Shipwreck hunters made a surprising find in Lake Superior last month. Divers found a locomotive in the lake near Marathon, Ontario. The train was Canadian Pacific Railway Locomotive No. 694, which crashed in June of 1910. The train derailed when it hit a rock slide that covered the tracks. Falling down a cliff and into the lake, the train descended 230 feet underwater, where it lay undisturbed for over a hundred years.
This boxcar — which tumbled into Lake Superior along with Locomotive 694 in 1910 — was located by divers in 2014 near Marathon, Ontario. The locomotive was found this summer. (Photo courtesy of Terry Irvine)
A major accident at the time, the crash killed three men who were aboard the train. The group who found the wreck were led by Tom Crossman, an experienced shipwreck explorer. Crossman and his team were aided by Terry Irvine, a longtime diver from London, Ontario. While the story is now making international headlines, prior to its discovery, the tale of the 694 was only known to a small group of local divers and history buffs. When Irvine heard of the tragedy in 2014, he and his friends decided to search for it in the lake. Despite their best efforts, Irvines search was only able to locate two of the railcars attached to the locomotive, and the 694 was forgotten until earlier this summer.
While the group is proud of their discovery, they insist that one must not forget about the victims of the crash. Irvine told reporters of how terrifying the three mens last moments must have been, saying How horrific that must have been, this thing going off the track and hitting that cold water and smashing its way to the bottom.
Out of sight however never ever out of mind, the 694 and its team were well-remembered in Schreiber in the years that followed. Engineers and crewmen who resided in the neighborhood passed the crash website regularly, and passed the story on to more youthful generations.
” We became aware of this mishap when we remained in our 20s, when we worked with on the train,” stated Stefurak, who signed up with CPR in 1968 and worked for the train for 40 years, the majority of that time as an engine engineer. “It constantly captivated me, and we utilized to pass that place basically every other day for several years and years and years.”
In this image taken by a remotely-operated vehicle, the wheels of Locomotive 694 — with drive arm still attached — are seen about 235 feet beneath the surface of Lake Superior near Marathon, Ontario, last month. (Photo courtesy of Tom Crossmon)
The memory of the team likewise survived on through their households. Wheatley, the 38-year-old engineer, was buried in Thunder Bay below an intricate gravestone bring the logo design of the Brotherhood of Engine Engineers. Though he didn’t have kids, his brother or sisters did.
Darryl McCrindle of Thunder Bay is the granddaughter of Wheatley’s bro. Her grandpa passed away prior to she was born, however her dad and his sis shared the story of what had actually taken place to her great-uncle.
” The household constantly learnt about it, and everyone in the household discussed it,” she remembered. “… That side of the household was a railway household.”.
Back in Schreiber, interest in finding the 694 grew for many years– to supply some closure, and maybe, if the engine in some way made it through the crash in fairly good condition, to raise it.
” A little group people chose a variety of years ago to let’s do what we can to perhaps discover this 694,” Stefurak stated. “We raised a couple of dollars, and got a couple of individuals interested, and here we are today.”.
