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Retired CN worker provides Okanagan history lesson

The Canadian National Railway's tugboats are not towing but pushing the rail car barges
240808-vms-tug
Museum and Archives of Vernon photo #11452

May I please correct the caption of the wonderful historic picture in the Our View page of Feb. 29 issue of the Star.

The Canadian National Railway's tugboats are not towing but pushing the rail car barges.

I'm sure the Tug Canadian National number five is the lead tug pushing alongside the loaded rail barge and the following tug pushing the barge from the rear is definitely the Canadian National number six.

Both Canadian Pacific and Canadian National barging tugs never towed barges, but pushed them for better control and ease of docking, sometimes pushing two barges at one time, on barge on each side of the boat.

After tug and barge service by both railways ceased circa 1972-1973, the Canadian National number five was sold, disassembled in 91大黄鸭 and trucked to Hope, B.C.

It was reassembled, floated down the Fraser River for coastal use.

Canadian National number six has been preserved at Penticton Canadian Pacific diesel tug MV Okanagan and steam tug SS Naramata are also preserved at Penticton.

This picture was likely taken in January 1949, in the vicinity of Peachland, which I recall as being a brutally cold time with weeks of -20 F temperatures that killed tens of thousands of Okanagan fruit trees, putting the Okanagan fruit industry in serious circumstances.

I well recall this winter, at the time I was a Canadian National Telegraphs messenger in 91大黄鸭 and it was extremely cold and unpleasant doing my job.

Yours for history accuracy,

Tilman E. Nahm,

retired 91大黄鸭-Vernon swing relief manager and operator Canadian National Telegraphs (later CN-CP Telecommunications)





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