the garden railway gains a major bridge

The Garden Railway Gains a Major Bridge(See Pages 4 - 10)

Photographs on this page by Paul Ohannesian

The Prototype:

The Second Narrows CN Rail Bridge,seen from the North-East, with theIronworkers' Memorial Second NarrowsHighway Bridge to its West, behind it inthis photograph.)

The Model:

(As set up in its final location on the BCSMEGarden Railway.)

THE WHISTLEThe official publication of THE BRITISH COLUMBIA SOCIETY OF MODEL ENGINEERSOperators of BURNABY CENTRAL RAILWAY Vol 51; Issue 4 – Oct/Nov/Dec 2021

Next Three Meetings (at 7:30 pm)Wed., October 6, 2021 / Wed., November 3, 2021 / Wed., Dec. 1, 2021

NOTE: These meetings will be held virtually on Zoom. Link will be emailed out.

In This Issue P.2:Calendar / P.3: Vice-President's Msg /Pp. 4 – 10: The New Second Narrows CNR Bridge Model

P11: Model A Collectors' Club Visit; Carpentry Shop / P. 12: RR Infrastructure on Postage Stamps

The Whistle Oct/Nov/Dec 2021

published by, and for, the members ofThe British Columbia Society of ModelEngineers (BCSME). Any opinionsexpressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Society. Allcontent is the copyright property of The BCSME, and the individualcontributors.

BCSME Address & Track Site

Rainbow Creek Station

Burnaby, B.C., CanadaV5C 6K1

Editor of The Whistle

Paul Ohannesian

Vancouver, B.C., CanadaV6S 1A1

Submissions & Deadline

If a BCSME member has any articlesor photos that they'd like to submit forpublication, please send them to theeditor as an attachment in an e-mail.

e-mail's subject line. The moresubmissions made by members of the

will be.

The deadline for any submissions

Means of Publication

I use Apache's OpenOffice suite on aMac Mini to create this newsletter.OpenOffice can open almost any Microsoft document file.

Photos are handled using The GIMP.Any digital pictures being submittedfor publication should be in as high aresolution .jpeg format as is possible.

The Whistle is the official newsletter

120 North Willingdon Avenue

Phone: 604-291-0922

Web Site: www.bcsme.org

3538 West 17th Avenue

E-mail: [email protected]

Please add the word “Whistle” in the

the Society the better this newsletter

is the 3rd Sunday in every month.

Communication about BCSME Concession and Bookings Business:Ken Walker - [email protected] / Bruce Wilson – [email protected] / Evan Wickens – [email protected]

President Kent Cavaghan 604-597-9018Vice-president Tom Carr 604-463-9156Secretary Joe Holman 604-925-1879Treasurer Brian Carlson 604-980-3767Business Director Ken Walker 604-465-7278Site Manager Frank Fleury 778-227-7902Operations Director Bruce Wilson 604-874-2667Shop Director Chuck Laws 604-984-7507Communications Director Evan Wickens 604-836-5478Financial Review Bill McKenzie 604-789-2720

Until further notice, “Meetings” will take place online, using“Zoom”. Notice of the dates, times, and Zoom links will beissued to members by E-mail.

The BCSME Directors & Officers

Member Meetings

Directors' Meetings

As per Member Meetings above.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

As of June 30, 2020, it is not possible to provide dates for

most future events, as the Covid-19 pandemic lockdownsmake accurate planning impossible. Members will be given

Calendar information on a case-by-case basis by E-mail

For Regular Meeting times and dates, see Page 1.

NOTE: Owing to the Covid-19 Pandemic, regrettablythe annual Thanksgiving Dinner is cancelled,

for the second year in a row.

Also check: bcsme.org

and/or in the monthly Milepost, sent by E-mail.

Vice-President's Message

As I sit at my computer writing this message Fall has definitely arrived, for I'm listening to rain drops on the skylight aboveme. It has been a good Summer, in spite of the heat dome, with strong ride sales and plenty of visitors to our park. Wehave almost finished our second full season of Covid running, and I'm sure we're all praying there won't be a third.Regrettably, we've had to cancel our annual Thanksgiving Dinner, for the second year in a row.

The good news is that our revenues are up from earlier predictions, so we have the funds to look at a few projects, such asrebuilding the carpenter shed, purchasing conductor cars, and perhaps even buying a new Diesel-electric locomotive. Wecan also thank the Garden Railway Committee for hosting four very successful and well-attended Play Days during theoperating season. These outdoor events are proving popular, in spite of Covid. I would also like to congratulate the GardenRailway Committee on their successful move of the 2nd Narrows Railway Bridge from the station to the garden railway. I'msure we're all looking forward to seeing it in operation.

