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DECEMBER 12, 2013
Local locomotive remains a unique tradition 16 year-old NorKam Secondary student, Jordan Popadynetz, is fighting to keep the 1912 Kamloops Heritage Railway (KHR) 2141 steam locomotive alive. “This past year, we were told to shut it down. We learned it was going to coast quite a bit and that the Kamloops Heritage Railway Society didn’t have the money to fund restoration again,” anxiously says Jordan. “I decided to take over the planning of the events. I think it is important because of how much I like the steam engine in Kamloops. There are only four still operating in B.C. Lets raise some money to get a major piece of history, the 2141 steam engine, back on track, to get people to take rides again like we have in the past.” The 2141 is one of a group of 25 engines (numbers 2130 to 2154) built by the Canadian Locomotive Company in Kingston, Ontario for the Canadian Northern Railway in 1912. Along with the steam engine, the train is accompanied by the KHR 301 and 302 open air cars, KHR 402 cafe lounge car - ‘Monte Lake’, KHR 403 passenger coach -’Riverside Park’ and the KHR 501 caboose -’Westwold’. On February 11, 1994, the 2141 Steam Locomotive Restoration Society was formed to restore and operate the engine on behalf of the City of Kamloops. The society over-
saw the restoration for eight years at two locations, 1315 River Street and at the backshop at Pioneer Park. Not long after the society changed it’s name to the Kamloops Heritage Railway Society and began plans to get the train running. Every year, for over a decade, the train is lit with hundreds of lights and with the crisp cool winter air sending steam from the locomotive swirling around the lights, magic is created. The community is transported to a Christmas of old, traditional music, travellers mingling on the platform with a wide assortment of familiar characters. It’s all aboard for the journey across the trestle bridge and over the ice covered river to St. Joseph’s Historic Church
where Santa hitches a ride along with his elves back to Kamloops. Jordan loves this festive event, which raises money to keep the train running, and the train. “The feeling you get when everyone is on the train, is kinda cool,” comments Jordan. “It is the only steam engine left like this in the world.” The Annual Harvest High Tea, a fundraiser for the restoration, was held on Saturday, October 26 at the 2141 steam engine located by Pioneer Park. In the dining car, people enjoyed tea and goodies on china and linen. “It was very fancy,” says Jordan. “We had live entertainment, a band and vintage cars.” From this fundraiser the society was able to raise $3,048 for the restoration. “It is
kind of bittersweet,” adds Jordan in regards to not having adequate funding to run the train for the holiday season. “It is disappointing that we can’t get it running for this year, but I have been a volunteer for four years and I will stick with it until it runs.” Currently, it looks like the train will be back on the tracks for June 2014. This year’s Spirit of Christmas will be a little different. “The train won’t leave the station this year, but we are still hosting an event,” says Jordan. From December 19 to 22 the train will be decorated and synchronized to music. The vintage dining car will be serving treats and hot chocolate. Also Santa Claus will on board each night along with other holiday char– continued on page 2