Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

SWITCH BROOM, “C.P.R. 70”

Date

1970

Materials

WOOD, METAL

No. Pieces

1

Height

3.25

Length

153.5

Width

31

Description

BROOM WITH METAL BRISTLES AND WOOD HANDLE. TOP OF HANDLE IS FITTED WITH METAL CHISEL. BRISTLES ARE ATTACHED TO A METAL BASE THAT IS PAINTED RED AND FIXED TO HANDLE WITH RIVETS. HANDLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED WITH GLUE NEAR CENTRE, AND IS BRANDED WITH TEXT READING “C.P.R. 70”. GENERAL WEAR AND STAINING; OVERALL GOOD CONDITION.

Subjects

RAIL TRANSPORTATION-ACCESSORY

MAINTENANCE T&E

Historical Association

TRANSPORTATION

History

THIS SWITCH BROOM WAS COLLECTED BY THE DONOR, LAURENCE HOYE, A PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF MATH AND FORMER ASSOCIATE VP ACADEMIC AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE AND AVID COLLECTOR OF RAILWAY EPHEMERA. ON MAY 28, 2014, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN INTERVIEWED HOYE ABOUT HIS COLLECTION, INCLUDING THE FIVE OBJECTS DONATED TO THE GALT MUSEUM. HOYE SAID: “I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE ON THE FARM AT LLOYDMINSTER [IN THE MID 1930S] THAT I COULD SEE OUT ON THE HORIZON STEAM TRAINS HAULING BOXCARS TO THE ELEVATORS WHERE WE USED TO DELIVER OUR GRAIN… I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THAT SO MAYBE THAT’S WHEN [MY INTEREST IN COLLECTING RAILWAY MATERIAL] GOT STARTED… I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF A NEAT THING TO DO, TO HAVE SOME OF THESE ITEMS AROUND. IT STARTED WITH SMALL THINGS AND THEN OBVIOUSLY GREW TO LARGER THINGS… THERE WAS A LOT OF [RAILWAY COLLECTIBLES] ON THE MARKET IN THE ‘70S… NOWADAYS, IT’S TOUGH TO COME BY.” REGARDING THIS SPECIFIC OBJECT, HOYE SAID: “WHEN PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO CLEAR THE SNOW AND ICE OUT OF THE SWITCH, THE BROOMS ALL HAD WOODEN HANDLES, AND RAILWAY WORKERS ARE PRETTY HUSKY TYPES SO THE HANDLES WOULD BREAK [AND] THEY WOULD CHUCK THEM AWAY AND GO AND GET A NEW ONE. I PICKED UP A COUPLE OF THESE PIECES AND REFURBISHED THEM, PUT THEM TOGETHER AND THAT’S HOW YOU GOT THAT ONE BROOM… [I FOUND THE PIECES] SOMEWHERE AROUND COALHURST. THEY BURNED THE STATION DOWN YOU KNOW AS A FIRE EXERCISE… THEY HAD THE NEW RAIL SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND SO I WAS WALKING AROUND THERE TOO AND FINDING THESE BITS AND PIECES IN THE GRASS… [TODAY’S SWITCH BROOMS] STILL LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME BECAUSE THE SWITCHES ARE OUT ON THE PRAIRIE AND THEY CLOG UP WITH SNOW AND ICE.” SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR FULL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT AND BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF DONOR.

Catalogue Number

P20140016002

Acquisition Date

2014-05

Collection

Museum

Less detail