TRANSCRIPTIONS BY BRUCE CHAPMAN AND COLIN CHURCHER
OF ARTICLES
BY AUSTIN CROSS IN THE OTTAWA CITIZEN




Taking Old 419 Off Ottawa-Waltham Run, Published  16 June 1955

This article had a picture of the D4g 419 about to back on to its train at old Ottawa Union.
 
     ‘Eyes take your last look at old No. 419 on the Pontiac run.  Because when the Canadian Pacific takes this old-time ten-wheeler off the Ottawa-Waltham run, we shall not see her like again.
     ‘Smallest of all engines “running passenger” around Ottawa, No. 418, out-shopped more than 40 years ago, is just about panting her last.  Once away from Ottawa, she’ll be boiled down like an old horse. 
     ‘No. 419 came out in the halcyon days of 1913, when steam was monarch everywhere and they wanted a fast light passenger engine. In the classing mode of Casey Jones’ own locomotive, the 419 is a ten-wheel type with wheels thus: oo-000.
     ‘No. 419 has seen a lot of living in her time, but now she has, by the gentle but relentless dictates of time, gravitated to the Pontiac.  This is the absolute zero of passenger service out of Ottawa.  No engine can hold up her headlight and run on the Pontiac.
                  ‘Much worse
     ‘Worse, much worse, the Pontiac run has now been demoted to a mixed train.  Up ahead, one may well see one or more freight cars as the afternoon train clears from Ottawa yards.
     ‘The Pontiac has degenerated to M543.  “M” is for mixed.  The also has been running on a five-day-a-week schedule lately.  M543 accordingly leaves the Union Station at 2:55 p.m. standard and arrives at Waltham 79.8 miles away, at 6:20 p.m.  Returning, she starts from Waltham at 6:30 a.m. E.S.T., and reaches Ottawa Union at 9:45.
     ‘On Saturdays. she’s out at 1:30 p.m. to give the folks up the valley a chance to shop and still get home for supper.
     ‘Not only is this magnificent old ten-wheeler the same type as Casey Jones wheeled into eternity, it is the classic North American engine.  It is the prototype which made North America what it is.  Engines like it opened up the Canadian Pacific to Vancouver.  Others of the same ilk ran 120 miles an hour on the Plant Line, Florida-bound, back in 1902, Death Valley Scotty roared across the continent behind a ten-wheeler.      
     ‘So, next time you view old 419, say with Othello: “Eyes, take your last look.
     ‘And if you really love her, add, also with Othello: “Arms, take your last embrace.

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Updated 11 May 2019