The Grand Trunk Railway in New England

The 519 in Portland, 1917. Left: Thomas T. Simard Sr., Engineer, Right: Fireman, Mr. Rabida

27"x30" Cylinders - 63" Drivers - 175psi Boiler Pressure - 276,000lbs - 51,637lbs pull

The 519 was a 2-8-2, a type known as the Mikado due to the first locomotive of that wheel arrangement being constructed for the Japan Railways in 1897. The 519 was built at the Schenectady, NY, plant of the American Locomotive Company in February 1913, with construction #52807, as part of an order for 25 Grand Trunk Railway Class M 2-8-2's. Numbers 500-509 were assigned to Battle Creek for the Michigan District and 510-524 to Island Pond for the New England Lines of the Montreal District.

Initially 519 and classmates primarily operated in manifest freight service between Portland and Montreal, with periodic use on the Rouse's Point and Massena NY lines which were also designated as part of the New England Lines; but with Canadian National's taking over the Grand Trunk Railway, Portland's role as Canada's major Atlantic winter port being replaced by the expansion of Halifax, motive power was reallocated to other areas.

On January 30, 1923 the 519 came under jurisdiction of the Canadian National Railways when the old Grand Trunk Railway was amalgamated into that system, and on August 5, 1923, the 519, as a U. S. registered engine, entered the East Deering shops at Portland for repairs and change over to the new livery, emerging on October 27th as CN Class S-lf Grand Trunk 3424, and retroactive to an August 1923 list for Montreal District motive power, was reassigned to Richmond, Quebec.

As 3424, it would continue to operate into Island Pond with manifests from Montreal on a semi-regular basis, and only occasionally worked through to Portland, even following it's removal from the New England Lines account with outright ownership transferred to CN upon payment of duty in April 1936, and reassignment to Montreal. It was also known to have operated for periods between Truro and Stellarton, Nova Scotia. In July 1934 the engine was fitted with a Standard stoker, which I'm sure Mr. Rabida would have relished back in 1917.

It's final trip to Portland was on August 1, 1945.

I last saw, and photographed, the 3424 in the retirement line at Montreal on May 21, 1956, and though still-intact, looking much different with its many appliance and outward changes through the years, than it did as the 519. Two months later, 519/3424 was sold as scrap on wheels, and regrettably, it was one of the few instances that Canadian National's motive power statistician failed to record the purchaser's name.