The print is beautiful, colourful even with the huge black piece of steel depicted in the centre. It shows motion along the coastline, the train with engine five ninety-three at the front.
The sky is in sharp contrast to the tan as well as red plants in the foreground. The detail of the engine itself is exceptional. For my brother Frank and me, who each have the same print and picture, they represent a long family history of life in and around the railway.
This print, work of Newfoundland artist Lloyd Pretty, has a family connection as well.
The railway played a huge part in my grandfather's life and that of his four brothers all of whom worked with the Newfoundland Railway. The young men, Albert, Harry, Fred, Samuel, Cyril Pretty did various jobs with the railway, from firemen, conductors, engineers and dispatchers. Then my father, Sam, and his brother, Tom, worked with the railway as well. Between my father and his father alone, they had over eighty years of service.
Lloyd Pretty is a distant cousin. His ancestor, Eli Pretty, and my great great grandfather Samuel Pretty were brothers, both sons of Joseph Pretty of Dildo, Newfoundland. Lloyd's work of art is meaningful to our family for its railway connection but also for the engine depicted in the piece.
When Canadian National announced the end of the passenger rail service in Newfoundland, my grandfather, a retired engineer, decided to take the last ride across the province, during the summer of 1969. Our family accompanied Pop.
We had taken the cross island trip before, crossing the Gulf of St. Lawrence to North Sydney at that time as well. This time, however, would be the last trans-island trip for the passenger train service, the Newfie Bullet, as she was called. We looked forward to the ride but not the event.
My grandfather knew so many people on that last trip. Many other old railroaders did the same trip with their families as well. They shared stories over rum and coke or a beer as the sound of the wheels kept the rhythm for them, urging them to finish before the trip was over.
The meals on the train were always delicious, nothing fancy but good, tasty food. I remember chicken and fish especially. The dining room had lovely linens, and heavy dishes. We always looked forward to eating there.
The bunks for sleeping were basic but clean. The sound and motion were unique so that by the time you grew accustomed to them, it was soon morning. The continuous click of the wheels, the swaying around turns or slowing up grades, then speeding downward, made for an interesting experience. We loved it.
When we arrived in Port aux Basques, we stayed in a hotel overnight and took the train back the next day. This journey back to St. John's drew crowds at every station, people coming out to see the end of an era.
We stopped at a park in Pasadena where an old engine was on display. People disembarked and took pictures and there was Pop front and center, the old engineer of engine five ninety-three, the same one in Lloyd Pretty's print.
That journey was the end of a family saga too. Not one to discuss feelings, Pop merely said something like, "That's it b'y. It's finished," when we arrived in St. John's.
That engine is immortalized in Lloyd's work and it symbolizes the long history of the Newfie Bullet as well as our family history. And there on the wall is Sam Pretty, with the old engine again. I like to imagine he is happy to be there.
No comments:
Post a Comment