We discovered this CP Rail Jordan Ballast Spreader #402819 stored along with some other old rail equipment in Ladysmith, BC. A spreader is a multi-purpose piece of equipment that is used year round. It is used for spreading ballast along the side of the track, clearing track-side brush, and increasing drainage for a better roadbed. In the winter the spreader is used to plow snow from the right-of-way. The locomotive pushes the spreader and provides the compressed air supply to run it. In the early days, ballast was distributed by shoveling the ballast onto flat cars, then shoveling it off again at the work site. In about 1911 Jordan opened a factory in Chicago and began producing ballast spreaders and continued to do so until 1964. For more information Google: jordan ballast spreader steam

To see more images of this months Iron & Steel Challenge click here: Iron & Steel - June 2009