History

This equipment was built by Jordan of East Chicago, Illinois in 1920 at a cost of $14,721. This is a specialized Maintenance of Way machine, which can be used as a spreader of ballast, as a flanger, scraper, bank builder or snowplough and ice digger. CN 51040 was assigned to the Atlantic Region for many years, probably since it was new. In the 1950s it was assigned to Truro, N.S.

There is conflicting information about its last CN assignment. One source states it was Bathurst, N.B., while a Moncton Times-Transcript article (January 28, 1992) on the spreader's restoration at the S & H states it was used "in the Chatham area for many years, before being brought to Moncton in 1988 to carry out snow removal work in the humpyard". It was purchased by the S & H in May 1989 for $2100.

It carries serial number 409, is 11.5m (37' 8") long, and weighs 33.6 tonnes (37 tons). It retains its arch bar trucks. The front plough and wings are controlled by air pressure (newer models use hydraulics). The wings are straight, while later cars have jointed wings for various ditch contours.