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Steam Era - Labour Day Weekend in Milton, Ontario
  
Click on the pictures for a closer look!
. . Steam-Era is the annual show produced by the "Ontario Steam & Antique Preservers Association" held at the Milton fairgrounds in Milton, Ontario every Labour Day weekend. Their members are devoted to the preservation and restoration of heritage equipment and bring their pain stakenly restored machinery to display and operate at Steam Era.
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Steam engines from the turn of the century silently puff there way around the grounds. 100's of tractors and stationary engines along with antique cars, models and agricultural displays recreate life in the rural country a 100 years ago. .
We in the TRHA will be bringing our portable 7 1/4" miniature railway track ( as seen in the right-hand picture above) and will operate miniature trains in conjunction with other local miniature railway clubs. . This is a show not to be missed as you seldom see from one to two dozen massive steam tractors today at a single event. The show runs from Friday, August 31st to Monday September 3rd, 2007 . By Russ Milland, TRHA
Railway Heritage Day - St. Thomas, Ontario
 The coming Sunday, August 26 is the Elgin County Railway Museum's 19th annual Railway Heritage Day from 10 am to 4 pm. . Most of their rolling stock will be outside on display for picture taking including a freshly painted "Empress of Agincourt", which is a one-of-a-kind RSD-17, ex-CP Rail diesl numbered #8921. . The museum is located in the former Michigan Central Railroad locomotive shops at 225 Wellington Street in St. Thomas. Admission is $4.00 is ages 12 and over. . To find out more visit their website at http://www.ecrm5700.org/. While in the area, visit the Port Stanley Terminal railway as well which is just south of the museum in Port Stanley on Lake Erie. Take a train ride on what was originally the London and Port Stanley Railway line. Visit their website at http://www.pstr.on.ca/ for more information. By Russ Milland, TRHA
Revisiting the Huntsville and Lake of Bays
   . . . . . . . In a recent posting here, we described our experience in operating steam powered trains at the Huntsville and Lake of Bays Railway. Today, Russ Milland returned to this railway to help them celebrate the unveiling of a plaque and a small stretch of track at the original South Portage terminus of the railway. The two pictures at the upper left show the plaque and the setting for the exhibit in which a short stretch of track was added in a garden setting. After the ceremony, everyone was invited back to the "new" Huntsville and Lake of Bays Railway for a special trip to commemorate the occasion. . Click on any of the pictures for a closer look. The picture at the right resides on the railway's website at http://www.portageflyer.org/ and shows the original Porter locomotives used by the railway and the steamship Algonquin at North Portage (the other terminus) about 1925 in a photo by Leonard Davis. . by Russ Milland, TRHA
A new adddition to the TRHC roster!
 Click on any picture for a closer view!
Today at 3:15 p.m. the Toronto Railway Heritage Centre received it's first piece of new equipment and the first new rail item to enter Roundhouse Park in almost two decades. A Canadian Locomotive Company - Whitcomb (CLC-W) 50 ton diesel-electric industrial switcher was delivered by road and unloaded by crane. Intended for use as a working switcher within the Heritage Centre, the Kingston built CLC-W is one of only three believed to exist in Ontario, the last in original condition and therefore of some historic interest in its own right. The locomotive is interesting in that it is completely double-ended, it has two engines, two traction generators and two traction motors powering the two trucks, all arranged symmetrically about the centre cab. In the next weeks, TRHA volunteers will begin a program of cosmetic restoration followed by mechanical and electrical systems overhaul. . by Michael Guy, TRHA
Turntable Bridge Motors - Restoration Progress
 Click on the picture for a closer look! Here are three shots for the steam engine enthusiasts! One of the air motors has been stripped for inspection and repair and was found to be structurally indistinguishable from any engine built to run on steam. In the first photo at the left we see one side of one engine showing the slide valve inside the steam chest with the cover off and to its right the valve-rod guide. Next, in the middle picture, is the opposite cylinder removed and on the bench for inspection and honing and lastly, in the picture on the right, a look at the port face on which a slide valve works. In the middle is the exhaust port to atmosphere, on either side are the steam ports that communicate with the cylinder ends. The cylinder bores were found to be in good condition as are the port faces. The pistons, rings and piston rods all require replacement. The new pistons will be fitted with top quality current technology cup seals and the rod seals will be upgraded as well. Graphited-rope packing was previously used but this is high maintenance and prone to leakage. One of the motors will be restored to original "as-built" condition for museum display. By Michael Guy, TRHA
 The Toronto Railway Historical Association's development of facilities at the John Street Roundhouse, and at Roundhouse Park has been officially named the Toronto Railway Heritage Centre. This title will also be applied to current and future areas in the railway lands, including our facilities in Union Station. . by Orin Krivel, TRHA
Progress on the Turntable Bridge Restoration
  
Click on the pictures for a closer look. .
Restoration work on the John St locomotive turntable is continuing and going well. In these photos we see an example of the deteriorated bridge steel, a view of one of the new internal plate cross braces and the lower half of the centre pivot bearing. This latter is being inspected by one of Western's toolmakers, Paul, who is kneeling on the table of a large vertical boring mill. For those not familiar with these machine tools, the table is the part that rotates, the cutting tool is stationary on the arm near the middle. Much care is being taken during repair work on the bridge structural steel that none of the repair work is visible from the outside. From that vantage point it will appear to be an original riveted structure. . By Michael Guy, TRHA
Sunday, August 12, 2007 - 150th Birthday Celebration
 On Sunday, August 12, 2007, celebrate the 150th birthday of the original Brighton Grand Trunk Railway Station at Memory Junction Museum. The ribbon cutting is at 2:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Traveling from east or west on the 401, take exit 509 south and turn right at Main Street (Hwy. 2 west). Proceed along Main Street to Maplewood and go south (left). Memory Junction is at the bottom of the street. The address is 60 Maplewood St., P.O. Box 294, Brighton, ON, K0K1H0 For more information, phone (613) 475-0379 or email re.bangay@sympatico.ca or visit their website at http://www.memoryjunction.netfirms.com/
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