Old Time Trains

Thurston Flavelle Lumber Co.

Port Moody, BC.

A Brief History

A brief history. Bryan Ness Port Coquitlam Heritage and Cultural Society.

There are a number of "lost" railway lines and spurs in the Poco - Coquitlam - Port Moody area that are definitely worth investigating for those who enjoy digging (literally) into old RR history. With the on-going development and urbanization of the Tri-Cities area, the remnants of these lines are quickly disappearing, so it is important to research and document what is still here now.

BCER/McNair/Smith-Dollar/Thurston Flavelle/Sig Hage logging RR

Map of the Lower Mainland of B.C. 1882-1992 shows the Dewars/Deeks spur as well as the BCER/Thurston Flavelle line that ran from the Coquitlam Dam to Port Moody. Although these 2 lines connected near the old Port Moody Road (now Glen Drive) the Dewar/Deeks spur was not used for logging purposes, the log flats continued west to dump in Burrard Inlet at the McNair Mill. The remains of this mill can be seen on the shoreline east of Old Orchard Park, suffering a final devastating fire in 1959.

McNair mill site in 2016

The line was originally owned by the B.C.Electric Co. who began construction of the Coquitlam Dam around 1903. In 1913, the McNair Co. leased the line from the BCER for 25 years for logging purposes, with the Smith Dollar Co, Thurston-Flavelle and the Sig Hage Logging Co. also involved with running the line through the 1920's.

Enormous size of this tree is evident by the three men standing on the Thurston Flavelle Lumber flat car.

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Old Time Trains © 2016

Thurston Flavelle Lumber Co.

Port Moody, BC.

A Brief History

A brief history. Bryan Ness Port Coquitlam Heritage and Cultural Society.

There are a number of "lost" railway lines and spurs in the Poco - Coquitlam - Port Moody area that are definitely worth investigating for those who enjoy digging (literally) into old RR history. With the on-going development and urbanization of the Tri-Cities area, the remnants of these lines are quickly disappearing, so it is important to research and document what is still here now.

BCER/McNair/Smith-Dollar/Thurston Flavelle/Sig Hage logging RR

Map of the Lower Mainland of B.C. 1882-1992 shows the Dewars/Deeks spur as well as the BCER/Thurston Flavelle line that ran from the Coquitlam Dam to Port Moody. Although these 2 lines connected near the old Port Moody Road (now Glen Drive) the Dewar/Deeks spur was not used for logging purposes, the log flats continued west to dump in Burrard Inlet at the McNair Mill. The remains of this mill can be seen on the shoreline east of Old Orchard Park, suffering a final devastating fire in 1959.

McNair mill site in 2016

The line was originally owned by the B.C.Electric Co. who began construction of the Coquitlam Dam around 1903. In 1913, the McNair Co. leased the line from the BCER for 25 years for logging purposes, with the Smith Dollar Co, Thurston-Flavelle and the Sig Hage Logging Co. also involved with running the line through the 1920's.

Enormous size of this tree is evident by the three men standing on the Thurston Flavelle Lumber flat car.