The loaders passed from car to car on steel rails permanently
fastened to the top of the cars. A team of highly skilled men operated
the loader, carefully placing the logs. The top loader handled the dangerous
job of positioning the logs and removing the tongs. (to
view a video clip click here)
Steep grades, along the 20 kilometer railway, forced the
train crew to separate the cars taking two or three at a time to sidings
at the top of hills along the way. The railway dropped two hundred feet
over the hilly terrain of the Algonquin Park highlands from the dumps to
the mill, with grades reaching as much as ten percent. (to
view a video clip click here)
Brakemen climbed across the top of the cars to apply hand
brakes when proceeding downhill. A caboose provided protection during the
long days in all extremes of weather.
(voice over of Margaret Gleason daughter of the engineer)
As the train crews worked in the bush the mill workers cut
the previous days supply. Often the train did not arrive back in Fossmill
until the end of the day.
(voice over of Peggy McGibbon, a young girl in Fossmill at the time)
