The year is 1951,  The City of Trail BC is celebrating its 50th anniversary,  it's Golden Jubilee.   You are joining in on the celebration as you wait for the Silver City Jubilee parade to come down 2nd Ave.  Looking down the street toward Gyro Park,  the beginning of the parade comes into view.  The parade is lead by a man and women on horse back dressed in the attire of a cattle rancher.  Following them is a brand new 1951 Mercury Convertible laden with the beautiful Ms. Trail 1951 and four other young women adorned in their long gowns.  A long procession persists as you watch everything from a float representing Trail's Chinese community, to a river boat pass with much fanfare.  That's when you see it.  A small black train with the numbers 1901 printed on the side, towing a passenger car bearing the numbers 1906.  The name on the trains tender,  glistening in fresh gold paint, reads Trale Krik Speshul.   This may be the first time you have seen this vehicle, but it certainly wont be the last. 

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     The Trale Krik Speshul would show up everywhere from Vancouver to the Calgary.  Based on the chassis of a 1928 Ford Model A ,  H. Crockett from Genelle BC, modified it entirely by hand to resemble the steam engine we see today.  Unlike most parade floats which only see the light of day once, or perhaps once a year, the Trale Krik Speshul was driven all over the province. It was a true road tripping machine attending the PNE in Vancouver, Colville, Kelowna, Kaslo and three times at the Calgary Stampede.  Everywhere it traveled. it returned with trophies and ribbons. It had true pedigree

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     The last time crowds were able to look upon the Trale Krik Speshul was in the 1995 Trail Silver City Days parade.  Following that event, the train was reluctantly retired, temporarily seeing the road for the last time in 2001.  It wouldn't be until 2020 when the West Kootenay Smoke 'n Steel Car Club resurrected it from its dilapidating wood shelter.  After carefully removing the Trale Krik Speshul from its would be tomb, it and its trailer were relocated to a safe location where they both now await restoration by the West Kootenay Smoke'n Steel Car Club.   

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