Old Time Trains

Waterloo Central

A new location for the historic steam tourist trains of SOLRS was needed when the pending abandonment of the former CASO main line through St.Thomas would isolate the ECRM where SOLRS was located trapping their equipment.

An ideal location, albeit with lesser railway history but one with a far greater tourism attendance (800,000 plus annual attendance) centered on St.Jacobs known for its area farmers market and antique mall. The area is also known for its Mennonite and Amish populations dating from the late 18th century with portions of the population still adhering to beliefs
that include horses and buggys just like the Amish of Lancaster County surrounding Strasburg, Pennsylvania. A CNR branchline (Waterloo Subdivision) ran 12 miles between Kitchener, Waterloo, St.Jacobs and Elmira ending there.

SOLRS began operating train trips out of the former Waterloo-St.Jacobs replica station in Waterloo to St.Jacobs Farmers Market using diesel power. Grand Opening was held July 21, 2007. Operations quickly ramped up in 2008 and beyond. Failure of the short-lived (July 12, 1997 - 2000) Waterloo-St.Jacobs diesel-powered tourist train cleared the way for
SOLRS to relocate there and to acquire some of their rolling stock.

Flyers, brochures etc.

Gallery of Walter Pfefferle

Moving right along!

6593 had been used to pull above train northward now returning "light engine".

1556 nicely painted in old CNR colour scheme with a number unused by CNR.
Acquired 8/2008 transferred from STCR No.10 ex LASCO 1 nee PGE 556 GE 30440 2/1950

Note: This unit relocated 2018 by its private owner to OSR Salford shop for maintenance/storage.
Relocated to BWXT in Galt (Cambridge) for lease protection of another 70-tonner.

6593 enroute to Waterloo from National Research Council, Uplands.
Ex CP 6593 660 HP S-3 99-tons MLW 82179 8/1957

A pair of mighty big cranes! Unloading 6593 in Kitchener.

WCR 15000 converted to coach 64 seats.

WCR 15000 beautifully repainted in full CNR paint scheme. St.Jacobs September 3, 2008

Built 1923 CC&F as CN 1570 Jellicoe 12 section, 1 drawing room sleeper.
Modified CN 1819 Jellicoe 8 section, 2 drawing room, 1 compartment sleeper.
Modified CN 15000 Track Geometry Car (inc. bay windows).
Sold Waterloo-St.Jacobs Ry. 15000 business car.
Sold SOLRS St.Thomas Central 15000 business car.
Relocated by SOLRS to Waterloo Central, later modified as 15000 coach.

1556 switching train with caboose 482 (ex CN 79482 acq. 10/2007) modified with passenger seating
on tailend and coach 1437 next to it. Two more coaches 3216, 5504 are out of view.

Here is the train marshalled with engine backing up now proceeding northbound past Waterloo Park.

VIA (ex CN) coaches 3216 (snack bar) acq. 9/2001; also 5504, 5622 acq. 7/2002. .

Interior view of either 3216 or 5504. Note: 5622 never put into service.

CP Midway 1437 acq. 4/2000 by SOLRS. (ex NMS&T Midway, nee CP 1437) CC&F/CPR 12/1923

Note: This was the first passenger car acquired by SOLRS. It had operated for several years on CP 1201
steam excursions out of "Science and Tech" in Ottawa before these were shut down and the collection disbursed.

Coach 1437 interior.

WCRX 1042 (ex ETR 1600, nee CP 434638) NSC/CPR 1975

Note: Roster also includes:
WCRX 1040, ex ETR 1610, nee CP 434530.
WCR 61 ex PSTR 61 nee THB 61.

Work equipment

57636 work service car nee CNR 8759 baggage car. This car was used at both Nanticoke and St.Thomas as a tool car.

37 (ex STCR 37 acq. 2002, ex OS 37, nee CSTX 37) Canada Starch. Built: Procor 1968
Note: Used as extra water car for steam engine.

Burro Crane BC-2 acq. 1987 (ex CN 50485 ex CR, ex PC nee NYC 3055).
Burro model 40 30205 1946 Used to load coal with a bucket.

BC2 with boom raised. Relocated 2018 by private owner to ECRM St.Thomas.

STCR 361 (ex PSTR 361, ex CN 53179, nee CN 56728.) Air dump. NSC 3/1958

Note: Identical air dump 362 also on roster.

THB 3709, 3722 (ex PSTR 301, 202) 40 foot box cars NSC 5/1953.

L-TEC 18 acq. 3/2009 (ex ESAB Welding, ex L-TEC, nee Electro-Metallurgical 8, Niagara Falls, NY.)
95-tonner 660 HP GE 32518 8/1856. Note double reduction gearing restricted speed to about 17 mph!
It had not been used for several years and had latterly been stored outdoors without covering the stack.
It was a-pig-in-a-poke for sure! Eventually in 2015 it was decided to simply scrap it.

Grand opening of the brand new 5700 sq.ft. 62' x 95' shop in St.Jacobs. April 7, 2011

SOLRS 124 acq. 7/2002. CLC #1867 3/1930. Inside shop during grand opening.
(Ex M.J.Poupore Lumber, Skead, Ont. ex Falconbridge Nickel 103, ex Beauharnois Light, Heat and Power 124,
nee Beauharnois Construction Company 124). Note: It is being restored to operation.

Note: 2020 sold to private owner in USA restoration never having been completed.

