Taking Old 419 Off Ottawa-Wal 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. |