Craighellachie (The Last Spike) & Sicamous including the swing bridge in operation Part 10

[@hunsbuckel55]

Those specific locations aren't featured often, so thank you very much Tony, for giving us a detailed look on there! 🙂

[@TonyVRailfanning]

My pleasure!

[@LowLightMike]

Thanks for this, Tony. I appreciate the Sicamous swing-bridge video. It reminded me that it's been 10 years since I saw it, in person. Back then, I thought it was a good idea to record my video while standing on the nearby highway bridge. All the big trucks on the bridge made it a very shaky experience for me and my video. Cheers !

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Your welcome Mike, I can’t imagine standing on that highway bridge. Makes me nervous just thinking about it the way drivers drive these days

[@olivei2484]

It might be cool to get a video from the water, but the drone shots are really cool too.

[@keonikaig9247]

Absolutely wonderful Tony.... Great ..everything... Thank you for your knowledge & expertise.....👍😎

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Your very welcome, thanks for watching

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

Another amazing Tony V video! Loved watching the swing bridge in action!! - Jenny

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Thanks! It’s pretty cool

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

@@TonyVRailfanning you're welcome

[@DavidWilson-g5w]

Awesome Video! I just happed to find a DVD with CPR Steam Locomotive No. 1201 in Nov. 7 1985 and a celebration of the last spike. 1201 was going through the Rockies. Then in 1986 1201 and the CNR 6060 was at the steamexpo. 1201 is now at Ottawa Science and Technology, 6060 is been worked on to working condition at Rocky Mountain Rail Society.

[@TonyVRailfanning]

@@DavidWilson-g5w thank you, I am looking forward to 6060 running again

[@johnmcgarvie4061]

Nice one Tony with top shelf drone footage. Last time I was thru there was 10 years ago with my wife's brother. We were on our way to the Mica Dam to do a job for the BC Hydro turbine expansion. Stopped at at the Golden Spike to use the facilities, have a smoke break and caught a heavy WB grainer running 3x2x2.

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Thanks John, it’s interesting how the area changes after you pass Revelstoke. Things really open up and become much more lush

[@johnmcgarvie4061]

@@TonyVRailfanning hopefully that lush green doesn't disappear from a wildfire. I have noticed when driving east thru there that it could be quite hot in Salmon Arm and Sicamous then when u get into Eagle Pass the air temp drops by quite a bit.

[@dgp2012]

Another great video Tony. I’m currently vacationing in Sicamous and seeing the drone footage of the bridge there is pretty awesome.

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Thank you. It’s a nice place for sure

[@carlfalt174]

How appropriate that there was a KCS engine on this train

[@TonyVRailfanning]

So true, KCS units are becoming commonplace

[@OrganMaster]

Thanks!

[@TonyVRailfanning]

OM, you are very kind. Thank you!

[@dougberry1011]

Love this one Tony. My home. Will send you a screen shot.

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Thanks, I figured your location was somewhere in that video 👍

[@nickandrade6777]

Another great video! thanks so much, Tony. great shots of the swing bridge in operation. As you probably know, the mechanisms for locking the bridge into place are similar to those of the old turntables in the round houses (are any of these still in operation other than in museums??). I recently viewed an operating turntable in the fine RR museum in Kyoto, Japan. Cheers and best wishes.

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Thank you Nick, there are only a small handful of turntables in operation in North America outside of Museums. There are 2 that I am aware of in Ontario, One in Quebec and I believe one in BC

[@lmiddleman]

I believe the pronunciation is craig-ELL-a-key. Also the spelling is Craigellachie (title and description have a typo, video itself is correct). Around 1:10 you state at that prior to the CPR's completion, there was "no connection between the rest of Canada to the west coast." I assume you mean no all-Canada or all-British route, since as of the late 1860s, the connection from BC was via San Francisco steamship and Union Pacific Railway through the USA. Indeed, the negotiators on behalf of British Columbia to join Canada took this route to reach Ottawa in 1870. Prior to that transport was often steamships and the so-called "Isthmus Route" across Panama, which from the 1850s included a Panamanian rail portion. And of course prior to all this there were fur-trading routes without any mechanized transport. We recognize, for example, the Bella Coola stone inscribed "Alex MacKenzie from Canada by land 22nd July 1793."

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Thank you for the correction. I will fix that and your information is good. yes, I meant connecting through Canada. I try to not overdo the information in my videos. Thanks for watching

[@trainmanzach2684]

Great catches, shots, & video!

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Thanks Zac!

[@andrewmcarthur3843]

Nice drone shots of the bridge. I sat there for an hour once, but it never closed 😓

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Thank you, I literally pulled up and got the drone in the air and it started to close.

[@olivei2484]

Doug's back yard. Great catch Tony! What do the rotating bridge couplers look like where they contact the stationary rails? Think you answered that.

[@TonyVRailfanning]

They are basically a slotted rail that allows for the track to sit right next to each other. Have a great week

[@mikegell9491]

In error not on the right on the left is Van Horne.

[@petenielsen3453]

that would be a safety feather, it cannot be swung with by accident.

[@mikegell9491]

CP did not use a Gold spike for the The big man on the right side is William Cornelius Van Horne. Who was the manager that kept the railway going Van Horne said it will be a plain Spike as it would be anywhere on the the railway. Besides the CPR could barely have a Gold spike since they were almost broke at that time The man with the spike is Donald Smith. Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal. He bent the first strike but on the second on it went in straight. The first bent spike was given to Smith now where is the real Iron Spike? There are suggestions that they pulled it out and the CPR has it. Others have said that all the spikes looked the same on that cold wet day so who knows

[@TonyVRailfanning]

Hello Mike, thanks for the comment I’ve been told otherwise. There was a gold spike but it was removed immediately after it was placed, no one is certain where it ended up. Otherwise your info above is accurate.