I wasn't yet alive to see 1201 operating up to wakefield, my parents both we're and saw it many times as children, as for me I still got to see live steam operating with #909, I saw it coincidentally the last time it ran before the track washed out in 2011. I've walked where the tracks used to be in disbelief that just years ago I was there watching trains go by with my parents and grand parents. The truth is that no one really seems to care about railway artifacts when they're rotting, that's because they're not "historic enough" yet... but as times goes on, people see the value in what's been saved yet don't apply these vales to what's at risk of becoming scrap. "Don't it always seem to go, you don't really know what you've got til it's gone" - Joni Mitchell
John Corby died in Ottawa November 14, at age 97. He was curator of industrial technology at the Canada Science and Technology Museum for its first 20 years, 1967-1987. R.I.P., John.
To anyone reading this in the future. On July 25, 2019, CPR 1201 and other valuable rail equipment were moved to a state of the art storage, restoration, and display hall northwest of the museum. Odds are if you are reading this you can probably come and see her in person. Sadly, I don’t believe 1201 will ever be back in operational status but at least she will be safe and sound.
Andrew Morrison 6400 is still outside in static display but the Bytown Railway Society recently gave her a display restoration with a new coat of paint, and bell and windows put back in place.
The Iron Rhino I mean U4a 6400, inside. U2g 6200 is the locomotive stored outdoors. I saw 6200 was somewhat restored. I think the Elasco Feedwater Heater was added back again as well. Too bad they didn’t put the metal jacket over the boiler. It would look so much better.
Andrew Morrison My apologies, I was trying to remember which one was outside. If that’s the case I’m glad to hear the museum is beginning to pay more attention to the exhibit.
I have a very lovely overhead shot of the 1201 with a great plume of whitte smoke, taken in the 1970s, from Prince of Wales Dr.; as she exits the tunnel under Dow's Lake, into a rock cut, that I wish I could put here. The iron today has become the Trillium O-Train Line 2, around Carlton University.
Is there a way I can find the video from regional contact ctv/cjoh ? I'm trying to get some clean recordings of cp1201 Looking for more pace videos too. Thanks!
It's not a railway museum. It's a museum of Science and Technology. Have you actually seen how much equipment they've got? I have! What's on display now is only a fraction of what they have. There is only so much room inside the main building. My point is, with the exception of 6200 on the front lawn, ALL of the equipment is out of the elements and will not rust.
I lived and grew up right beside the Museum. I spend many hours at the back shop talking to the handlers of 1201. I remember going up to Wakefield and when they ran the shorter trips to Hull and ran the y by EB and would head back to the Museum. Growing up I wanted to volunteer with the Bytown but by then 1201 was retired again or mothballed by the Museum. Good to see the she is getting the White sheet treatment. What happened to most of the passenger cars? There isn't anywhere to run 1201 now but if it could run again. What would it take to get her running again? Are we looking in the Hundreds of thousands or a few million? I would support a gofundme if the Museum let the Bytown restore her to running order. Would it pass the hydro test or would it have to be stripped and rebuilt from the boiler up like UP just did with UP 844? I'm hoping to be in Cheyenne WY next year when they hope to have 4014 up and running for Union Pacific's 2019 Golden Spike celebrations. I'm also really sad that there was no running steam engines for Canadian's 150th Birthday. Really disappointed in that but from want I have found online. Most of the famous Canadian steam engines are in need of boiler work. Ex CP 2860, Ex CP 2816 and CN 6060 all need some sort of boiler IE hydro testing and some sort of rebuild to get back out there. All need to be recert for operation. With less and less rails for these beauties to run on then less likely they will ever run again.
In many European countries, Britain, Germany and Switzerland to name but a few, preserved steam locomotives run excursions on the main line very frequently, in Britain almost every day. People pay top dollar, or rather pounds and euros to ride behind them in preserved passenger cars. Come on someone and do the same in Canada. CPR is missing out on a potentially very profitable sideline.
I wasn't yet alive to see 1201 operating up to wakefield, my parents both we're and saw it many times as children, as for me I still got to see live steam operating with #909, I saw it coincidentally the last time it ran before the track washed out in 2011. I've walked where the tracks used to be in disbelief that just years ago I was there watching trains go by with my parents and grand parents. The truth is that no one really seems to care about railway artifacts when they're rotting, that's because they're not "historic enough" yet... but as times goes on, people see the value in what's been saved yet don't apply these vales to what's at risk of becoming scrap. "Don't it always seem to go, you don't really know what you've got til it's gone" - Joni Mitchell
1201 Lives Again. Thanks to everyone who revived her in 2019.
Buit the engine is protected. She wil run again, maybe not in our life time but she will run again!
