Essex Terminal Railway unveils a revamped heritage locomotive

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Essex Terminal Railway is on track to celebrate its 120th anniversary in business, and the company is marking a milestone by putting its longest-serving locomotive back in action.

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Management surprised staff Monday by introducing the newly restored 1956 locomotive.

“It was a big problem for us,” said Michael Semande, corporate director of operations. “We wanted to take special care with that. It was supposed to work to update engine performance. We decided to go one step further in commemorating our 120 years. It’s more about our staff and what they do for us on a daily basis. The weather is not holding us back so they are battling the elements. It was kind of a trophy for all of our staff who went out of their way for us every day. “

The company, which transports goods ranging from grain and wood to wind turbines and dangerous goods, was established in 1902.

To celebrate the anniversary, the company has restored the No. 105. The SW1200 diesel engine was a state-of-the-art locomotive when it was built in 1956.

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It is now updated for the 21st century.

“We replaced the engine, the prime movers, basically everything other than the frame and body,” Semande said. “We also equipped it with GPS and some modern technology that it would not have had in 1956 when it was born.”

While preparing it for the future, the company also paid tribute to the locomotive’s past by dressing it in its original green and yellow “heritage” colors.

“We added ‘established in 1902’ to the side,” Semande said. “It will probably bring back some memories to the older generation that used to see it go through the community, but also maybe to the younger generation who were kids who saw it in the 70s and are now adults.”

It took almost five months and around $ 500,000 to restore the locomotive.

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Despite the large scale of the project, the company managed to keep it a secret with only a few who were aware of what was happening.

“It was kind of a surprise to everyone,” Semande said. “It was nice to see the cell phones come out as soon as we took everyone into the engine room, shooting a video. One of our deputy chief mechanics broke down in tears. He got very involved with it and has been a part of the railroad for over 30 years. So it really comes home to a lot of people who take pride in running the railroad. “

But Semande said the locomotive will be more than a masterpiece.

“It will be put back into service, hopefully for another 30 or 40 years,” he said.

It is scheduled to enter service next Monday, making it one of four locomotives to run the 54 kilometers of Essex Terminal Railway between East Windsor and Amherstburg.

“It is definitely important to us as a company,” Semande said. “With the challenges of COVID-19 and the challenges everyone has faced over the years, it is good that our small business continues to grow.”

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