Documentary. The building of a BC Rail 129 kilometre (80 mile) branch line to the coal mines of Tumbler Ridge for the Northeast Coal Project. Shows surveying; tunnel and bridge construction; laying of rails; manufacture of porcelain insulators; installation of electrical lines to power trains; design and construction of electric locomotives; loaded trains en route; Ridley Island Coal Terminal at Prince Rupert.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-11-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. A.H. Soles discusses early settlement in the Columbia Valley and the Kootenay Central Railroad; he describes how he came from Ontario to Golden in 1898; the various steamboats and their captains; surveying and construction of the Kootenay Central Railroad from 1905 to 1915; KCRR opened up settlement of the valley south of Golden; the Koles family settled several years before the KCRR; and was one of the first in the area. TRACK 2: Mr. Soles continues by describing the KCRR building several stopping places along the line; other settlements named when the post office was established at each; a large fire on the west bank in 1926; no settlement south of Golden before the CPR; there were more game animals after the big fire.

RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Aileen Lonsdale was born in the Washington Territory and moved around all her childhood; moved to Wolf Creek in 1909. She describes what was happening in Wolf Creek when she moved there, including her father's stopping house; she describes her family, Renshaw, including her brothers and her father, Robert Haldane Renshaw; she describes the area; steel mining; locations of railway stations; Mile 52; Valemount; Mile 49; railway construction camps; a description of Tete Jaune; bootlegging and smuggling during prohibition; some anecdotes about what life was like; moving to McBride in 1914; a description of McBride and life there when she arrived. TRACK 2: Mrs. Lonsdale continues with a description and anecdotes about the Indians at Tete Jaune; she describes Tete Jaune Cache and the surrounding area; Tete Jaune Mary.

CALL NUMBER: T0772:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-03-17 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Drinkwater recounts his parents' arrival in Langley Prairie, and later Surrey, in the 1890s. He describes schooling; early life; childhood experiences; incident with a bear; New Westminster fire of [1898]; potlatches at Semiahmoo; Indian encampments; family life; farm chores; fishing. TRACK 2: Mr. Drinkwater continues with a discussion about fishing; winter; logging in Surrey; sawmills; Ross McLaren Mill; Yale Road; traveling store, Kidds and Isaac; sounds common at the turn of the century; a cougar incident; railways.

CALL NUMBER: T0772:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-03-17 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Drinkwater continues with his discussion about logging; logging methods; equipment; working horses; teamsters; oxen teams; selection of timber; loggers; the scaler; skid roads; transportation of logs. TRACK 2: Mr. Drinkwater continues with his discussion about logging; life in the logging camps; skid roads and donkey engines. He talks about Surrey Centre; early residents; Reverend; Bell.

CALL NUMBER: T0772:0003 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1964-03-17 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Drinkwater continues with his recollections of early residents of Tynehead; the Bell family; Halls Prairie settlers; the MacKenzie family; the Robertson family; incidents; the Brown family; Johnny Wise and the Clarendon Hotel; riverboats. TRACK 2: Mr. Drinkwater talks about the Yale Road; dredging and dyking, methods, procedures and equipment; Sumas Prairie dyking; constructing the; route for BC Electric; logging.

Footage. Amateur footage depicting logging operation at Cumshewa Inlet.

Footage. Amateur footage depicting logging operation at Cumshewa Inlet.

The fonds consists of photographs depicting the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, Pacific Section, including views of landscapes, tunnels, structures, construction workers, First Nations along the route, and portraits of the Onderdonk family, business associates, and friends.

RECORDED: Prince George (B.C.), 1986 SUMMARY: Tony Kos: In 1949, Tony joined the railway's construction survey crew on the extension north of Quesnel. He left the railway, then returned soon after for the push north to the Peace River district. T;ony now owns and operates a contracting business in Prince George.;

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1979-10-09 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: In an interview with Robert Turner, Arthurs Stiffe discusses his memories of the Kettle Valley Railway, World War I, and general biographic material: his mother dying when he was 14 and being responsible for caring for 4 younger siblings; living with his father at Naramata and starting on the railway; describes the gang who worked on this railroad -- about 80 men; anecdotes about the Italian workers; role of jackmen; description of how railway track is laid. Mr. Stiffe then looks at pictures and identifies individuals, locations, and items in them. Further description of the rail laying process; spiking. First passenger train went through this area in 1915. Explains process of ballasting and how big rocks were moved. [Remainder of interview not transcribed.]

RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mr. Arthur Fisk recalls his arrival in Portage La Prairie from England in 1908; working with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad in the kitchens; details on how the railroad was built; a description of laying tracks, and scows. TRACK 2: Mr. Fisk continues discussing scows, mule trains, the Canadian Northern [?] and Grand Trunk Pacific Railways, Fort George in 1914, the connecting of the G;rand Trunk Pacific in 1914 at Fort Fraser, and various characters and anecdotes.

RECORDED: [location unknown], [196-] SUMMARY: TRACK 1: At a surveying camp for the PGE near Takla Lake, various men -- including Neil O'Neal, Frank Archibald, and Mark Norris -- talk with Imbert Orchard about rail lines, including life on a rail line, and the locations of several of Gun-an-noot's cabins. Then the sounds of traveling by barge are heard; Orchard narrates what he sees upon arriving at a camp near Takla Lake; and more sounds are heard. TRACK 2: The track starts with the sounds of a barge on Takla Lake and a description of events while traveling by barge to Stuart Lake. Orchard then comments about the scenery; the atmosphere and the voyage.