The End of an Era

The End of an Era. The Last Run of the 701. , The Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway (T&NO) was central to the settlement and economic growth of northeastern Ontario. Steam locomotives hauled passenger coaches filled with settlers and rail cars loaded with minerals, forest products and freight. , The 701 locomotive was built in Kingston, Ontario in 1921 for the T&NO. It was 21.336 meters (70 feet) in length and weighed 125 tons. The tender located immediately behind the cab weighed 77 tons when it was fully loaded with soft coal and 6500 gallons of water. (Detailed specifications found on adjacent information panel.) The locomotive was originally numbered 158, changed to 758 in 1935, and later to 701 in 1940. Modern streamlining features were added including smoke deflectors which railroaders called “elephant ears.” , Diesel locomotive engines first appeared in North America in 1925, which offered greater flexibility and better performance than their steam driven counterparts. As well, there was substantially lower operating and maintenance costs with the diesel. No one realized how quickly the diesel would replace the steam engine. Little more than 30 years after its introduction, steam power was largely replaced as the mode of force for rail traffic. The 701 became a victim of Progress as the last steam locomotive used on the Ontario Northland Railway (ONR). , To celebrate the transition from steam to diesel, a decision was made to have the last run of the 701 occur over two days , between June 24 and 25, 1957. On its last run, the 701 carried prominent Ontario Northland and Ontario government officials, guests and members of the press. In honoring retirement of the iconic 701, it left Timmins on its last run on June 24, 1957 at 8:15 AM stopping at all stations along the line until reaching Rouyn-Noranda. On June 25, the last run continued from Noranda Quebec, with stops at all stations until reaching North Bay. Large crowds witnessed the event at each stopping point. , The ONR decided to have the 701 rest permanently in Englehart, the railways central divisional point. The 701 has been restored , including a profile canopy , by a small number of dedicated volunteers “The 701 Restoration Group.” The project took over ten years at a cost of $200,000; as a lasting remembrance to Englehart's railway heritage. The project could not have been accomplished without the outstanding financial and in kind support of the people of Englehart, the surrounding communities and donors across Canada. , [other photo captions] , . Ontario Northland Railway route. , . T.&N.O. #158 brand new in Kinston, Ontario which was later re-numbered to 701 in 1940. , All photos provided courtesy of the North Bay Museum. , Sign donated by the Schubert, Fraleigh and Dorward families..