Canadian National 89

Canadian National 89 is a E-10-a class 2-6-0 "Mogul" type steam locomotive, built in February 1910 by the Canadian Locomotive Company (CLC) for the Grand Trunk Railway (GT). Originally number No. 1009, it was renumbered to No. 911 in 1919. It then came under Canadian National (CN) ownership in 1923 when the Grand Trunk merged. It was then renumbered again to No. 89 in 1951. Most of No. 89's early life is a mystery, but it spent the latter part of its working life in Quebec until retirement in 1958 and being stored in the deadline in Montreal. It was purchased by F. Nelson Blount in 1961, who sent it to operate on the Green Mountain Railroad (GMRC). It was then purchased in 1972 by the Strasburg Rail Road (SRC) who were looking for an engine to pull the half-hour trains. As of 2025, it is in operation at the Strasburg Railroad.

Canadian National 89
No. 89 hauling an excursion train on the Strasburg Rail Road on March 6, 2010
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Canadian Locomotive Company Serial number 922 Build date February 1910 Rebuilder Strasburg Rail Road Rebuild date November 1988
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-6-0 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 63 in (1.600 m) Wheelbase 49.71 ft (15.15 m) Adhesive weight 120,600 lb (54.7 t) Loco weight 141,800 lb (64.3 t) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 10 long tons (10 t) Water cap. 6,000 imperial gallons (27,000 L; 7,200 US gal) Boiler pressure 170 lbf/in2 (1.17 MPa) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 166 sq ft (15.4 m2) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 21 in × 26 in (533 mm × 660 mm) Valve gear Stephenson Valve type Piston valves Train brakes Air
Performance figures Tractive effort 26,300 lbf (116.99 kN)
Career Operators Grand Trunk Railway Canadian National Railway Strasburg Rail Road Class CN: E-12 GTR: E-10-a Power class CN: 26% Number in class 9 of 24 Numbers GT 1009 GT 911 CN 911 GMRC 89 CN 89 SRC 89 Retired 1958 Restored 1965 Current owner Strasburg Rail Road Disposition Operational
References:[1][2]

History

Revenue service

No. 89 was originally built in February 1910 by the Canadian Locomotive Company (CLC) in Kingston, Ontario, for the Grand Trunk Railway (GT) as No. 1009.^[1] It has a wheel arrangement of 2-6-0.^[2] In 1919, it was renumbered to No. 911.^[2] In 1923, the GT was merged into the Canadian National Railway (CN) with No. 911 being one of the thousands of locomotives working for this new railroad. In 1951, No. 911 was renumbered to No. 89. Most of 89's career on the CN is unknown; it appears that it spent the latter part of its working life in Quebec before being retired in late 1958 and being stored in a deadline of locomotives in Montreal.^[2][3]

Green Mountain Railroad

In 1961, No. 89 was purchased by New England seafood magnate and steam locomotive collector F. Nelson Blount and moved to North Walpole, New Hampshire, in the United States. No. 89 found a home in the former Boston & Maine North Walpole roundhouse and starting in 1965, would begin operating on the Green Mountain Railroad (GMRC) and would be moved to across the Connecticut River to Bellows Falls, Vermont.^[2] No. 89 quickly became Blount's favorite locomotive and he would often be found at the throttle until his death in 1967.^[1]

Strasburg Rail Road

In June 1972, the Green Mountain Railroad sold No. 89 to the Strasburg Rail Road (SRC) outside of Strasburg, Pennsylvania.^[1] The move from Bellows Falls to Strasburg was overseen by Strasburg employee Linn Moedinger. During a stopover in Penn Central's Buttonwood Yard in Wilkes-Barre, No. 89 was stranded when Hurricane Agnes caused the Susquehanna River to flood much of the area. No. 89 spent several days submerged in the rail yard but emerged with little to no damage.^[4][5]

Upon arrival at Strasburg in July 1972, No. 89 was refurbished and put into service the following year on March 17, 1973.^[6] When No. 89 first arrived, it originally faced east when hauling excursion trains, it would remain that way until the turntable at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania was installed in late 1973. No. 89 frequently operated in tandem with Pennsylvania Railroad 4-4-0 No. 1223 on Strasburg's half-hour trains until it was taken out of service in the early 1980s for major repairs. During these repairs which lasted the majority of the decade, No. 89 was completely rebuilt from the ground up including major boiler and running gear work. Emerging from its rebuild in November 1988, No. 89 returned to pulling the half-hour trains, being joined by former Norfolk & Western 4-8-0 No. 475 in 1993. In October 2003, No. 89 was modified and repainted to its 1950s Canadian National appearance with the tilted monogram logo.^[7] In 2008, No. 89's tender logo was re-lettered to read "Strasburg Rail Road," in keeping with Strasburg's policy of historical authenticity.

Appearances in media

• The locomotive appears at east Strasburg station in the 2012 History channel series The Men Who Built America l in multiple episodes.^[8]
• In 2013, the locomotive appeared in a live action segment of an episode of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood titled "All Aboard." The Segment was filmed in October 2012.^[9]
• In 2022, the engine appeared in an episode of The Gilded Age entitled "Charity Has Two Functions," with an unlettered tender.^[10]

See also

• Everett Railroad 11
• Great Western 90
• Norfolk and Western 475
• Canadian National 1009
• Canadian National 7312
• Canadian National 7470