Railway Keeps Her Around Because Of Her Size (CP 2-6-0 3011), Published 14 July 1954 The story has a picture of 3011 sitting at Angus, and is from 1954. ‘Take a last look at old Canadian Pacific No.
3011. She is the great, great grandmother of all steam locomotives on the
Canadian Pacific. Her longevity was inspired by the fact that old 3011 was
the only steam locomotive that could go through the Brockville tunnel. The
3011 is 66 years old.
‘When 3011 was “outshopped”, Queen Victoria was on
the throne and still had 13 years to reign. President Cleveland was in his
first term of office (that’s 12 presidents ago) Prime Minister Sir John A.
Macdonald was alive with three years of power still ahead of him.
‘No. 3011 is a Mogul, a type of engine which has
joined the mastodon and dodo into extinction.
‘Old 3011 began life as the biggest of her class
when she came out of Montreal’s Angus Shops back in 1888. It was the 88th
mogul to be built. Known as a 2-6-0, the wheel arrangement is thus:
o-000.
‘It was the last of its kind, and the diameter of
its driving wheels is 58 inches.
‘At one time, it handled all the fancy high-class
freight trains and was even capable of taking a turn on the passenger
runs. But the times got out of joint, and for the last ten years and more,
it has been a fixture in and around Brockville.
‘Passengers taking the train to Toronto have
often seen this old-fashioned engine switching in the Brockville yards.
The story was that the engine was the only one that could go through the old CPR
tunnel there. This, however, is no longer a valid reason for keeping the
3011, because a diesel can be found that will penetrate Brockville’s ancient
ancient bore.
‘No. 3011 did not begin her life exactly as she looks
now. Like more than one venerable lady, she had had her face lifted.
After all, she came out during an epoch when wood burners were still common,
cabbage stacks stylish, and variable gauge a whim of the day. Thus the
3011 you see today does not look like No. 3011 of 1888.
‘Through it all, 66-year-old No. 3011 has
survived. Today, the old mogul is vacationing in Montreal. |