Deaccession, June 2025
The Bytown Railway Society announces the donation of our 1907 Canadian Pacific Jordan Spreader No. 402818 to the historical collection of G. Tackaberry & Sons Construction Company Limited of Athens, Ontario.
We are grateful to G. Tackaberry & Sons for becoming the new caretakers of this remarkable piece of Canadian railway history. Their collection founded by George Tackaberry features hundreds of historic trucks, tractors, and pieces of heavy industrial equipment, all dedicated to preserving Canada’s rich industrial heritage.
We thank the entire Tackaberry team for their support during this process and commend the professionalism of their crews in ensuring a smooth transition.
This collaboration highlights our shared commitment to preserving the legacy of Canada's industrial and transportation past.
This marks the last piece of heavy equipment deaccession for the Society as part of our equipment and operational rationalization plan.
History
Jordan spreaders are used by railways for grading, ditching and ballast work along their rights-of-way and for clearing snow during the winter months.
The design was invented around 1900 by Oswald F. Jordan while he was road foreman on the Canada Southern Railway in Southern Ontario, a subsidiary of the New York Central Railway.
Former Canadian Pacific Railway Jordan Spreader, 402818, was built for the railway by the O.F. Jordan Company in 1907.
The Society acquired the spreader in 1967 as one of the first acquisitions for its work train theme. It was delivered to the Canada Science and Technology Museum where the Society has maintained it and recently had it completely restored.
Most of the spreader's above-deck structure is made of wood unlike modern versions which are of steel construction. 402818 is an important part of the Society's collection and is one of the few earlier examples of a Jordan Spreader in existence.