John Swatsley (American, B. 1937) "The Dorchester Locomotive" Signed lower left. Original Oil painting on Illustration Board painting. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the Canada 32c Dorchester stamp issued March 10, 1983. The rugged Canadian Rockies ... and the vast, unexplored wilderness blanketed with thick forests and deep ravines ... were once cut only by wild tumbling rivers and an occasional town. Traveling across the untamed Canadian wilderness on horseback or on foot was a difficult ... and often dangerous journey. Many towns were isolated, and trade and communications were poor. However, in 1836, the beginning of a new era was born when a small stretch of track was carved into the land between Montreal and the Richelieu River -- saving ninety miles of river travel. The first railway in Canada -- the Champlain and St. Lawrence -- opened for business on July 21, 1836. Traveling along the stretch of tracks was the first steam locomotive in Canada ... the Dorchester ... built in England by Robert Stephanson & Company. Nicknamed the "Kitten," this magnificent steam engine was equipped with a long, thin smoke stack and an open cab where the engineers fed chopped wood into the glowing furnace. Several years later, the Dorchester was sold to the St. Lawrence & Industrie Railroad where she remained in service until 1864. A derailment and fiery boiler explosion caused irreparable damage, and Canada's first steam locomotive was destroyed. All that is left today of the famous Dorchester is her brass nameplate which was found by a farmer while plowing his field. He gave it to the College Museum of Joliette, Quebec, where it is now preserved and on display. Image Size: 14 x 12 in. Overall Size: 20 x 18 in. Unframed. (B08330)