Thanks for the memories. Your remarks are all right on the money. IIRC, the log cars were a mix of K and AB triple valves and tended to set up a little off from each other. I don't
remember the noise being that bad on the downhill trip, but it sure could have been.
As to the guy in the tower, I didn't get to talk to him much, but his first name may have been George. A friend of mine spent some time up there with him and remembers him much better.
If you rode at Chemainus, then you were doubly fortunate as the guys there were a great bunch too. Bob Strang and Ed Marty were the engineers and Onni Parta was the fireman. Big guy with flinty eyes, first time I met him, he kinda scared the crap outta me, but he was one of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet. He used to let me fire.
When you said #4, did you mean 1044 or were you going by the spot plate on 1066 that had the numeral 4?
Do you remember exactly when you were there? I don't ever remember any other people taking photos.