Unlike other outdoor display locomotives that have been allowed to deteriorate in the elements, Canadian National’s 4-8-4 Northern #6213 has been lovingly maintained by a small group of dedicated volunteer preservationists who form the Toronto Locomotive Preservation Society (TLPS). TLPS is one of many groups affiliated with the Toronto Railway Historical Association. No. 6213 is the only steam locomotive owned by the City of Toronto. The locomotive was moved from its resting place at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds, some two kilometres west of the John St. roundhouse, to Roundhouse Park where it is one of our featured display items.

History

CN 6213 was built in August 1942 by the Montreal Locomotive Works. It was part of an order of 35 identical locomotives built for the Canadian National Railways during World War II. It is a U-2 class Northern-type steam locomotive with a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement and was used to haul both passenger and freight trains well over a million miles during its 17-year career based in locations that ranged from Halifax on the east coast to the prairies of Saskatchewan. However, it was photographed in the Greater Toronto Area numerous times during its operating career.

No. 6213 was retired from active duty in 1959 and sat on the scrap line for several months, during which it was cannibalized for parts. Members of the Upper Canada Railway Society (UCRS), a local organization of train enthusiasts and historians formed in 1941, approached the City of Toronto about having a steam locomotive preserved and donated to the city. The end of steam was nigh during this period, and the forward-thinking members of the UCRS knew the value in preserving an example of these machines for future generations. The city obliged and members Jim Brown, Robert Sandusky, and John Freyseng, along with other prominent figures of Toronto’s railfan scene, travelled to Canadian National’s Spadina Roundhouse on February 27th, 1960 to select a steam engine for preservation. Out of all the others sitting in the scrap line, 6213 was chosen to be preserved as it was typical of the last steam locomotives used in regular passenger service in the Toronto area. After having its missing parts replaced by CN, the locomotive was presented to the City of Toronto and moved to the Exhibition Grounds by laying temporary track from the railway corridor to its location adjacent to the old Stanley Barracks.

After sitting on display at the CNE grounds for almost 50 years, 6213 was finally moved to Roundhouse Park in 2008.