About Steam Locomotive No. 9
No. 9 was built for the Essex Terminal Railway by Montreal Locomotive Works in 1923. It was restored to operating condition in 1997 after many years of work under the guidance and leadership of Don Broadbear at the former Michigan Central R.R. shop in St. Thomas, Ont. The locomotive was relocated to St. Jacobs in 2007, where it is maintained in operating condition and used in regular excursion service.
Serial Number: 64276
Builder: Montreal Locomotive Works
Date Built: February 1923
Lineage: Essex Terminal Railway 9 / Ontario Science Centre / Ontario Rail / Southern Ontario Locomotive Restoration Society / St. Thomas Central 9 / Waterloo Central Railway 9
- Delivered to Essex Terminal Railway, February 1923
- Retired 1963 and donated to Ontario Government for display in proposed Ontario Science Centre
- To Ontario Rail Association after Science Centre cancelled planned rail exhibits and dissolved rail collection
- Leased by ORA to Southern Ontario Locomotive Restoration Society in April 1986
- Locomotive relocated in July 1986 from storage to Nanticoke, Ont., forintended restoration to operating condition
- Locomotive relocated in December 1993 from storage in Nanticoke, Ont., to former Michigan Central R.R. shop in St. Thomas, Ont., for restoration to operating condition
- Rebuild to operating condition completed October 1997, used on excursions on former Canada Southern and short trips in yard
- Ownership transferred to SOLRS in October 2001
- SOLRS relocated in 2007 from St. Thomas to St. Jacobs, Ont., and operations on former CN Waterloo Spur between Waterloo and Elmira
- Locomotive currently undergoing 10-year recertification and reconditioning at St. Jacobs
