Longest surviving ONR Locomotive #219 on the move!

Click on the image for a closer look!


The Ontario Northland Railway—originally the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway (TN&O)—was incorporated in 1902 and completed in stages ending in 1932. It is owned by the people of Ontario and helped to open the resource-rich northern part of the province to development. The people who manage and run it have done a terrific job over the years. One of their retired steam engines is now on the move to the NorthernOntario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre in Capreol, near Sudbury, for restoration


Here is an excerpt from an article in the Cochrane Times Post:

“The museum originally purchased the locomotive from ONR during the summer of 2012 with the intention of transporting it to Capreol and putting it on display in Prescott Park,” explained Cody Cacciotti, Operations Manager at The Centre. “The Centre purchased the locomotive for $5001 back in the summer of 2012 after collecting pledges from businesses and individuals all across northern Ontario who wanted to ensure that the piece was preserved and that it did not meet the fate of a cutting torch. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers, the museum was also able to recover the engine's bell, headlamp and smoke stack which had previously been removed.

The locomotive was originally built for the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway (T&NO) in 1907 and numbered #119. It was re-numbered #219 in 1935 before it was eventually sold off to Normetal in 1938. ONR repurchased the engine in 1975, and it is rumoured, the idea was to use it as an excursion train. Today, #219 is the oldest surviving T&NO locomotive and an integral part of northern Ontario's rail history."

The picture above was taken by Mike Robin who lives in Northern Ontario and has extensively photographed the Ontario Northland.  He has created the Ontario Northland Gallery on the Internet which captures his wonderful images.  Click here to visit the gallery.

Posting by Russ Milland; Photo by Mike Robin