Ancient Steam Engine Holds Own With Diesels, Published 8 December 1958 ‘Last of the fast-vanishing high-wheelers can be found any morning these days except Sunday. hauling the fast, non-stop two-hour flier on the Canadian Pacific to Montreal. The steam engine is truly The Vanishing American. ‘I found myself in the rear of the twin
parlor cars which roll smoothly on the dot at 7:55 these gloomy mornings.
I thrilled as the 84-inch drivers behind the Hudson-type, 2822, started to bite
the rail. I felt that thrilling, ever-tugging ever-chugging steam engine
go. It lack, it is true, the serene glide of the diesel. But how
affectionately I listed to the big 4-6-4’s heart beat.
Alta Vista and its bumper-to-bumper traffic behind
us, it seemed that the big engine laid back its ears like a deer and ran.
That rumble was Blackburn and the total mileage was six. At the next
rumble at Navan, we had knocked down 12 miles. So the stations passed like
picket fences as Leonard, Hammond, Bourget were followed by Pendleton and
Plantagenet.
A mile a minute we raced as the big Hudson started
to warm up. This was steam travel at its best. Then we paused to see
what Vankleek Hill was doing, we gave her the go-by at 30 miles an hour, banged
over the CNR diamond half a mile to the east where we crossed the Glen
Robertson-Hawkesbury branch, and then we let go again. The upbound diesel
passenger to Ottawa, Train No. 233, had thoughtfully taken the siding.
Being eastbound, we had the superior direction. The it was Quebec Province
and by now, Canadian Pacific’s big monster was rushing long as if it was really
beginning to enjoy its work, It sent out joyous clouds of steam and
emitted long, strong sausages of smoke as it passed Vaudreuil and Ste. Anne’s as
if they were not there..
‘The dining car crew banned all meals except
coffee about half an hour out of Montreal and the late and hungry were out of
luck.
‘Then, right on “The Advertised”, we glided
swiftly and softly into Windsor Station,. The great adventure was
over.
‘The steam engine holds its own in this swift run to Montreal
with the slick new, soul-less diesels. But it’s on borrowed time. If
you want to live over the past, take the early morning train to Montreal. |