4-6-0 steam locomotive No. 1
Originally numbered 100, this 4-6-0 became No. 1 in 1925, when it was assigned as the St. John’s “shunter.” The 1898 Baldwin was one of 26 Ten-Wheelers on the Newfoundland roster, 10 built by the road’s own shops. Four survived into CN ownership, being scrapped in the early 1950s.
Classic Trains collection
4-6-2 steam locomotive No. 196
The Newfoundland Railway acquired 10 Pacifics between 1920 and ’29. Baldwin built 7, Alco 2, and Montreal 1. CN disposed of them upon dieselization in 1957. Belpaire-fireboxed, 52-inch-drivered No. 196 of 1926 was one of the Baldwins; sister 193 is displayed (as CN 593) at Corner Brook.
Classic Trains collection
2-8-2 steam locomotive No. 1001
The backbone of Newfoundland’s locomotive fleet for the last decade and a half of the steam era was a fleet of 30 Mikados. The first 2, Nos. 1000 and 1001, arrived from Alco in 1930. North British Locomotive Co. built 6 during 1935–41. Between 1941 and ’49, Alco supplied 9 and Montreal 13, including the final one, No. 1029. All survived until 1957.
Classic Trains collection
General Electric center-cab diesel No. 5000
The only diesels to serve the road during the Newfoundland Railway era were three GE 47-tonners, built in 1948. The trucks were connected, giving them a B+B wheel arrangement. They became Nos. 775–777 under CN, which sold them in 1968 for service in Costa Rica.
Classic Trains collection
General Motors NF210 diesel locomotive No. 923
Between 1952 and 1960, Canadian National acquired for its Newfoundland operation 47 custom-designed C-C end-cab road-switchers from General Motors Diesel. Nos. 900–908 were designated model NF110, while Nos. 909–946 were NF210; differences among the 1,200 h.p. units were negligible. NF210 923 is loaded aboard a ship at Montreal in 1956.
Canadian National photograph
General Motors G8 diesel locomotives No. 803 and 804
CN bought six G8 units from GM’s export catalogue in 1956. Packing only 875 h.p., the road-switchers had A1A trucks to tread lightly on the island’s spindly trackage. In this 1976 view, lead unit 803 still wears CN’s green-and-yellow scheme, superseded by black-red-white in 1961.
James B. Armstrong
All through February 2021, Classic Trains editors are celebrating the history and legacy of the Newfoundland Railway in Canada.
We hope you enjoy this photo gallery of Newfoundland Railway locomotives. Only from Classic Trains!
