Do the Locomotion

Save the date - June 15th - if you want to see a big old steam-powered locomotive be hoisted by crane on to a flatbed truck and transported a few hundred metres away to it's new resting place. While it would have been awesome to see the train move on its own, seeing a 30 tonne locomotive from World War II being raised by a crane isn't bad either.

Here's a press release from the City with the details:

GUELPH, ON, May 27, 2010 – Construction begins this week in preparation for the relocation of locomotive 6167.

The historic steam engine is currently located north of Macdonell Street, east of the Greyhound station. As part of the plan for Guelph’s new intermodal transit terminal, the City of Guelph is relocating the 6167 locomotive to the south side of the Canadian National Railway tracks, east of the existing VIA Rail Station.

"This week we’ll start building the new concrete pad and tracks," said Andrew Janes, Project Manager. "We’ll build a temporary bridge over the tracks, and move the train itself in June."

On June 15 a crane will lift the 682,950-pound train straight up, allowing a flatbed trailer to drive underneath it. The flatbed will travel over the tracks on the temporary bridge. On June 16, the crane will lift the train from the flatbed and place it in its new location.

The relocation of locomotive 6167 is the first step toward building Guelph’s new intermodal transit terminal on Carden Street. Later this summer, the Greyhound station will be removed to make room for a new bus platform that will accommodate both Guelph Transit and regional bus service.

The City will build a new bus platform and waiting area, new public washrooms, new stairs and a new elevator for pedestrians travelling between the north side and the south side of the rail tracks from Neeve Street.

The City is also renovating the interior of the VIA Rail station to house administration services for Guelph Transit, Go Transit and VIA Rail. The new intermodal transit hub is designed to improve connections between local transit and regional buses and trains. The VIA station on Carden Street will become the main transfer point for people travelling in to, out of, and around the city.

Both Greyhound and VIA rail service will be maintained throughout construction which is expected to be completed by March 2011 in order to take advantage of Federal and Provincial Infrastructure Stimulus funds. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $8 million of which the City will pay $2.7 million.

Photo Courtesy of the Guelph Mercury