In reviewing the 2021 operating season we realize that we are becoming very short of volunteers to crew our trains, and ifwe don't have enough volunteers, our paying customers will have to wait longer for their rides. Thankfully some of ouryounger members are now qualifying as conductors and engineers, and their assistance is greatly appreciated. If you havenot run trains in awhile please consider doing so; your help will also be greatly appreciated.

See you at the park,

Tom Carr, BCSME Vice-President

Request for a Computer DeviceKen Walker, BCSME Business Director has sent the following announcement to The Whistle:

“I would like to put out there that the Concession would like to get another 'Square POS' station. We arelooking for a used Apple Ipad Air 3rd Generation unit. If someone in the Society has recently upgradedto a newer Ipad and is willing to donate or sell their old one, please let me know.” [EDITOR: Ken can be contacted at [email protected] or phoned at 604-465-7278.]_________________________________________________________

How Members can order a Name TagKen Walker has also announced that name tags can be ordered through him. He writes:

“The name tag is 3” wide x 1-3/4” high. It is red plastic with a pin clip on the back. The cost is $10.00each and takes 10 to 14 days from ordering. Payment can be in cash (drop it in my mail box in the stationin an envelope with your name on it) or you can e-transfer the funds. Give me a call or text at 778-903-7278 and I will give you the email address.”


mailto:[email protected]

The Second Narrows Railway Bridge Modelby Paul Ohannesian

As illustrated on the first page of this edition of The Whistle, the Garden Railway of the BritishColumbia Society of Engineers has recently acquired and installed a working model of theCanadian National Railway bridge located just east of the Ironworkers' Memorial (“SecondNarrows”) Highway Bridge over Burrard Inlet, spanning from Burnaby to North Vancouver, BC.The single track on the model is in Garden Railway G gauge.

To begin this article, the origin of this model is that it was constructed for the Garden Railwayof Mr. Rob Carroll in New Westminster, BC. Here is his report on its construction:

The bridge was set up in New Westminster. I built it over a couple of years: 2010-2012 and installed itin 2014. Your club [the BCSME] purchased it in September 2020.

I thought the 2nd Narrows train bridge would be a fun project. Lots of pictures and imagination made itcome together. All constructed of 1/2-inch-square bar aluminum and screwed together. The lift sectionweighs about 50lbs, so the counterweights are 25lbs of aluminum on each end. I took into account forheat expansion and that the track needed to line up 100% of the time. Track power, 12-24v, was usedfor the motors. Lift function was a wireless control used to operate the train engines called TheRevolution, originally made by Aristocraft.

Disassembly was fairly quick and [it] came out in three sections. The challenging part was removingthe supports that were buried 3 feet into the ground [and] bolted to an 18-foot-long 8-inch-wide Cchannel that ran the length of the bridge. This kept the towers where they were supposed to be all ofthe time and allowed for the flawless operation for [the] six years that I operated the bridge. Attachedis a picture [of it] when it was first installed:


Second Narrows Railway Bridge Model (Continued)

The factual background of the prototype bridge follows. This information was found on the website providedby HistoricBridges.org .

Facility Carried: Railroad (Canadian National) Over Burrard Inlet.

Location: North Vancouver and West Vancouver [sic]: Greater Vancouver District, British Columbia,Canada. [The south end of the bridge is located in the NE corner of the City of Vancouver. -- Ed.]

Structure Type: Metal 16 Panel Parker Through Truss, Movable: Vertical Lift (Tower Drive) andApproach Spans: Metal 10 Panel Pratt Through Truss, Fixed.

Construction Date and Builder / Engineer: (1968) [1925] By Builder/Contractor: Unknown.

[Editor: The date given on this website, 1968, is incorrect. As given in the text reproduced below, thetrue date of construction of the combined rail-and-road lift bridge was 1925. The HistoricBridges.orgwebsite incorrectly gives 1968, possibly meaning 1958, which was the year in which the formerly-named Second Narrows (Highway) Bridge was constructed. This highway bridge was renamed in 1994as The Ironworkers' Memorial Second Narrows Bridge.

Main Span Length: 500 Feet (152.4 Meters).

Structure Length: 2,175 Feet (662.9 Meters).

Roadway Width: Not available.

Spans: 1 Main Span and 7 Approach Spans.

Further Historical Background:

[Ed: The following text is taken directly from:https://vancouvertraces.weebly.com/the-first-and-second-narrows-crossings.htmlThe author of this text is Jaclyn McLeod.

Exponential growth in both population and automobiles in Vancouver and North Vancouver, meant a rising need for a

better transportation system. The Second Narrows rail-and-car bridge was no longer suitable for the growing city. The

original bridge was constructed in 1925, and had two lanes and a railway track down the centre. The bridge could be

lifted to accommodate passing boats, but this was a great inconvenience for commuters across the bridge. The

nickname the “bridge of sighs” was given due to the frequency of marine accidents. Accidents were due to the

placement of the lift span in shallow waters. For example in 1930 the Losmar of the Calmar Line hit the bridge,

causing much damage, and the bridge's closure for many months.

