Pacific Great Eastern 2-8-0 53, which today rests peacefully in a lake in British Columbia after a derailment (Anderson or Seton, can't remember which).

http://www.yesteryeardepot.com/PGE53A.JPG
ryarger@rypn.org

> Pacific Great Eastern 2-8-0 53, which today
> rests peacefully in a lake in British
> Columbia after a derailment (Anderson or
> Seton, can't remember which).
Bob,

According to the book "Pacific Great Eastern Steam Locomotives" #53 was lost in Seton Lake. # 56 was lost in Anderson Lake.

I recall reading years back that a salvage team that recovered a BC-Rail Diesel from (Seaton or Anderson Lake don't recall which) was using that as a dry run (no pun intended) to recovering either #53 or 56. Does anyone remember the details?

cottagebound@hotmail.com

As I recall, a four axle and a six axle Alco had derailed along one of these lakes. The four axle was recovered and rebuilt, but the big one was written off after a failed recovery attempt by the railway. Two amateur divers set out to raise it, using old steel tanks that they sunk and then pumped the water out of for flotation. They got the hulk dragged up onto shore, but I lost track after that. I think the cadaver was to be stripped of anything usable and scrapped to cover expenses. If I recall, they had talked about going after one of the steam engines, but I don't know if they ever tried or not.

ryarger@rypn.org