Sunday, April 17, 2016

Locomotive Josephine


Locomotive No. 3, of the Toronto, Simcoe and Huron Railway was considered to be one of the most beautiful high speed passenger engines of its time when it was delivered in 1853. Built by Brandt of New Jersey, the drivers were 6 feet diameter, boiler lagging was silver, the domes brass. The cab was polished wood.        Sadly, the engine was completely unsuited for the cheap and quickly constructed railway. The rough and badly ballasted track prevented the locomotive from being used as it was intended but the Josephine became the mascot of the railway. It was almost as famous as its engineer, Cyrus Huckett about whom this popular song was written:

DANDY CY OF THE JOSEPHINE
 I dressed myself from top to toe,
 And out from Toronto I did go;
My hair all combed so slick and fine
 I looked as prim as the Josephine.
My superintendent told me, oh!
I'se the best looking driver in the country, oh!
 I looked in the glass and found it so,
Just as Brunel had told me, oh!




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