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Steam Ka Trans-Island Line

The single heaviest locomotive ever to run on the Trans-Island Railway Line, this NZR Ka-class steam locomotive is at first glance an unusual choice for one of the most isolated railways in Canada. The locomotive was acquired by the railway as part of a government-backed expansion of the line in early 1941 in order to increase the export rates of much-needed coal from the Langston Mine, as well as timber from Breyerhouse logging camps along the line. As both Canada and New Zealand were part of the British Commonwealth, and parts for the Ka-class were already being manufactured in Pennsylvania and the United Kingdom, it was a comparatively simple matter to divert a single Ka and associated equipment to Great Bear Island.

Though certainly unusual for the region, the Ka performed well on the Trans-Island Line. Its integrated feedwater heating system proved valuable in Great Bear's harsh winters, and the locomotive had more than enough power to fulfill its duties. Originally coal-powered, the Trans-Island Line Ka was converted to an oil-burner in the late 1950s so that spare parts for New Zealand's oil-burning Ka locomotives would be compatible if necessary.

As diesel power began to take over on the Trans-Island Line in the 1970s - particularly after the arrival of H4 #17 in 1977 - the Ka still saw occasional use in the winter for track clearing and plowing, but was generally only seen running if the H4 was out of service for one reason or another. It eventually was parked on a siding in the vicinity of the maintenance yard for a lack of fuel oil, and has remained there ever since. After the Collapse, some thought was given to refueling and re-firing the Ka as it could be operated more efficiently than the railway's diesels, but it was discovered that seismic activity in the region had irreparably damaged the track underneath the locomotive. The rails had separated from the ties and been forced apart by the weight of the Ka, causing it to partially derail and making movement of any kind impossible. Heavy equipment would have been required to rerail and repair the Ka, equipment which by that point had already been removed from the island.

After this tragic discovery, the Ka was abandoned and left to the mercy of the island's deteriorating weather. It held up well against the wind and snow, even as various components were removed by locals to be repurposed as the island's economy collapsed and supply shipments grew fewer and farther between. The Ka's final end came with the First Flare, as a landslide caused by seismic activity completely buried it along with a portion of the nearby mainline.


Recommended to operate on Rinston's Great Bear Island Railway layout.

Hinterland Studios (inspiration).

Do not redistribute this livery without my express permission.