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Update on the retired trolleys sailing to South America

Update on the retired trolleys sailing to South America

Trolleys being loaded into the cargo hold of the vessel Wisdom. Photo courtesy CTL Westrans Shipbrokers.
Trolleys being loaded into the cargo hold of the vessel Wisdom. Photo courtesy CTL Westrans Shipbrokers.

I’ve received some more info and a few more photos of our retired trolleys being shipped to their new home in Mendoza, Argentina, so here’s an update to my earlier post on the trolleys setting sail.

CTL Westrans Shipbrokers, the shipping company sending the trolleys on their way, told us that the motor vessel Wisdom completed loading and lashing operations for all 80 trolleys on Tuesday Nov. 4, and sailed from Fraser Surrey Docks at 1600 hrs (4 p.m.).

The buses will then be offloaded in San Antonio, Chile, and their estimated arrival date in Chile is Thursday Nov. 27, if all goes well and the weather is good.

CTL also sent along some pictures of the trolleys in the cargo hold, and you can see one of them above. For safety reasons, the TransLink staff and photographers weren’t allowed to go up on the ship, so these are probably the only views of the trolleys inside the ship that you’ll probably see!

Here’s a few more photos from CTL Westrans…

The trolleys on the deck of the Wisdom. Photo courtesy CTL Westrans Shipbrokers.
The trolleys on the deck of the Wisdom. Photo courtesy CTL Westrans Shipbrokers.

The Wisdom sets sail for South America with our trolleys on board. Photo courtesy CTL Westrans Shipbrokers.
The Wisdom sets sail for South America with our trolleys on board. Photo courtesy CTL Westrans Shipbrokers.

I also got an email yesterday from transit enthusiast Terry Muirhead, who worked out when the ship was going to depart and raced out to take some photos of them on their way. He was at the Deas Island Regional Park on the Delta side, and caught these pictures of the ship passing under the Alex Fraser Bridge. Terry thinks he might well have been one of the last people to see the trolleys before they passed out of our region!

Here’s the photos from Terry: larger versions are available if you click the pictures themselves. I wrote the caption for the first one, but Terry wrote the captions for the rest.

The Wisdom passes under the Alex Fraser bridge with our trolleys visible on deck. Photo from Terry Muirhead.
The Wisdom passes under the Alex Fraser bridge with our trolleys visible on deck. Photo from Terry Muirhead.

Taken after the vessel Wisdom just passes under the Alex Fraser Bridge in Delta. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
Taken after the vessel Wisdom just passes under the Alex Fraser Bridge in Delta. Photo by Terry Muirhead.

The Wisdom heads downstream on the Fraser River just after passing under the Alex Fraser Bridge. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
The Wisdom heads downstream on the Fraser River just after passing under the Alex Fraser Bridge. Photo by Terry Muirhead.

The sun is starting to fade on the Wisdom, and this is day one of 24 days in the Voyage of our Flyer E901s enroute to San Antonio Chile, before heading to Mendoza, Argentina. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
The sun is starting to fade on the Wisdom, and this is day one of 24 days in the Voyage of our Flyer E901s enroute to San Antonio Chile, before heading to Mendoza, Argentina. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
Unfortunately the ship got too close on me while I was trying to use my telephoto lens, so I only got half the ship on this one. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
Unfortunately the ship got too close on me while I was trying to use my telephoto lens, so I only got half the ship on this one. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
Downstream a few miles from the Alex Fraser Bridge on a dark and gloomy dinner hour, the E901s are leaving Vancouver and saying goodbye for the very last time. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
Downstream a few miles from the Alex Fraser Bridge on a dark and gloomy dinner hour, the E901s are leaving Vancouver and saying goodbye for the very last time. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
The Wisdom and her load of trolleys sail under a dark cloud approaching the Massey Tunnel. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
The Wisdom and her load of trolleys sail under a dark cloud approaching the Massey Tunnel. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
Second to last shot before saying goodbye to the E901s forever. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
Second to last shot before saying goodbye to the E901s forever. Photo by Terry Muirhead.
This is where I say farewell with the final photo of the E901s as they continue their voyage to Chile. Farewell trolleys, have a safe voyage to your new home! Photo by Terry Muirhead.
This is where I say farewell with the final photo of the E901s as they continue their voyage to Chile. Farewell trolleys, have a safe voyage to your new home! Photo by Terry Muirhead.

Thanks to both CTL Westrans Shipbrokers and Terry Muirhead for contributing their photos and info!

And again, to see the earlier post with video and more photos of the trolleys setting sail, click here.

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