Other options to the public for crossing the narrows was a car ferry service between Vancouver and North Vancouver,

and the Lions Gate Bridge. Clearly a new structure was needed, and the Second Narrows Bridge was to be transferred

to the CNR. The original Second Narrows Bridge is now called The Second Narrows CN Rail Bridge, and is

not available for public use. [Ed: My emphasis.]


https://vancouvertraces.weebly.com/the-first-and-second-narrows-crossings.html

S econd Narrows Railway Bridge Model (Continued)

How the BCSME Acquired the Model

The Garden Railway Committee through its representation in the GVGRC (Greater Vancouver GardenRailway Club) learned in 2020 that the bridge model's builder and owner, Rob Carroll of New Westminster,was selling his house and thus the model had become available. BCSME member Evan Wickens generouslygifted the Society with the funds to purchase it.

These photographs, as well as the one on Page 4, taken on June 2, 2021 by BCSME member Frank Fleury,show the model as it was originally installed in the side garden of Rob's house. Notice the water feature, ashallow pool meant to stand in for Burrard Inlet. The reinstallation of the model on the BCSME GardenRailway will include a similar water feature.



Preparation of Site at the BCSME Garden Railway

These photographs were taken by Frank Fleury. The photos are left to speak for themselves. In two of thephotos, Dennis Bosa, Project Manager for the Garden Railway is shown. He invested a lot of “sweat equity”into the project!

In the aerial view to the right, the zone in which the bridge modelwas to be installed is outlined withthe heavy black line. The GardenRailway Section House is partiallyshown at the Lower Right.



Storing the Model and Moving It to the Installation Site

For several months, the model was kept safely indoors in the Meeting Room of Rainbow Station. Membersbecame used to its presence; they could hardly help but do so because the model pretty well dominated thespace! Finally, on August 17, the bridge was transported by train the few hundred feet from the station tothe installation site. The names of the workers are not given on this page; see Page 10 for the “Cast ofCharacters.” All of these six photos were taken by Frank Fleury.



Installation of Model on Garden Railway Site

Most photographs are by Frank Fleury. See Page 10 for the names of all the persons shown.

The Whistle Page 09 Oct/Nov/Dec 2021


Cast of Characters (They will certainly forgive the word “characters”. It applies to all BCSME members!)

Here is the stalwart group, minus the photographer, Frank Fleury, proudly standing behind the Second NarrowsRailway Bridge model installed in its final location on the Garden Railway. Standing in front of the others, hishands on his knee, is Tom Pruden. Behind him stand, from left to right, Evan Wickens, Tom Carr (Chair of theGarden Railway Committee), Dennis Bosa (Project Manager for the Garden Railway), Richard ('Dick')Sutcliffe, and Tor. (Note that Tor is the Assistant Project Manager for the Mount Fenton logging railroad themearea. The new bridge connects that area to the existing garden railway.

The very diligent photographer of the entire project was Frank Fleury, shown to the right of Dennis Bosa.

Model Details

Finally, to round out this article, here are a few photosof details of the model:

The 1/2” square aluminum bars are drilled, tapped, and held in place by screws passed through aluminum connection plates.


Visit by the Ford Model A Club

On July 13, the BCSME Burnaby Central Railroad site was the host of the Lions Gate Model A Club. The proud owners of these shiny horseless carriages showed off their autos and happily answered questions

by fascinated visitors. The following description of the club is taken from their website:http://www.lionsgatemodelaclub.com/index.html

The Lions Gate Model A Club is a non-profit society dedicated to the preservation, restoration and enjoyment of 1928 to 1931 Model A Ford vehicles. The club is based in Vancouver B.C. and is a chapter of the Model A Ford Club of America. It includes members from Metro Vancouver, as well as the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island and Washington State. We enjoy monthly meetings, tours, technical seminars, workshops and social get-togethers. Guests and new members, whether a current Model A owner or not, are always welcomed.

__________________________________________________________

Enlarging the Carpentry ShedThe carpentry shed, located to the East of the main Shop Building, is being enlarged by walling in the roofed“front porch” area. The four who are doing this work are Phil and Anita MacGregor, Ernie Stepney, and

Brian Carlson.


RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE ON POSTAGE STAMPSBy Paul B. Ohannesian, Editor

As the major feature article in this edition of The Whistle is about a fine new bridge on the BCSME's GardenRailway, it is appropriate to show on this page examples of world postage stamps that illustrate theabundant infrastructure of railways/railroads. The majority of such postage stamps have as their subjectseither bridges or tunnels. Here is a selection of them:


the garden railway gains a major bridge

Documents