JASON SETNYK
The historic Grand Trunk Railway Locomotive No. 1008 at Aultsville Station received some much-needed attention last weekend, thanks to dedicated volunteers and local supporters.
Despite the rain, the Friends of Grand Trunk Railway 1008 gathered at Upper Canada Village to continue restoration work on the 1910 steam engine and its accompanying passenger coach.
Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry MP Eric Duncan visited the site for a tour and an update on fundraising efforts. “Thank you to all the volunteers involved, and to Emard Bros. Lumber, who are celebrating their centennial anniversary this year, for their donation of materials for the refurbishment of the exterior of the passenger coach,” said Duncan.
Built by the Canadian Locomotive Company in Kingston, the 4-6-0 “Ten Wheeler” type locomotive once served the Grand Trunk Railway and Canadian National Railway. Now on display beside Aultsville Station-originally from one of the Lost Villages flooded during the St. Lawrence Seaway project-it serves as an important reminder of Eastern Ontario’s railway and local heritage.
