For the last few weeks, Bob Merriam and a team of volunteers have been busy preparing #6917 for painting. In case you haven’t yet heard, #6917 is an LRC locomotive acquired and owned by the Toronto Railway Historical Association. The LRC is a uniquely Canadian locomotive and ours is only one of two left in existence.

Mechanic Chris Fox, electrician John Carey, and several other helpful volunteers resurrected #6917 from the dead line and got it fully operational, including providing Head End Power to actual LRC coaches while doing a test run in July (see photos below).

At some point in the next few weeks, #6917 will move from its current location to a local shortline railroad. Its paintwork was very faded and the body was corroded in numerous locations. Bob and his team have been sanding, filling and patching extensively to prepare #6917 for its new coat of paint.

The cost of the paint job is $10,000. Since my call for donations a couple of months ago, we have only raised $3,000. That is not that impressive when you consider that my Rapido Trains company donated two thirds of that!

When we sent out a call for help to save #6917 back in 2010, the TRHA was flooded with donations and we were able to save this important piece of North American railroad history.

We are now asking again for your help so that we can get #6917 painted back into the beautiful grey, blue and yellow it wore for its entire service life.

Please click here to go to the TRHA LRC web site and make a donation. We have a donor who will match the next $2,000 that is donated by our supporters.

Please note that donations above $25 are tax receiptable to Canadian residents.

Posting by Jason Shron

Click on each image for a closer look!