The “Monday Morning Crew” gathered at the Westcoast Railway Heritage Park to admire their latest project – the restoration of a 107-year-old locomotive with a long history in the Sea to Sky Corridor.
A dozen volunteers, most of whom are retired BC Rail employees, spent every Monday for three years cosmetically restoring the PGE #2 steam locomotive.
Today, “Little Sparky” looks the same as it did more than a century ago.
“This is such an important icon of Squamish. It’s a wonderful piece for the community,” said Donna Fourchalk, a volunteer with the project.
Restoring the 60-tonne locomotive took extensive work by the dedicated crew, who are also affectionately known as the “Squamish Gang.” The running gear was frozen and many parts had to be recast due to their poor condition.
“We had to strap the boiler together just to keep it in one piece,” said Fourchalk.
The effort was worth it, and now this important part of B.C.’s transportation history is a display jewel at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. Little Sparky is the only surviving PGE locomotive.
The iron horse had a long and varied history before it made its way to Squamish.
The 2-6-2 locomotive was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works for Howe Sound, Pemberton Valley and Northern Railway, which became the Pacific Great Eastern Railway soon after.
The steam engine, the first of its kind for PGE, reliably pulled supply trains up the Squamish Valley and returned loaded with logs. A saddle tank on the engine held water which, along with coal, provided fuel for the long journey.
After helping build the railway, the locomotive was then sold to Comox Logging and Rail Company in 1920 and was then donated to the District of Squamish in the late 1960s, where it was displayed in a park downtown for 34 years. Many people who grew up in Squamish will remember playing on the steam engine when the Royal Hudson travelled by on its daily run.
In 1993, the engine was donated to the West Coast Railway Heritage Park for long-term preservation.
“The volunteers worked to restore the locomotive in conditions that often weren’t the best, but the result is something that is great for the community,” said Fourchalk, adding that the engine will be used to teach school children about Squamish’s transportation history.
Visitors can stop by the railway park to see Little Sparky from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. any day of the week.
