First Hunt of 2010!

[cdnbeehive]

Well, Ottawa has had an extremely mild winter this year, and currently there is no snow left anywhere except on north and east facing slopes. Unfortunately the lack of snow means there is still deep frost in many places, especially under coniferous trees. Anyhoo, I found a pole stump back in February along the old CNR line between Ottawa and Hawkesbury. This line has been abandoned for over 70 years, so a pole stump is a rarity here. The advantage of this line is the fact that is has hardly been touched. Every pole site yeilds parts of at least 10 insulators. The problem of course lies therein. I have never found anything intact!

I took the kids to the pole site to find the ground soft and wet. On the first probe I hit glass. Digging turned up part of a B CD145. More digging turned up (all broken) a Diamond CD152 in straw, part of a grey CNR 143, a hemi blue cd154, a light green and straw Dominion 154 and domes from 2 more 143s. The most amazing peice I found was a TCR CD145! It was broken, but enough was left to glue back together. This particular one has the TCR over the blotted out embossing.

A cool feature of this one is the twisted inner skirt. Looks like the inner part of the mold was removed while it was still hot. I'll bring it to Perth for your comments

Now, I thought TCR was for Temiskaming Colonization Railway... being the line running from Mattawa into Quebec... Am I right?

To me it's like finding a GTP insulator... it shouldn't be on a Canadian Northern line. But I have learned to expect the unexpected in this hobby

Where else have TCR's shown up?

Chris

The bounty of this pole site.

1st hunt of 2010.jpg (251.96 KiB) Viewed 7309 times

[daverosy]

I've found a number of TCR's north of calgary on CNR (sub) lines.
I always thought it stood for Trans Canada Railway. Can anybody confirm?

D.

[Barrett]

Good stuff, Chris!

You've beaten me to the punch in the opening of the hunting season. All I've had time to do is scope out some tin-skirted DOMINION - 42s I spotted in use near a construction site in London. I haven't turned a single shovel-full yet.
I am yet to ever recover a single T.C.R. CD-145, so congrats on that find! These pieces just don't seem to turn up too regularly here in S.W. Ontario. Apparently out in the Thunder Bay region they are found more readily.
All the best, and keep on hunting!

[CliMac]

I thought the initials TCR stood for 'Transcontinental Railway', referring to the National Transcontinental Railway openend by the federal government in 1913 between Moncton and Winnipeg where it linked up with the GTP.



I think the insulators were made by the same manufacturer as the G.N.W.Tel.Co. 145s and a few went astray to lines that weren't part of the Transcontinental line. I've found a couple in Central Ontario.

[cdnbeehive]

I thought the initials TCR stood for 'Transcontinental Railway', referring to the National Transcontinental Railway openend by the federal government in 1913 between Moncton and Winnipeg where it linked up with the GTP.



I think the insulators were made by the same manufacturer as the G.N.W.Tel.Co. 145s and a few went astray to lines that weren't part of the Transcontinental line. I've found a couple in Central Ontario.

Well, CN had ownership of former GTR and Canadian Northern lines, so this is likely how it migrated. Just funny when you consider that prior to 1919 the TCR and CNOR were firce competitors!

[TedW]

Just curious, what were you using as a probe?

[cdnbeehive]

Just curious, what were you using as a probe?

I've been using a 3 tined pitchfork with one tine shortened and bent so I can use my foot to punch it deeper into the ground.