Friday, February 03, 2006

Working on additional project

For the last 2 years... I started working on a suppliment map showing the location of railroad water towers and roundhouses in Alberta. I got this idea after seeing a water tower located at the Alberta Rail Musuem in NE Edmonton, Alberta. The tower was originally located in Gibbons, and so far, I have only found 3 others.

The map, which is nearing completion, shows all of the known railline companies which existed in the early part of the 20th century, and the location of the Roundhouses, Engine Houses and Water Towers on the rail lines. The only areas I am having trouble finding are the following lines:

- Bassano -> Empress (CP)
- Edmoton -> Lloydminister (CP)
- Stirling -> Saskatchewan Border (CP)

If anyone has any info, please let me know at ncc2920@telusplanet.net!


This drawing is based from a sign I saw up at Big Valley. It shows the internal layout of the water tower.

Now, some pictures of Rail Water Towers!


This is located at the musuem in Delburne, Alberta. Delburne is located on highway 21 south of secondary 595. It was on the GTP (later CN line) from Tofield to Calgary.


Located in the NE part of Alberta, Heinsberg was the terminus of the CN railroad SE of Elk Point, Alberta.


Located about 20 miles north of Oyen on highway 41 in eastern Alberta, this tower is located in the hamlet of New Brigden. It was on the CNR line whcih ran from Scapa to Esther.

Roundhouses are another story. There are only two old ones left that I know of. They are located in Big Valley, in central Alberta... it's located west of Hiway 56 on Secondary Road 590. It was on the Alberta Midland Line, which was taken over by CN. It ran from Vegreville to Munson, and now is part of the Alberta Railway Excursions, which takes tourists from Stettler to Big Valley and back on a steam locomotive pulled train. on It has lost a few of its walls, which can be seen in these pictures I took back in June of 2004.





The other is in Hanna located about 48 miles NE of Drumheller on Highway 9 ... which has the only mostly intact roundhouse left in Alberta. It was used as an auction mart for years, and attempts have been made to preserve the site as a museum. It is located in the SW section of Hanna.


This is the only picture I have of the Roundhouse in Hanna.


The roundhouse even has the original steam powered turntable, which is a really rare thing to see! Here is the turntable which was used to rotate the locomotives so they could be run into individual stalls in the building to be serviced.

Hopefully, the map will be completed soon, and will be for sale. I will let you know when it is done, and how much it will be!