
|
4964
|
6/1912
|
0-4-0ST
36" ga.
|
DU
|
[np] Dominion Construction #4.
|
|
5?
|
Porter
|
4967
|
8/1912
|
0-4-0ST
36" ga.
|
DU
|
[1] Dominion Construction #5?
|
|
22
|
Pittsburgh
|
30195
|
8/1904
|
0-4-0ST
|
DU
|
{n} O'Rorke
Construction #14;
[2p] HEPC #40, Queenston, 4/1920;
[3] HEPC #22, Alexandra, 11/1926;
[4] Dominion Construction #22, Abitibi Canyon;
[5?] Dominion Construction
#22, Deeks?;
[6] HEPC, Fitzroy, 7/1943;
[7] Maple Leaf Mills #2, 1943.
|
|
40
|
Unknown
|
|
|
0-6-0
|
DU
|
[1] Dominion Construction #40.
|
|
48
|
Unknown
|
|
|
0-4-0
|
DU
|
[1]
Dominion Construction #48.
This might be MLW s/n 62922. |
|
603
|
Erie
|
|
1877
|
0-6-0
|
DU
|
(n) Erie #603;
[2] Dominion Construction #603, 1924-5;
May have come from or gone to Northern Construction.
|
|
638
|
Erie
|
|
1877
|
0-6-0
|
DU
|
(n) Erie #638;
[2] Dominion Construction #638, 1924-5;
May have come from or gone to Northern Construction.
|
|
648
|
Erie
|
|
1877
|
0-6-0
|
DU
|
(n) Erie #648;
[2] Dominion Construction #648, 1924-5;
May have come from or to Northern Construction.
|
|
1300
|
Davenport
|
1300
|
10/1912
|
0-6-0
|
Scr 10/51.
|
(n) Cook Construction #102, St. Paul;
[2p]
Cook
Construction #102, Halifax,
9/9/1913;
[3p?]
may have been at Welland
Ship Canal;
[4p]
Dominion Construction #1300;
at The
Pas 30 Jul 1929,
to Cochrane 10 Mar 1930,
Coral Rapids to Fraserdale 16
Oct 1931,
Fraserdale to Deeks 24 Oct 1932, scrapped at Deeks.
|
|
1301
|
Davenport
|
1301
|
10/1912
|
0-6-0
|
DU
|
(n) Cook Construction #101, Hopkins, Minn;
[2] Cook Construction #101, Halifax,
9/9/1913;
[3] Cook Construction #101, Welland Ship Canal;
[4p] Dominion Construction #1301.
|
|
1420
|
Vulcan
|
1420
|
11/1909
|
0-4-0ST
36" ga.
|
DU
|
(n) Essex Construction #2, Effingham, IL;
[2p] Dominion Construction #1420 by 6/1932.
|
|
1435 (107)
|
Davenport
|
1435
|
6/1913
|
0-6-0
|
Scr. 11/51.
|
(n) Cook Construction #107, St. Paul;
[2] Cook Construction
#
107, Halifax,
9/9/1913;
[3] Cook Construction #107, Welland Ship Canal;
[4p] Dominion Construction
#1435 (107);
at The Pas 30 Jul
1929;
to Cochrane 10 Mar
1930;
Deeks to Fraserdale 22
Aug 1930;
Fraserdale to Deeks 24
Oct 1932, scrapped at Deeks.
|
|
1500
|
Unknown
|
1500?
|
|
0-6-0
|
DU
|
[1] Dominion Construction #1500;
May be Vulcan 1500, (0-4-0)
|
|
1529
|
Unknown
|
1529?
|
|
0-6-0
|
DU
|
[1]
Dominion Construction #1529.
Was this Vulcan s/n 1529, (0-4-0ST 36" gauge)
(n)
James H. Corbett #50, Hawthorne,
PA? |
|
1782?
|
Porter
|
1782
|
9/1897
|
0-4-0ST
36” ga.
|
DU
|
[n] James Cooper, Prescott;
[2] F.H. Hopkins, Montreal, 6/1907;
[3] Canadian General Development, Glen Ross, 6/1908;
[4] Shea & Huff, Christie
Lake,
3/1913;
[4] Dominion Construction, 7/1913, assume Deeks.
|
|
2031
|
Davenport
|
2031
|
3/1925
|
0-6-0
|
Scr. 1959.
|
[np] James H. Corbett #2031, Welland;
Rebuilt at Deeks?
[2p] Dominion Iron & Steel #115, 10/1925;
[3] Old Sydney Collieries (Sydney Mines) #19.
|
|
2034
|
Davenport
|
2034
|
4/1925
|
0-6-0
|
DU
|
(np) Dominion Construction
#2034, Niles, MI;
[2p] Dominion Construction #2034, Flin Flon;
[3p] Dominion Construction #2034, Deeks by 6/1932.
|
|
2035
|
Davenport
|
2035
|
4/1925
|
0-6-0
|
DU
|
(n) Dominion Construction, Niles, MI;
Cannot confirm at Deeks.
|
|
2149
|
Davenport
|
2149
|
|
0-4-0ST
|
Scr 1950-52
|
[1p] Dominion Construction #2149;
[2p] Grenville Crushed Rock #2, Hawk Lake.
NB. Davenport
list shows 2149 as 36" ga.
|
|
2185
|
Davenport
|
2185
|
3/1931
|
0-6-0
|
Clarke City
Display
|
[np] Dominion Construction
#2185, Deeks;
[2p] Dominion Construction #2185, Abitibi Canyon;
[3p] Gulf Pulp & Paper #48, 9/1948;
<4> Sept Isles (Clarke City) display, 10/1963.
|
|
2186
|
Davenport
|
2186
|
4/1931
|
0-6-0
|
DU
|
[np] Dominion Construction
#2186, Fraserdale;
[2p] Dominion Construction #2186, Abitibi Canyon;
[3p] Dominion Construction #2186, Deeks.
