On July 11, 1979 I was called at 07:45 for a Work Extra, my engineer instructor was Bill Yeats. We had the 5696, and the 5828 for power. We had Barry Marsh for our conductor, with 4 loads, 50 empties, and 2060 for tonnage. The four loads were Field’s Auxiliary Crane, its idler car, a passenger coach that had been converted for storage of all the slings and tools used to clean up derailments. There was also a coach converted for the Maintenance of the Way workers to sleep in. The empties were for storage at Stephen.
Our purpose was to help install a bridge at the West End of Lake Louise we would use the Auxiliary Crane, and Calgary’s Pettibone Crane we would be at the East End. I remember we uncoupled from the Auxiliary Crane from its idler car the operator had not applied the brakes and it started to roll eastward, at that time the Pettibone Crane was being placed on the rail at the railway crossing East of Lake Louise station, so we chased after the Auxiliary Crane, and fortunately we were able to couple on to the Auxiliary Crane the first time.
If not, there would be a terrible collision with the Field Auxiliary Crane, and the Calgary’s Pettibone Crane. The bridge was over the Bow River at Mile 117.5, and a prefabricated bridge was going to take its place. I have attached a photo of the one they had replaced at the West End of Banff. With everybody in position we lifted the old bridge off the rails and set it over to the side out of the way. We then lifted the prefabricated bridge span and put it in place. We returned to Field and placed the Field Auxiliary Crane, and its idler car, and coach, and its sleeping car. We were off duty at 16:05.
Photo of Field BC’s Auxiliary Wrecking Crane with idler, along with the coaches used by the Maintenance of the Way.
This is a slide showing a prefabricated bridge at the West End of Banff.
This photo shows a CPR Pettbone Crane in action re-railing a 200 ton General Motors Electro Motive Division locomotive.