The Niagara Railway Museum Inc. is very pleased to announce that we are now the official owners of a very rare 30" gauge Porter fireless locomotive from Atlas Steel in Welland, Ontario. In the 1980's this unique locomotive was moved from Atlas Steel to the Fort Erie Railroad Museum in Fort Erie Ontario and displayed with CNR 4-8-4#6218. 4yrs ago the FERM decided it was no longer wanted in their collection and contacted the Welland Historical Museum about passing ownership to them. I'll leave out the details of 3 of those years and jump to June of 2014 when the WHM once again contacted us about helping to save the engine. The Welland Museum and Niagara Railway Museum formed a partnership to save this piece from being scrapped and it was moved to our shop in the fall of 2014. The engine was on loan to us for one year, and was then transferred into our permanent collection on June 29th. Along with the Porter is the last remaining ingot car from the Atlas operation. The Welland Museum also has a complete set of original plans for the Porter, and is holding them for us until we are able to have a proper facility to care for them.

We are very pleased to have worked with the WHM to save this item, one of only 2 fireless locomotives preserved in Canada (both in Ontario). However, at 30" gauge with a low clearance cab, she may now be one of a kind.

Delighted to learn of your acquisition. Can you coax the Fort Erie folks to give you 6218 as well? Just asking!

Ha, right Richard. lets just take it one step at a time. Took us 4yrs just to get this one away from them, and that was with the Welland Historical Museum doing everything, except the move, we did that.

Ken

Porter 7441 7/1943 0-4-0F 30" 15x14 20Tons Explosives Plant Ltd., Welland, Ontario, Canada
Atlas Steel , Welland, Ontario Canada
Fort Erie Historical RR Museum, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada