Here's pics of loading the car ferry/barge on two beautiful days in July and September, 2017. The rest are from July. They use two old gondolas and 7 decrepit flat cars as idlers Mixed load completed.
They transferred the RoW and equipment to a group of local governments but it needed $15 million I think it was for upgrades and they couldn't scrape it together.
Great photos! And a good old torpedo-boat Geep for good measure. But some of those idler flats are in rough shape! Those would be great to model.
YES, love carfloat operations!! Excellent series of shots!! The one here in Seattle to Alaska on the UP uses old UP and MP cabooses for idlers.
Some day I will build a page on my web site, of the E&N train orders CPR forms) I collected. Wellcox among them.
Here's a couple of shots of the ramp. From 2016. I'm thinking the double hoisting towers (don't know what they are called) are because of the tidal range here (16 ft), the longer ramp allows for less steep approach.
Here's a couple more. I'm a cartographer, the aerial shot is a map of mine from a Nanaimo aerial photograph. Love this, they just caught the ferry leaving. This is different from the barge and tug they were using in the pics from this year. This shows the self propelled ferry that they mostly use, and now it is mostly semi trailers. Nice shot of the Wellcox yard. The string of idlers for loading the carfloat is on the far left of the photo. Also a shot of the ramp where I took the loading pictures from. This is the centre top of the aerial photo. You can see the idler string in this pic. I looked at the original aerial photos to check on the idlers and took a screen capture of the servicing yard. How's the resolution on these? If anyone is particularly interested let me know and I can send the originals, much higher res.
As this location once copied train orders, there must have been at least a yard office, or perhaps even at some point a depot? Where would it have been located in your aerial view?
This is a pic from http://tracksidetreasure.blogspot.ca/2014/10/cp-victoria-bc-yard.html. (Scroll down) Most of the pics on the blog are from Esquimalt (Victoria) and Nanaimo was the original terminus, hence the name. presume it's ok to post this pic, as it's attributed... This may have been the yard office. I mean to get down there and have a chat with whoever may be around, I'll ask. Here's where it is in the photo: I'm a little uncomfortable about posting about these operations, as there a people out there with a whole lot more knowledge than I - but hopefully they'll weigh in if I'm off base! The passenger depot is about a mile away, more central: Thanks for your interest.
So I am guessing two possible train order offices. The yard office as "Wellcox" and the depot as "Nanaimo"?
Against all male inclination I have to say - don't know. ;-) There's a modelers meet early November if I see someone that might, I'll ask.
Your courage is noted. I would love to know the answers to my questions. I am fascinated by Pacific NW rail barge operations, such as the MILW and SNCT. Alaska Hydro-Train. I am a native of Puget Sound, (The People's State of Taxington), and saw those many times, especially during ferry rides across that Sound. Logging/timber or timber oriented rail operations, such as the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. The E&N fits right in there!