Stories from Tri-City News headlines of decades past is a recurring feature as the publication marks its 40th anniversary in 2024.
Racing hand-operated rail cars was once the centrepiece of Port Moody’s annual Golden Spike Days festival.
Teams of burly competitors furiously pumped the lever in the middle of a small flatbed rail car in a drag race along the CP Rail spur line behind city hall and the recreation complex.
In September 1995, four teams headed to Boulder City, Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas, to compete against other top teams from across Canada and the United States, where the sport was becoming increasingly popular.
The event wasn’t just an opportunity to win an international competition, it was also a recruiting drive to attract more competitors to Port Moody’s annual races, said Ray McCurrach, the vice-president of the World Championship Handcar Races of Port Moody, which had been struggling to get teams.
Since the Golden Spike event, the 14 racers headed to Nevada had been raising funds for their trip through raffles and draws.
But, McCurrach said, they weren’t quite sure what to expect when they got there, as temperatures could approach 40°C.
The Tri-City News has covered civic affairs, local crime, festivals, events, personalities, sports and arts in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody since 1983. Bound back issues of the paper are available at the Coquitlam Archives, while digital versions of several past years can be found at issuu.com.
