Early CNR Alco Switcher Story

My father-in-law began his railroad career on the CNR in the roundhouse wiping down steam engines as a teenager prior to the second world war. He remembers when the first Alco switcher was assigned to London. Diesels were new to the shop staff who had worked their whole life on steam engines and there was not a lot of company direction with regards to upkeep. His regular chores when this new engine arrived included washing it down on a regular basis and putting a good coat of wax on the car body. This chore did not last long as the shop came to terms with the grit and grime these engines would accumulate....my father-in-law put in over 40 years before retiring as Master Mechanic in the 1980's...George Dutka