What Do the Whistles Mean?

Have you ever wondered what the train's whistle means? It is heard by museum visitors and echoes throughout the Cowichan region, depending on which direction the wind is travelling.

When the engineer is given the signal to move forward by the conductor he gives two short toots. This is an acknowledgment that they he has received the hand signal that it is safe to move forward.

If the conductor requires the engineer to move backward, the hand signal is acknowledged with three short toots.

When the train starts to move or slows down to stop, it is required to ring its bell until fully stopped or well underway in its movement.

The most common whistle is two long, one short and one long whistle which is a warning that the train is about to enter a crossing.  Engineers know when to perform this signal because of the prominent white whistle signs along the engineer's side of the track. This whistle is also accompanied by the ringing of the train's bell.

Engineers also make judgment calls on whether to sound a warning whistle if someone or something is too close to the tracks. A series of short loud bursts is a warning for people or animals to move away from the tracks.

The Bald Eagle's Nest

 Haliaeetus leucocephalus  (Bald Eagle)

Bald Eagle's nest in a Black Cottonwood tree

Have you ever seen an eagle's nest?  One of the most popular stops on the BCFDC's nature tours is the Bald Eagle's nest. The eagles have built a nest in a Black Cottonwood tree near North Cowichan Station (on the lower grounds).  We believe there are two other nests at the museum including one in a tall Douglas-fir on the South Foresters Walk and the other in a Douglas-fir near the rail shop.  Both nests are nearly impossible to see, but the eagles are regularly seen and heard in these areas.

Bald eagles build some of the biggest nests in the world. One nest in Florida was 6.1 meters deep, 2.9 meters wide, and weighed 2,722 kg (almost 3 tons)!  So where do Bald eagles get the sticks for these massive nests?  They pick them up off the ground and sometimes they even break some off the trees themselves.

Bald eagles often build their nests near bodies of water so they can remain near their food source. The BCFDC nest overlooks Somenos Lake and the eagles are often spotted with fish or ducks in their talons.  Bald eagles incubate their eggs for 35 days and share the responsibility between both the male and female. Eagles mate for life and a pair will repair and reuse the same nest year after year. 

The best viewing spot for Bald Eagles at the BCFDC is from the base of the flag pole located on the lower grounds (beside the distinctive log Wellburn Building).  If you look South towards the railway tracks, you will spot the large mass of branches and sticks among the Cottonwood trees.


The best viewing time is during spring when the trees have few leaves.  Most years, eaglets hatch in late June or early July.  They often learn how to fly by going from tree top to tree top in the lower grounds.  Even if you don't see the eagles, their distinctive calls can be heard all over the site.

The Bald Eagle's nest is a must-see on your next trip to the museum!

Spotlight on Dolbeer Spool Donkey

The Dolbeer spool donkey was was built in 1894 and owned by Chemainus Lumber Co.  It was purchased from National Iron Works in San Francisco, California. Chemainus Lumber Co.used the steam donkey to replace bull teams in its Vancouver Island logging operations.  Steam donkeys yarded logs through the forest using a steam-powered winch and wire ropes, a system known as ground-lead logging.  Nicknamed "Old Log Getter," this machine is believed to be the first steam donkey in British Columbia that was designed for logging.

The .Dolbeer spool donkey was built in 1894 and owned by Chemainus Lumber Co.
The photo was taken in 1903 when the donkey was working approximately 12 miles away from Chemainus, BC

Dolbeer spool donkeys were designed by John Dolbeer in 1882 to haul the large weight of Redwood trees in California.  Dolbeer was an engineer and machinist before he became a lumberman and part owner of Dolbeer and Carson Lumber Co. in Eureka, California.

Gerry Wellburn with the Donkey Engine c. 1962. 

Gerry Wellburn, founder of the BC forest Discovery Centre, collected the Dolbeer steam donkey that was owned by Chemainus Lumber Co. and oversaw its restoration in 1961.  Robert Sanderson, machinist and founder of Duncan Iron Works, was involved in the restoration project.  Some of the replacement parts were manufactured by Fred L. Botsford in San Francisco and others were made locally.

The Dolbeer spool donkey's whistle was manufactured by Steam Gauge and Valve Mfg. Co.  in Boston, MA
This photo was taken in July 1983 when the donkey was on display
at the Chemainus Festival of Murals.

Whistles were used by the steam donkey crew to communicate with loggers that were off in the distance.  The appropriate sequence of whistles let the loggers know when the steam donkey was ready to start moving logs.  The whistle was operated by a whistle punk, usually the youngest or least experienced logger.

The "Old Log Getter" spool donkey (right) on display at
the BC Forest Discovery Centre in 2010.
The engine is not operational but its wooden sled was restored in 2004.

Spotlight on “Green Hornet” No. 26

The Green Hornet, No. 26,  is the gas locomotive that runs during the shoulder seasons.  The Green Hornet was purchased new by the British Columbia Electric Railway Company (now BC Hydro) and was used at the Jordan River hydroelectric power plant starting in the 1940s.  The power plant had 6 miles of narrow gauge railway used to construct, access and service the dam site and transmission lines from 1909-1970.

In November of 1970, the museum purchased the locomotive from the Nelson Machinery Company of North Vancouver, with funds donated by Timothy Eaton of Eatons Canada. No. 26  was acquired by the museum to be a good and reliable backup to the steam locomotives.  The Green Hornet serves as the railway’s work engine and alternate passenger train engine.

Technical Data:

    * Designation: 4-wheel, Model Tl2
    * Weight: 10 tons
    * Built: 1928, as c/n 2856
    * The original gasoline engine was replaced by a 4-cylinder Hercules diesel engine, which has in turn been   replaced by a Buick 340 cu in, V-8 gasoline engine

Gauge: narrow (36 inches)

Labour Day Event

It is hard to believe that autumn is almost here!  The leaves are starting to change color in the BCFDC forest and the fawns are losing their white spots.  The Labor Day Family Picnic is our last event of the summer and is a great way to relax with your family before the kids go back to school.  Enjoy the last steam train rides of the season, have a BBQ picnic, visit the exhibits, and walk the forest and marsh trails to see the seasonal changes that are happening.

The event also includes Member Appreciation Day for season's pass holders at the BCFDC.  Pass holders will receive a free hot dog and a pop upon presentation of their membership card.  We appreciate our membership support and look forward to saying thank you.

The museum will still be open on select days in September and October.  Please visit our website for the most up-to-date info on our shoulder season hours.

Enjoy the sunny weather!