NOWAY Railroad Tourist Operation to Reunite CP 4-6-0s

April 1st, 2010

Newly formed North Ontario and Western Alberta Yorkshire Railroad, or NOWAY Railroad, has announced its work in progress tourist operation. Over the last six months, NOWAY has been forming a collection of steam engines and passenger cars. Most notable of this acquisition is the reunion of three Canadian Pacific Railway 4-6-0s, numbered 453, 972 and 1098.

The three engines are in different states of condition. Number 453 was previously in storage in Utica, NY. The engine was once owned by famed photographer O. Winston Link, and the engine was sold on eBay in October 2009. Number 1098 was bought in early March 2010 from the Reading, Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad in Pennsylvania, and had previously been stored outdoors as part of the George Hart collection. Number 972 is in the worst shape of the three, as since the 1980s after a halted restoration at the Strasburg Railroad of Strasburg, PA resulted in the engine left in pieces outdoors. Engines 453 and 1098 will be shipped to NOWAYs shops to begin restoration, while 972 will be restored at Strasburg before going to NOWAY operations.

NOWAY’s President of Tourist Operations, Jake Kahown, has said that NOWAY plans to restore the three Canadian Pacific engines for seasonal tourist trains starting in late 2010. Work has commenced on the newly acquired passenger cars.

The railroad is optimistic for the steam tourist operation to happen. Kahown said it best with, “Identical steam and passenger cars in the 21st Century? NOWAY”