Preparations are beginning at John Galt Park this week for the mid-November moving of the historic steam locomotive from its current location on Farquhar Street.
Locomotive 6167 was built in 1940 and used for years by Canadian National Railways for passenger and freight service. It was based in the New Brunswick area during the Second World War, moving supplies and troops to the eastern ports.
In 1967 CNR gifted the locomotive to the City of Guelph in honour of Canada’s centennial.
Although the locomotive didn’t initially have a close connection to Guelph, it has since become an important part of the city, said Danna Evans, general manager of Culture and Recreation with the City of Guelph.
“It had a big restoration project a number of years ago and then was added to the museum’s story of Guelph,” said Evans.
On Wednesday preparation work began in John Galt Park to create a concrete plinth for the locomotive to eventually be placed on.
That prep work has necessitated the moving of John McEwen’s TIME LINE/WATER LINE sculpture that stands between the Guelph Junction Railway tracks and Woolwich Street.
Evans said the sculpture, which also includes a time capsule, will be moved to another part of the park.
“We value the public art and want to keep it as close as possible to the river, as originally intended,” said Evans. “It’s just going to be moving around a little bit, we won’t be destroying these things.”
A flower bed and gardens at the location are also being temporarily removed and will be restored after the locomotive is installed.
Currently the locomotive is located between the Metrolinx rail line and Farquhar Street, not far from Guelph Central Station, where it has stood since 2014.
Evans said the new location will offer much better visibility for the locomotive.
“You can come by and have a photo with the train and see a show at the River Run Centre,” said Evans. “After the pandemic is over, of course.”
In its new location the locomotive will become a landmark and will add an extra experience to the downtown, said Evans.
“It’s on a major roadway, so it’s going to become part of people’s routes,” said Evans. “I think it’s going to be great.”
The actual moving day for 6167 will be on Nov. 14, when Puslinch-based Mammoet will lift the 490,000 pound locomotive to the park.
Metrolinx informed Guelph in December of 2018 that the locomotive would need to be removed from its property within two years and last year Guelph City Council approved $650,000 for the move.
During the Second World War, 6167 was involved in a deadly head-on collision with Locomotive 6166, killing three people. Because of a wartime shortage, 6167 was repaired and continued operation until CNR replaced its steam engines with diesel in 1960.
For the next four years, 6167 was used as a tourist train, carrying about 40,000 passengers a year on pleasure trips throughout Ontario and became known as ‘Canada’s most photographed locomotive.’
