The city could donate Engine 1531 to Simcoe County Museum and pay more than $300,000 for its restoration.
Barrie councillors will consider the donation and expense at Monday night’s general committee meeting.
“I think it is important to restore the engine as a representation of Barrie and Allandale’s railway past,” said Deputy Mayor Barry Ward. “As the staff report makes clear, Simcoe County is unlikely to pay for it as long as the engine belongs to the city, and is unlikely to accept it as a donation if it is not accompanied by funds to restore it.”
The donation deal involving Engine 1531, its tender box and caboose would make them part of the Midhurst museum’s larger exhibit of local railway heritage, with an emphasis on Barrie and Allandale Station.
Funding of $150,000, $100,000 and $64,000 would be included in the capital budget request for the years 2022 to 2024 from the city’s reinvestment reserve to complete the restoration work needed to restore Engine 1531 to a condition suitable for donation.
Engine 1531 has been at Simcoe County Museum since 2010 and other than asbestos abatement and minor paint work, there has not been any maintenance or restoration work completed on it. The engine is in poor condition and the longer it remains this way, according to city staff, the greater will be the effort and cost required to restore and preserve it.
Museum curator Kelley Swift Jones said Engine 1531 and the CN caboose have been on display there since August 2008.
“In that time, thousands of visitors have enjoyed the opportunity to see these pieces on display and discover the critical role they played in the development of Barrie and Simcoe County,” Swift Jones said.
“The construction of railways in Simcoe County marked the change from the pioneer to Victorian era and played a critical role in the establishment and prosperity of towns in Simcoe County, including Barrie. Having Engine 1531 and caboose at the Simcoe County Museum enhances visitor’s experiences and understanding of the significance of railway history in Barrie and Simcoe County," she added.
Barrie's deputy-mayor says he can see advantages to having the engine at Simcoe County Museum and having it near the restored Allandale Station or perhaps the Southshore Centre.
“At the museum, it would be more than a static display,” Ward said. “There are staff members to tell people – especially the numerous children who take part in camps – about the city’s railway history. The museum, which has an extensive collection of steam vehicles, also has a group of knowledgeable volunteers to help with the restoration, interpretation and ongoing maintenance.
“The museum already attracts visitors interested in learning more about the area’s history so it would have a ready-made audience," he added. "It would be part of a much larger display of historical artifacts which would give it some context.”
Ward said at Barrie’s waterfront, the engine would likely be seen by many more casual visitors and Barrie residents.
“It could serve as a backdrop for photos,” he said. “On the other hand, even with plaques and virtual links, there is a diminished opportunity to use the engine as a teaching tool. There would also be an additional cost for bringing it back to Barrie and an ongoing maintenance cost which city council would have to agree to fund.
“I know some people have brought up the idea of making the engine part of a railway museum, but I’m not sure Barrie residents are willing to pay the large cost of building and maintaining a museum, especially when museums these days are all about fairly expensive programming, not displays, and when we already have a very good one we contribute to just a few kilometres away,” Ward said of Simcoe County Museum.
“There are probably a dozen railway museums of one kind or another in Ontario alone," he added. "You have to wonder how much of a draw another one would be.”
Barrie has a long railway history, including the Canadian National Railway’s Allandale Station designation as a heritage station because of its historical, architectural and environmental significance.
Steam Engine 1531 is part of this history, as it was built in Quebec in 1910 by Montreal Locomotive Works and used by the CN Railway unit in the late 1950s when it was stationed at Allandale.
Donated to the city in 1960, the engine was originally placed on display on the lakeshore. This was followed in 1995 by CN Railway’s donation of the caboose.
Although these pieces were never used in Barrie, the engine, tender box and caboose are representative of railway equipment used in the city.
The engine was exhibited on Barrie’s waterfront for many years. The original display was open to the public, but it became a target of vandalism resulting in the installation of a chain-link fence to provide it some protection.
Due to time and weather factors, however, the equipment experienced significant deterioration.
Construction work began along Lakeshore Drive in 2008 and to avoid further damage to the engine the city moved it from the waterfront to Simcoe County Museum, where it is currently stored. The cost to move the engine was $149,000, including hazardous material abatement and the additional track laid at the museum to house the train.
The engine is on loan to the County of Simcoe, although the city maintains sole ownership and is responsible for any costs including insurance, removal of any hazardous materials, transportation to a new location, and/or restoration.
Earlier this year, city staff contacted Simcoe County Museum to explore the potential of donation. Museum staff have indicated that for them to continue to hold the engine, the restoration works must be completed to preserve it for the long term. So for the engine to be accepted as a donation into the museum collection, a budget for restoration must accompany the donation.
City staff have an updated quote for the restoration and preservation of the engine, tender box and caboose from Simcoe County Museum — $319,000, including a $29,000 contingency fund.
Museum staff have indicated they can complete the restoration work in phases, during three years.
Displaying Engine 1531 at Simcoe County Museum is a good fit with its theme of Barrie and Simcoe County in the early 20th century, covering the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Museum displays also reflecting that period in Barrie’s history include the Barrie Street Exhibit, the Barrie Bell automobile and a 1905 replica of the Allandale Railway station.
Engine 1531 also fits into the experience of the transportation theme offered by Simcoe County Museum, where more than 8,000 students visit annually.
Should Barrie city council choose to donate Engine 1531, the Simcoe County Museum will need approval from Simcoe County council to receive the donation.