[4] Brompton Pulp and Paper, Red Rock.
|
|
2187
|
Davenport
|
2187
|
4/1931
|
0-6-0
|
DU
|
[np] Dominion Construction
#2187;
[2p] Gulf Pulp & Paper #38, 8/1938.
|
|
3298
|
Lima
|
3298
|
3/1926
|
Three Truck Shay
|
Kapuskasing
Display
|
(np)
Tallahassee
Power #9, Calderwood,
TN;
[2] Alcan, 12/1930;
[3p] Dominion Construction #3298, by 6/1932, Deeks.
[4] Dominion Construction #3298, Abitibi Canyon;
[5] Standard Chemical, 5/1946;
[6] Merrilees (D) 8/1947;
[7] Abitibi Power and Paper #70, 8/1947;
<8>
Display 1979. |
|
3892?
|
Vulcan
|
3892
|
8/1928
|
4 wheel gas
36” ga.
|
Laval Display
|
[n] George Mills Construction #2;
[2] P.J. Lyall;
[3] Dominion Construction #3892?, assume Deeks;
<4> Romeco display.
|
|
44450
|
Alco
|
44450
|
|
0-4-0ST
|
DU
|
(n) Winslow Bros. & Smith,
Norwood, MA;
[2] Construction Equipment;
[3] HEPC #16, Alexandra, 11/1926;
[4] Dominion Construction #16, Abitibi Canyon;
[5p] Dominion Construction #44450, Fraserdale, 2/1931;
[6p] Dominion Construction #44450, Deeks by 6/1932.
|
|
54419
|
Alco
|
54419
|
5/1915
|
0-4-0ST
|
Scr. by 1951
|
(n)
Conklin Foss Co. #3;
[2] Dominion Construction #54419, Fraserdale,
9/1930;
[3] Dominion Construction #54419, Deeks, 5/1932,
in store;
[4] Limestone Products #3. |
Dominion Crushed Rock Roster for Deeks
Note. Grenville Crushed Rock also
operated a ballast
crushing operation at Hawk Lake in northern Ontario. Although
there are reports of a narrow gauge operation at
Deeks I have
not been able to positive establish this.
|
Number
|
Builder
|
Serial
|
Date
|
Type
|
Disposition
|
Notes
|
|
2029
|
Davenport
|
2029
|
1/1925
|
0-4-0ST
|
St. Thomas
Display
|
[n]
Dominion Construction, Winnipeg;
[2p] Grenville Crushed Rock #2029;
[3] Muskoka Wood Products #4;
<4> Charles Matthews, stored 1965;
<5> Ontario Science Corp, 1965;
<6> Procor display #54465, 1973:
<7> Southern Ontario Locomotive
Restoration Society, 7/2004. |
|
2155
|
Davenport
|
2155
|
4/1930
|
0-4-0ST
|
Scr 1950-52
|
(n) Clapp, Riley & Hall
Equipment, Chicago;
[2p] Dominion Construction #2155;
[3p] Grenville Crushed Rock #3, by 1933.
|
|
3355 (6)
|
Porter
|
3355
|
12/1905
|
0-4-0ST
|
Scr 1950-52
|
[n] Dominion
Bridge #6;
[2] Grenville Crushed Rock #3355, 8/1921;
[3] Dominion Construction #3355, 6/1931;
[4] Grenville Crushed Rock #4, Hawk Lake,
by 1933.
|
|
5430
|
Porter
|
5430
|
6/1913
|
0-4-0ST
|
Scr 1950-52
|
[n] Fraser Brace;
[2p] Grenville Crushed Rock #5430;
[3] Grenville Crushed Rock #5, Hawk Lake,
by 1933.
|
|
5443
|
Porter
|
5443
|
2/1914
|
0-4-0ST
|
Scr 1950-52
|
(n) Lake
City Gravel, IL;
[2] HEPC #30, Queenston;
[3p] HEPC #1, Cameron Falls;
[4p] Grenville Crushed Rock #5443, Deeks;
[5] Grenville Crushed Rock #6, Hawk Lake,
by 1933.
|
|
54418
|
Cooke
|
54418
|
4/1915
|
0-4-0ST
|
DU
|
(n) Upper Hudson Coal #2
[2] Grenville Crushed Rock #54418.
|
Notes on the Roster
Conventions.
Number. This
is the company road number which is
normally shown on the locomotive. Where
several numbers were carried throughout the life of the locomotive,
these are
shown using the convention developed by the Bytown Railway Society in
the Canadian Trackside Guide.
No#
- indicates that the locomotive did not carry a number.
Disposition
Display
means that the locomotive has
been preserved
DU - “Disposition Unknown”.
Many locomotives are in this category.
In most cases they will have been scrapped on
site but this is not shown unless this can be confirmed.
Scr - “Scrapped” and the date is shown
where known.
Notes This column sets out the
history
of the locomotive in as much detail as is known.
The various
owners are shown in chronological sequence
from first to last.
n - owner
when new.
1 - first
known owner when the new owner is not known.
2 - second
owner.
3 - third
owner – and so on.
[ ] - owner in Canada.
( ) - owner in the USA.
< > - a display, museum or
heritage railway.
P - indicates that photographic
evidence exists of this locomotive at this particular location.
(D) - Indicates an equipment dealer
Bytown
Railway
Society, Branchline, January 2009.
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