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Old Time Trains © 2018 2021

Waterloo Central

A new location for the historic steam tourist trains of SOLRS was needed when the pending abandonment of the former CASO main line through St.Thomas would isolate the ECRM where SOLRS was located trapping their equipment.

An ideal location, albeit with lesser railway history but one with a far greater tourism attendance (800,000 plus annual attendance) centered on St.Jacobs known for its area farmers market and antique mall. The area is also known for its Mennonite and Amish populations dating from the late 18th century with portions of the population still adhering to beliefs
that include horses and buggys just like the Amish of Lancaster County surrounding Strasburg, Pennsylvania. A CNR branchline (Waterloo Subdivision) ran 12 miles between Kitchener, Waterloo, St.Jacobs and Elmira ending there.

SOLRS began operating train trips out of the former Waterloo-St.Jacobs replica station in Waterloo to St.Jacobs Farmers Market using diesel power. Grand Opening was held July 21, 2007. Operations quickly ramped up in 2008 and beyond. Failure of the short-lived (July 12, 1997 - 2000) Waterloo-St.Jacobs diesel-powered tourist train cleared the way for
SOLRS to relocate there and to acquire some of their rolling stock.

Flyers, brochures etc.

Gallery of Walter Pfefferle

Moving right along!

6593 had been used to pull above train northward now returning "light engine".

1556 nicely painted in old CNR colour scheme with a number unused by CNR.
Acquired 8/2008 transferred from STCR No.10 ex LASCO 1 nee PGE 556 GE 30440 2/1950

Note: This unit relocated 2018 by its private owner to OSR Salford shop for maintenance/storage.
Relocated to BWXT in Galt (Cambridge) for lease protection of another 70-tonner.

6593 enroute to Waterloo from National Research Council, Uplands.
Ex CP 6593 660 HP S-3 99-tons MLW 82179 8/1957

A pair of mighty big cranes! Unloading 6593 in Kitchener.

WCR 15000 converted to coach 64 seats.

WCR 15000 beautifully repainted in full CNR paint scheme. St.Jacobs September 3, 2008

Built 1923 CC&F as CN 1570 Jellicoe 12 section, 1 drawing room sleeper.
Modified CN 1819 Jellicoe 8 section, 2 drawing room, 1 compartment sleeper.
Modified CN 15000 Track Geometry Car (inc. bay windows).
Sold Waterloo-St.Jacobs Ry. 15000 business car.
Sold SOLRS St.Thomas Central 15000 business car.
Relocated by SOLRS to Waterloo Central, later modified as 15000 coach.

1556 switching train with caboose 482 (ex CN 79482 acq. 10/2007) modified with passenger seating
on tailend and coach 1437 next to it. Two more coaches 3216, 5504 are out of view.

Here is the train marshalled with engine backing up now proceeding northbound past Waterloo Park.

VIA (ex CN) coaches 3216 (snack bar) acq. 9/2001; also 5504, 5622 acq. 7/2002. .

Interior view of either 3216 or 5504. Note: 5622 never put into service.

CP Midway 1437 acq. 4/2000 by SOLRS. (ex NMS&T Midway, nee CP 1437) CC&F/CPR 12/1923

Note: This was the first passenger car acquired by SOLRS. It had operated for several years on CP 1201
steam excursions out of "Science and Tech" in Ottawa before these were shut down and the collection disbursed.

Coach 1437 interior.

WCRX 1042 (ex ETR 1600, nee CP 434638) NSC/CPR 1975

Note: Roster also includes:
WCRX 1040, ex ETR 1610, nee CP 434530.
WCR 61 ex PSTR 61 nee THB 61.

Work equipment

57636 work service car nee CNR 8759 baggage car. This car was used at both Nanticoke and St.Thomas as a tool car.

37 (ex STCR 37 acq. 2002, ex OS 37, nee CSTX 37) Canada Starch. Built: Procor 1968
Note: Used as extra water car for steam engine.

Burro Crane BC-2 acq. 1987 (ex CN 50485 ex CR, ex PC nee NYC 3055).
Burro model 40 30205 1946 Used to load coal with a bucket.

BC2 with boom raised. Relocated 2018 by private owner to ECRM St.Thomas.

STCR 361 (ex PSTR 361, ex CN 53179, nee CN 56728.) Air dump. NSC 3/1958

Note: Identical air dump 362 also on roster.

THB 3709, 3722 (ex PSTR 301, 202) 40 foot box cars NSC 5/1953.

L-TEC 18 acq. 3/2009 (ex ESAB Welding, ex L-TEC, nee Electro-Metallurgical 8, Niagara Falls, NY.)
95-tonner 660 HP GE 32518 8/1856. Note double reduction gearing restricted speed to about 17 mph!
It had not been used for several years and had latterly been stored outdoors without covering the stack.
It was a-pig-in-a-poke for sure! Eventually in 2015 it was decided to simply scrap it.

Grand opening of the brand new 5700 sq.ft. 62' x 95' shop in St.Jacobs. April 7, 2011

SOLRS 124 acq. 7/2002. CLC #1867 3/1930. Inside shop during grand opening.
(Ex M.J.Poupore Lumber, Skead, Ont. ex Falconbridge Nickel 103, ex Beauharnois Light, Heat and Power 124,
nee Beauharnois Construction Company 124). Note: It is being restored to operation.

Note: 2020 sold to private owner in USA restoration never having been completed.