1958 Princess Margaret Royal Visit

1958 Princess Margaret Royal Visit and Train

Research Notes from Bill Linley about the consist

The power for the train was an ABA of GMDL CNR passenger units: 6537 6634 6538. They were ordered off the shop track at the CNR's Truro Roundhouse at 5.00 p.m., August 9, 1958, a Saturday. Kentville was the destination. Info is via Andrew Blackburn from Jim Simmon's list of DAR units serviced in Truro in August 1958.

It's been suggested that the South Maitland bridge was too light to support this train. I've checked my emp tts from 1939 through 1980 and find that the permitted speed was 20 mph until at least 1952. Skipping ahead to 1965 it was 10 mph. In 1965, Train Masters, E8s, early Canadian-built S2s and SW9s were prohibited on the Truro Sub. My conclusion is that the train went west via the Truro Sub.

The consist included the following cars is from Doug Smith in Brockville, Ont.: The following list of cars for HRH Princess Margaret train comes from Wayner's Century of Deluxe Passenger Cars in Canada (the cars are not listed in order in the publication so this is just a list of cars): CN battery-charging car 15202 CN baggage car 9283 CN baggage-dormitory 9203 CN dining car 1343 CN sleeper Thunder Bay CN Bedford CN Burrard CN business car 91 Govt of Canada Acadia Govt of Canada 2 Govt of Canada 1

So our site's display of John McDonald's image of a crowd waiting at Annapolis Royal was likely taken on August 10, 1958. I had thought they were watching for an eastbound train but now suspect they were arranged to face the sun for a better photograph. I now think that the train was westbound on the 10th and that the party likely spent the night in Kentville.

External Links

Pricess Margaret's Roay Visit to Digby, Admiral Digby Museum (Train at 1:42).