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Two boys in the door of a box car.
Photo by John Futhey

John Futhey's photographs of Chapleau and the railway steam era

The photos were made available by John Futhey's daughter Mary-Lou and by his son David. Ian Macdonald contributed the technical and Historical information about the steam engines. We also thank Armand Ruffo for his efforts to identify many previously unknown persons.

Many of the photos still have no accompanying text because we have not enough information about them. Please help us identify the people and places depicted here. If you have the needed information, please e-mail it to [email protected]

John Futhey had the foresight to record what others considered commonplace and unnoteworthy.

John Futhey started to work for the CPR full time in August of 1941. But he already worked there in the summers during the 1930s, between semesters, while earning a B.A. in English at the University of Toronto.



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CPR, 1930s & 40s Chapleau, 1930s Nicholson, 1930s

. Mainly railway subjects from the 1930s and 1940s.
1 Engine in the Chapleau yard.
2 Meeting a train. Where?
3 Going west.
4 Waiting to meet a train. Where?
5 Geoge Ritchie
6 Waiting for a meet at Pogamasing.
Who is the crew man? Bill Marchant pointed out that this is probably the same train as in picture No. 7.
7 At Pogamasing
8 At Franz.
9 At Amyot.
10 Two boys and a dog in 1936. Who are they and where?
11 Bobbie Burns
12 Section gang.
13 Work gang.
14 On the work train.
15 Four men.
16 Unloading ties.
17 Who is this?
18 At Grasett.
19 Who is this?
20 November 1936. The view from the engine.
21 November 1936. Waiting in a siding.
22 November 1936. An engine in the Chapleau yard.
23 November 1936. Who is this?
24 Wheels about 1936.
25 More wheels about 1936.
. Chapleau and Chapleau people in the 1930s
26 Winter carnival. What year? 1936?
27 King of carnival McGregor crowning the queen. 1936?
28 View from the top of the ski slide on Slaughter House Hill (behind the present separate school).
29 Looking down from the toboggan slide towards the Indian Bridge. Year unknown. Perhaps 1936?
30 Looking towards the Front River from the top of the toboggan slide.
31 The ski slide on Slaughter House Hill.
32 The ski slide. The track pointed west.
33 Here is a good view of the toboggan slide.
34 Another view of the toboggan slide, showing a bit of the construction method.
35 A group of Chapleau men. Who are they and what was the occasion?
36 Looking at Chapleau from the south to the north.
. Nicholson in the 1930s.
37 The mill at Nicholson.
38 The mill town of Nicholson.
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