Re: Harry Wright
Author: Tom Moungovan
Date: 12-09-2010 - 13:36
Bill Kohler Wrote:
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> Tom, Harry Wright was, indeed, a great guy and a
> friend to all those who visited Hillcrest. He
> also could put away a few brews. He was a pretty
> substantial fellow back in the '60. A few of us
> from the Bay Area were visiting Vancouver Island
> in August, 1964 and when we arrived at Mesachie
> Lake we were surprised to see a three truck shay
> being used instead of one of the Climaxes. It
> turns out that the switching company in North
> Vancouver(I can't recall the name without looking
> it up)had purchased Western Forest Industries #5
> and Hillcrest was operating the shay to work out
> the bugs after being returned to service. Harry
> was running and at the end of the day we made
> plans to hook up. Being destitute college
> students we were camping at the Robertson River
> bridge just West of Mesachie Lake. Harry showed
> up with a case of fine Canadian beer and we
> proceeded to swap tales and enjoy his experiences
> well into the evening. Looking back on years of
> train chasing I would have to say that a
> disproportionate number of my favorite memories
> are from Vancouver Island. The people were as
> much of a treasure as the equipment.
Well, you were pretty fortunate to have happened on that...the Shay was former Mayo Lbr.
Co. 4, then lake Logging 5 and finally Western Forest Industries 5 up at Honeymonn Bay
just beyond the Robertson River Bridege. She sat around for a long time until Bob Swanson
purchased her for his Railway Appliance Research Ltd. switching operation at Vancouver
Wharves where she became the 114 and is now @ Cass and burns coal. You got there before
I did by about 3 years it sounds like. I do have some slides taken by Jim Brooks of Shay
5 at Hillcrest. She was used in at least one excursion there. I imagine that even an
oxcart would have been an improvement over the 10 spot when it came to riding qualities.