A.O. Car and Machine Shops, Yale, B.C., c. 1884
BCA Call Number: I-30853
BCA Catalogue Number: ON5-19
BCA Accession Number: 198401-006
Photo in Onderdonk Album, #5, 19.

The Machine Shop (in the centre of the photograph) was built early in 1881 and was in full operation by April. The Inland Sentinel of April 21, 1881, described the facility as follows:

Railway Machine Shop. East end of Yale, near the Toll Gate, is now in full operation under the management of Mr. Henry McGowan, formerly of the Intercolonial Railway; this shop has one of the finest Laythes in the province, 16 feet between centers, and 25 inches swing, clear of the carriage. A large sized compound plain is in use; also a splendid bolt cutter. The engine is 25 horse power. It will then, be seen the Company have facilities for doing good work.

The Engine House (to the left in the picture) was added in the fall of 1881. The Sentinel provided the following account of its construction;

Around the Machine Shop, East end of Yale, is just now a busy place; the shop itself is turning out a large quantity of work under the direction of Mr. H. W. McGowan; close by Mr. F. Crotty—having finished the large Warehouse at Emory—has a force of men excavating for a Turn Table, and preparing to build a Round House with three Stalls for locomotive Engines. Also a Carpenter's Shop is to be erected. The gravel train is working within fifty yards, clearing the way for a siding and at the same time disposing of the gravel for ballasting the road above No. 4 tunnel. Thus it will be seen lively scenes may be witnessed East end of our town, while the Railway company have commenced receiving goods from the boats at Emory and carrying by train to the siding west end of Yale Creek bridge, to be conveyed into the warehouse by the tramway erected for that purpose. We learn that a Supply Depot will, also, be located five miles up the line, where the train will deposit goods to be teamed in where required.

The Car Shop, the Sentinel informs us, was built in the fall and early winter of 1881 and 1882:

The Railway Company car shop, near the Machine Shop, East end of town, is about ready for roofing. The building is 100 feet long by 50 in width, and is a substantial structure—large enough to accommodate a few score of workmen. To the west of the Machine shop is the Engine house, containing three tracks for that number of locomotives at a time. Convenient is the Turn Table, now nearly finished, by which the heaviest of the engines can be turned around in a few minutes. Thus it will be seen that the Company are preparing for the work in hand in a business like way. It is expected next summer will witness a large force of mechanics at work in Yale, and give our town an increased population and new life. (19 January, 1882)

On March 2, 1882, the Sentinel reported that Mr. Crotty had completed the car shop and that it was ready for use. A warehouse had also been erected "a few hundred yards west of machine shop".

An earlier view of the Engine House and Shops is also available. The addition to the engine house to accommodate additional locomotives was probably made in either 1883 when locomotives nos. 4 and 5 were acquired, or in 1884 when Onderdonk acquired the four new Baldwin 4-4-0 locomotives. The addition can be clearly seen in another photograph.