Lifting a G.T.R. locomotive out of the Welland Canal.
In an accident at Port Colborne, Ont., July 21, Grand Trunk locomotive 638 dropped 33 ft. into 19 ft. of water in the Welland Canal and turned a complete somersault. The tender was broken loose, which proved a great advantage. It was not found where it went in, and as the canal was blocked and immediate removal was necessary, a powerful dredge was employed, pulling one end at a time, and the locomotive was dragged clear of the new canal and left 40 ft. from shore in 18 ft. of water. Tenders were asked for taking the locomotive out, and ranged from $6,000 to $8,000. As these were considered very excessive, it was decided to do the work with the company's own forces.
Lifting a G.T.R. locomotive out of the Welland Canal.
Two of the company's 100 ton derricks and a supply of two-inch wire and cables and heavy clevises were secured and on Aug. 7 the locomotive was moved close up to the stone wall of the canal. It was felt certain that this wall was not strong enough to stand the lifting of the locomotive with one derrick, so, in order to prevent any possibility of an accident, two were used, placed 30 ft. apart, parallel with the canal, and far enough back so that the outrigging rested on the wall. As the blocks would not reach far enough to raise the locomotive at one lift, it had to be anchored half way up. This was done by cables from the boon, and the blocks lowered for the second lift, after which it was landed on the track on August 8, without a hitch of any kind.
The whole work was most successfully carried out under the charge of Thos. Rodgers, car foreman, Hamilton, the diver employed being Williams, of Port Colborne. It is said that the total expense of raising the locomotive was only about $1,700, of which some $700 was paid the diver.