By Dan Schellenberg

The repainted CP FA-2 4090 diesel locomotive sits in its stately fashion on the tracks located at King and Van Horne in Cranbrook.

Directly behind it rests the FB-2, 4469 passenger coach, also repainted. The Paint the Train project carried out by the Cranbrook Sunrise Rotary Club is truly a testament to the fruition of the efforts of volunteerism in our community.

After three years of undertaking the Paint the Train project, all of the dedicated work carried out by committee members, volunteers and local painter Kim Wasylowich, proprietor of locally owned Riemenn Painting, brought the project to completion last fall.

Originally, the innovative locomotive, built in Montreal in 1952 by Montreal Locomotive Works, arrived in Cranbrook in 1954. The first man to drive the big diesel unit in Cranbrook, Peter Twarowsk, now resides at Joseph Creek Village. Peter, then a fireman for Canadian Pacific Railway, clearly recounts the first day the engine came to Cranbrook. The CP Yardmaster, Charlie, asked me: “Would you turn this unit around. I said, Charlie, I’ve never been in one before. Charlie said to me, neither have I. So, I got in with my five-year old son Lloyd and turned it around.”

The FA engine now rests proudly in its space at the King Street crossing Elko station, after being restored from a worn out appearance to its current gleaming state with fresh coats of durable epoxy paint and precision detail work on lettering and emblems. The final detail work was done by Rick Janzen, owner of Streamline Studios based in Calgary. His extensive experience in train restoration projects, include the hand painted lettering for a train engine that is on display at Heritage Park in Calgary. Also, Rick’s hand-painted signs are featured on numerous Hollywood production sets. He recreated and painted the Beaver crest on to the nose of the Alco FA-2 engine.

The Cranbrook Sunrise Rotary Club is planning to hold a celebration later this year in order to commemorate the restoration of the 4090 and 4469, which includes a display of material.

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