My favourite memory of 1201 is on the Wakefield excursion on the early 1980s. I was only 14.
John Corby died in Ottawa November 14, at age 97. He was curator of industrial technology at the Canada Science and Technology Museum for its first 20 years, 1967-1987. R.I.P., John.
Beautiful restoration of an icon!
This is a beautiful but sad documentary.
Awesome video! I’ve seen her sister engine CP 1293 several times. Gotta say, the G5’s are beautiful engines.
To anyone reading this in the future.
On July 25, 2019, CPR 1201 and other valuable rail equipment were moved to a state of the art storage, restoration, and display hall northwest of the museum. Odds are if you are reading this you can probably come and see her in person. Sadly, I don’t believe 1201 will ever be back in operational status but at least she will be safe and sound.
The Iron Rhino so 1201 is with the others such as 6400?
Andrew Morrison 6400 is still outside in static display but the Bytown Railway Society recently gave her a display restoration with a new coat of paint, and bell and windows put back in place.
The Iron Rhino I mean U4a 6400, inside. U2g 6200 is the locomotive stored outdoors. I saw 6200 was somewhat restored. I think the Elasco Feedwater Heater was added back again as well. Too bad they didn’t put the metal jacket over the boiler. It would look so much better.
Andrew Morrison My apologies, I was trying to remember which one was outside. If that’s the case I’m glad to hear the museum is beginning to pay more attention to the exhibit.
I have a very lovely overhead shot of the 1201 with a great plume of whitte smoke, taken in the 1970s, from Prince of Wales Dr.; as she exits the tunnel under Dow's Lake, into a rock cut, that I wish I could put here.
The iron today has become the Trillium O-Train Line 2, around Carlton University.
That's some serious speed at the beginning. I miss the era when the owners of these high-drivered locomotives really let them move.
I wish I got to see 1201 😔
I wonder if she will ever run again..
Probably not. The present Museum management is more interested in using computer simulations and the track into the museum is being abandoned.
Is there a way I can find the video from regional contact ctv/cjoh ?
I'm trying to get some clean recordings of cp1201
Looking for more pace videos too.
Thanks!
They need to do something with the collection before it all turns to rust.
It's all in doors.
Then they can put it on display. Only part of the museum's collection is visible.
It's not a railway museum. It's a museum of Science and Technology. Have you actually seen how much equipment they've got? I have! What's on display now is only a fraction of what they have. There is only so much room inside the main building. My point is, with the exception of 6200 on the front lawn, ALL of the equipment is out of the elements and will not rust.
And the dear faces that made it run, especially Duncan DuFresne.
You're right, my only regret is that we didn't do this when Dunc was still around.
I lived and grew up right beside the Museum. I spend many hours at the back shop talking to the handlers of 1201. I remember going up to Wakefield and when they ran the shorter trips to Hull and ran the y by EB and would head back to the Museum. Growing up I wanted to volunteer with the Bytown but by then 1201 was retired again or mothballed by the Museum. Good to see the she is getting the White sheet treatment. What happened to most of the passenger cars?
There isn't anywhere to run 1201 now but if it could run again. What would it take to get her running again? Are we looking in the Hundreds of thousands or a few million? I would support a gofundme if the Museum let the Bytown restore her to running order. Would it pass the hydro test or would it have to be stripped and rebuilt from the boiler up like UP just did with UP 844? I'm hoping to be in Cheyenne WY next year when they hope to have 4014 up and running for Union Pacific's 2019 Golden Spike celebrations.
I'm also really sad that there was no running steam engines for Canadian's 150th Birthday. Really disappointed in that but from want I have found online. Most of the famous Canadian steam engines are in need of boiler work. Ex CP 2860, Ex CP 2816 and CN 6060 all need some sort of boiler IE hydro testing and some sort of rebuild to get back out there. All need to be recert for operation.
With less and less rails for these beauties to run on then less likely they will ever run again.
Well said, and a tragedy really!
Dietowildtimes there was one steam engine on Canada day in Waterloo Ontario it’s called Essex Terminal Railway 9
In many European countries, Britain, Germany and Switzerland to name but a few, preserved steam locomotives run excursions on the main line very frequently, in Britain almost every day. People pay top dollar, or rather pounds and euros to ride behind them in preserved passenger cars. Come on someone and do the same in Canada. CPR is missing out on a potentially very profitable sideline.