History of the Toronto Number 2 Steam Locomotive

The first railroad engine built in Canada, the Toronto Number 2 was developed in 1853. This was not the first steam locomotive to be used in Canada, as the Dorchester engine had recently been imported from England. However, the Toronto Number 2 was a source of Canadian civic pride once it allowed them to compete with their own home-built train engine. Due to significant engineering design advantages, the Toronto Number 2 locomotive engine eventually supplanted the Dorchester as the train of choice for the Canadian railway system.

The Toronto Number 2 steam locomotive: First built in 1853

James Good built the first Toronto Number 2 steam engine in 1853 after being the winning bidder and earning the government contract for such construction. From 1853 to 1856, James Good's Foundry built 21 of these Canadian steam train engines at a cost of around $5,000 per locomotive. In the 1850s, this was a significant amount of money, reflecting the limited supply of these quality steam locomotives. These Toronto Number 2 engines were immediately used by the Ontario, Simcoe, and Huron Railroad to upgrade its passenger train service.

The Toronto Number 2 steam locomotive: Initial train routes

The first route traveled by the Toronto Number 2 train went from Toronto to Machell's Corners, which has since been re-named as Aurora. The first runs of this Canadian-built locomotive originally included four-passenger coach cars. As the popularity of this train route grew, so did the track, eventually reaching its full length of 94 miles. The popularity of train travel continued to grow since this relatively short train ride was able to save Canadian passengers a 3-week long trip via boat to cover the same distance.

The Toronto Number 2 steam locomotive: Design advantages

The Toronto Number 2 locomotive was designed to be sturdy and powerful as a way to set it apart from the lighter Dorchester engine that was dominating the market at the time. The design by James Good worked perfectly and the Canadian-built Toronto Number 2 steam locomotive was able to carry far heavier loads than the Dorchester, making it more profitable for the railways to operate. The Toronto Number 2's extra weight and strength also made it able to withstand extreme weather conditions better than the Dorchester steam engine. The wheel layout became the industry standard for American steam and diesel train engines that followed the Toronto Number 2. Unfortunately, the Toronto Number 2 was eventually phased out of use much like other steam engines as railroads began to switch over to diesel and electric-powered locomotives.