History[]
The Canadian Pacific No. 374 is a 4-4-0 'American' steam locomotive built in May 1886 at Canadian Pacific's 'New Shops' in Montreal. It was designed by Francis R.F. Brown, Canadian Pacific's Mechanical Superintendent from 1883 to 1889; along with seven identical locomotives numbered 371-378, built from May to July 1886. The locomotives had 69" drive wheels and were built for passenger service in the Pacific Devision of the CPR.
CPR 374 rose to fame when it pulled the first train into the new community of Vancouver on May 23 of 1887; ten months after its sister locomotive, CPR 371, arrived in Port Moody with the first transcontinental train. While 374 was built for passenger service, it was eventually replaced with faster locomotives; being relegated to simpler tasks. CPR 374's sisters were scrapped from 1915 to 1929, 371 being the first to go; but 374 lived on and was heavily rebuilt in 1914. 374 was renumbered three times in her life, first to 92 in 1907, 245 in 1909, and 158 in 1913. In 1936 374 was painted as 371 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first transcontinental train’s arrival in 1886. She was retired in 1945 and was destined to be scrapped, but was saved and put on display in Kitsilano Park in Vancouver. 374 sat there for several years until it was decided to restore her for Expo '86 and was moved to its current location in the Roundhouse Community Centre.
CPR 374 on its way to Vancouver, 1887.
Trivia[]
- Currently 374 isn't painted how it looked in 1886, when it rolled of the assembly line she had brass wrapped domes, a light grey boiler and cylinder jacket, as well as a white strip on the pilot to avoid people tripping over it.
- When 374 was rebuilt in 1914, the steam dome was moved slightly forward and the smokebox extended; plus major work done to the cylinders.
- On August 22, 1945, 374 was presented to the City of Vancouver after it was restored to its original look.
- Collectively 371-378 served 33 and 1/2 years with the CPR, with 374 working for nearly 60 years; average life of a locomotive on the CPR was usually under 10 years.
- In the 1890s the 69" drive wheels were replaced with 62" ones for better traction.
- The cost of 374 in 1886 was £1,071 ($1,854.89 CAD), at 2.44 pence per pound; adjusted with inflation thats £140,251.76 ($242,905.53 CAD).
- Originally 374 was equipped with a 'diamond' smokestack, but when they got to BC it was swapped for the familiar 'sunflower' stack.
- There's a Miniature rideable model that works on the Stanley Park Miniature Railway in Canada.
Gallery[]
