Returning from a live steam meet at St. Foy, Quebec, this weekend, I took a short diversion to Vallee Jonction, Quebec to have a look at one of my favorite locomotives, ex-CNR #46, one of three surviving X10-T suburban commuter locomotives. The locomotive was rescued by an lumber dealer who displayed it outside his business for years, then eventually made an arrangement to see it permanently preserved. The little engine has been asbestos abated and now awaits further repairs in the little museum's yard. Apart from a few missing pieces of linkage, she's not in bad shape, and I must say, almost apologetically, in better appearance than #47 at Steamtown. Sister #49 is kept in immaculate condition, indoors, at ExpoRail, outside Montreal.

The museum is inside the restored stone station building, and houses a small but meaningful collection of railroad artifacts, all in fine condition, and all museum worthy. There are three displayed 1/8th scale live steam locomotives and a combine. The place is clean and constantly maintained. Outdoors are two yards, one short and not only holding #46, but other CPR maintenance hoppers. On the other side of the station is a very expansive yard with a turntable and three or four bay roundhouse. The roundhouse is entirely enclosed in a gated chain link fence. The museum is a significant portion of a public park, and all weeds and foliage have recently been cut to the ground.

Outdoors is a forty foot boxcar, just recently primed in boxcar red, but not yet lettered, and a beautifully restored CPR caboose. The museum docent told me the 46 is the gem of the collection and they have long term restoration plans, although I suspect those merely cosmetic in extent.

As you might suspect, everything is in French, but an effort is made to have bilingual docents available.

I bring this travel report before you simply because these people are actively doing something with their collection, and making it presentable for interested parties. IF you are traveling between western Maine and Quebec City, Vallee Jonction is not out of the way and the museum is worthy of patronage. While I realize support for a small Canadian museum may fall on deaf ears to U.S. donors, I know any and all support preservationist might offer will be appreciated and appropriately applied. #46 alone is certainly worthy of it.
Admission is $7.50 Can.

R.Glueck
Winterport, Maine

Always liked these big/small tanks and daydreamed about using one for an excursion operation in NY where I regularly volunteered and still do when I can.

Just had a quick peruse on Google street view- nice looking station too! Any idea of the ownership of the table/roundhouse? They look to be in decent shape. Would be nice to get the engine inside.

Joshua

Also, would be nice to know the heritage of the neat 40' steel boxcar. And if the five open top hopper cars have "ballast type" doors or the original hopper doors. I agree that it would be nice if CN 46 could be kept in that nearby roundhouse. Nice little museum though.

Les

That really IS nice. I notice that 46 has glass in one of the cab windows and an intact headlight lens. To think that little yards like that were once commonplace... Thanks for posting this information.

When I was there last about 12 years ago there was a broken window around back of the roundhouse. Inside was the cab only of a former AMT F7. Did you happen to notice if it was still there?

Great to know you pay a visit in la belle province Richard. I think my province lack of railway museum vs other province. Of course we are Exporail (the Canadian Railroad Museum) in Delson but Exporail has a limit of space to operate (that my opinion)The city of Delson grown too much and landlocked Exporail. The Beauce museum is the other and only Railway museum in my entire Province. Yes we are many model railway club but that it
The Beauce museum is a unpolished gem with greats peoples if the gaz prices can be low maybe i pay a visit next summer.



Good question i heard nothing about a Cab i think the roundhouse is empty



Only two bay (with the pictures i see before)

Those are active ballast hoppers with side doors.
I believe the boxcar is ex-CPR.
The roundhouse is fenced off, so I don't know about the interior. It is kept in good condition. The fence is doing its job!
#46 is in need of major funding to get her rolling and cleaned up, but overall, she's one of those little gems that deserves to have the journals polished and rods bearings greased.
I'd bet she could run, but it will take hours of volunteers doing dirty work just to get near fixing up her boiler.

Yes the rail is owned and restored by the Gouvernment and operated by Sartigan Railway


Yep the caboose the boxcar and the tank car was donated by CPR



The museum has a project to restore (to steam?) 46 but the total cost for is 292710 $CAD

I should have checked my list of preserved 40' steel boxcars. I had this one listed as CP # 401676. Hope they eventually get the car re-lettered.

Les

Thanks for posting all the great photos! This is one of the rare museums seldom seen.

The steel caboose is particularly worthy since it represents the original CPR steel ones built at Angus Shops.

The steel 40 foot box car is typical of many thousands CPR had and worthy for its commonness. Hopefully they have its box car number (possibly inside near top of side wall) 401 series was only for work service equipment. It had been downgraded to this in later years.

Tsnk car there is also worthy since it was also service equipment built as such. Likely water or fuel oil. RR's owned few tanks cars and only for Company service not revenue freight traffic.

Four bay, with only two usable. The two outside bays have had the big doors removed and replace with smaller ones.

Yes your right i forget that