This is rather an odd post I know, and perhaps the moderators would prefer to delete it. I am okay with that.
Some 20+ years ago, I suffered a brain injury, and many memories are hard to find. Back in the 1970s, I was involved with Canadian National Railways No. 6060 in a volunteer capacity. When the CNR ran the engine regularly out of Toronto, especially on twice weekly time-tabled trips from Toronto to Niagara Falls, there was a regular crew of engineer and fireman. Names like Ken and Ray come to mind. Would anyone remember these gentlemen? They had started on CNR in the last days of steam, and seemed quite contented to run 6060, and did a masterful job of it. I was fortunate to have been invited in the cab with them for some amazing high speed runs, and it pains me to have forgotten their names.
There was always a master mechanic on board. One fellow was named Saunby, with a nickname of Tooney or something like that. He always said he hated the "old Bitch" and would just as soon run her into a swamp, but whenever he was at the throttle and quadrant, he ran her as nicely as anyone. He knew how to get the most out of the engine.
There was another master mechanic who rode on 6060 out of Toronto, especially on trips east. His name is lost to me. He was a very nice man, and had the opinion that a U-1-f engine was built for high speed passenger service and if we are going to run her, we should run her that way. And he did! There were many stretches where 6060 ran in the mid-80 mph range.
There was another nice chap at the Spadina roundhouse in Toronto. He was usually there nights. I went in the night before a trip and he told me to sit in the cab and keep an eye while they slowly brought her up to heat. I think his name was "Black" Jack Davis. He was a very tall fellow, and a good egg.
Perhaps there are some old Toronto heads who remember those days?
Thinking back, it was a helluva good time being around 6060. She was an amazing engine!
Best of luck to the folks in Alberta. I hope they have her running again soon.
Thanks.

The '70s was a looong time ago Rick - noggin bonk or not, everybody's memories from then are a little hazy, but let me see what I can dig up for you. I'm just glad you're not asking about anybody from the #6167 or #6218 days, everyone I knew from that era is preoccupied with being dead at the current time. ;)

73, RwC

This is from a few years before the #6060 trips but the scenery should bring back some memories -

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hqGV939yaX0

73
RwC

Fromage Royale,
I think I was on that 6218 trip. Swung aboard at CNR Hamilton, we did some street running up Ferguson Ave., then climbed the Niagara Escarpment. The train went across the Cayuga Sub (Wabash) to St. Thomas. I seem to recall we clipped a car in St. Thomas. Colonel Harland Sanders was on the train -- nice fellow.
Dug out some employee timetables. The Toronto District Master Mechanics were W.C. Saunby (Toonie to most of us) and Bruce Kearney -- the roadrunner! Here is Bruce, in dignified attire in the cab door while the train is weyed at Anson Jct. in 1975. Don't recognize the hogger. Not much speed at Anson. I am surprised they got her over that track, although the U-1-fs had light axle loading. We went on to Belleville and then Bruce had the lads open the throttle on the main -- some 85 mph running.
Another shot shows 6060 drifting back to her train at London in 1976. Later, she is parked for servicing at Ilderton.
The other shot is the greasing operation at Gravenhurst in 1976.
I know this post is heavy duty railfanning. I guess the only saving grace is the recollection of a main line railway company running steam in the modern era. CN did it well, and still had some employees with some steam knowledge to run 6060, and run her well. On a smaller level, similar to today's Union Pacific. They did it all with regular employees.

Again, I apologize if this thread is too "railfanny" and the moderators can move or delete without recrimination from me.
I would like to thank those who contacted me. I have managed to recover the names of most of the people from the 1970s CN 6060 era, and that has been most satisfying.
Also, I finally found a long lost issue of Railfan magazine, from 1977 with an article by Jim Boyd on 6060. (Name Dropping Alert - I knew Jim from the fall steam weekends at Steamtown at Bellows Falls.)
Boyd was very complimentary to the entire CN steam operation, especially the regularly scheduled trips from Toronto to Niagara Falls. He was allowed a cab ride on the busy Oakville Subdivision on a 1976 trip. Boyd named, and published pictures of the hogger, fireman, and master mechanic. They were younger men than the fellows I knew. although I think I had met the master mechanic.
Boyd gave a good description of the hogger "hooking up" the engine to effortlessly achieve speeds above 80 mph. I can testify that was a regular occurrence with 6060. He made special mention of the fact that these men were regular railroaders from the engine pool -- they would have had some steam training -- but handled the engine and train with ease and professionalism.
Another point was that the equipment was all matching, and directly out of the mainline passenger car pool -- usually 12 cars.
A friend, who had many years in the cab with CN and Via Rail, filled me in on the crew postings for the trips.
This is something I had not thought much about. It was fine for one of the CN officials in passenger to decide they should run steam on a regular schedule, but it raised a number of issues with crew postings.
The engine crews were restricted to fellows who had been given steam training, especially in oil firing, which had not been done in Ontario. The men I knew best had begun their careers firing steam, but had not been classed as engineers until the 1960s. If they had ever fired with oil, it might have been at the Stratford "Big" Shops where engines were converted for western Canada.
The conductors and trainmen came right off the spare board. My friend did not think the pay for these trips was overly high, but road time was road time. It was a fairly long day.
In 1976, the 6060 Saturday trip left Toronto at 10:00 and arrived at Hamilton (39 miles) at 10:55 where the tender was filled. There was the fast running east of Oakville. Near Burlington, we were always pegged by a hot box detector that did not care for 6060's hot cylinders, I suppose.
Leaving Hamilton at 11:35, the arrival in Niagara Falls (82 miles from Toronto) was at 12:45.
While most of the passengers toured the Falls, a side trip was run for locals and railfans to Yager Jct. with a couple of run pasts. I forget the mileage. This trackage was in excellent condition, seeing plenty of freight activity. I was in the cab for speeds above 70 mph. I cannot recall if 6060's tender was watered coming or going, or both.
6060 left Niagara Falls at 17:00. The train was backed over the Suspension Bridge so customers could have a view of the Niagara River. Arrival in Hamilton was 18:00, departure after watering was 18:40. Arrival back at Toronto Union was at 19:40.
All in all, it was a very good operation with good timekeeping.
The trips were well patronized and CN included the steam trips in tour packages to Toronto. In 1977, trips were run on both Saturday and Wednesday. They returned to Saturday only in 1978, the last year these trips were in the regular timetable. We were now officially in the VIA Rail era.
I can recall that 6060 missed a couple of trips for mechanical reasons, but she was generally very reliable. Maintenance was done at the Spadina Roundhouse in Toronto. The engine ran out of Montreal for chartered trips each year, and maintenance and paint touch ups were done at Point St. Charles shops -- 6060 - Soixante Soixante!
Looking back, it was quite remarkable that CN did this. These were serious runs, on the timetable, and on the mainline. They were run with regular crews and regular rolling stock.
It was a very good time, and will not likely ever be repeated in Canada.
Thank you for reading this.

Pulling 6060 off display and rebuilding her was a pinnacle moment for CNR in the 70's. I think it was inspired by Omar LaVallee. Having run across Canada and parts of the USA, she built good will and impressed hundreds of thousands of riders and track side guests. Then one day - the plug was pulled. CNR certainly wasn't losing influence or profits by running a classic CNR locomotive. What closed 6060's mainline career? From 6153, 6167, 6218, and 6060, Canadian National had a fine, long lived steam heritage program, eh?

Mr. Glueck,
CN had some brass who worked hard on the passenger file. Garth Campbell was one.
The 6060 scheduled trips happened during a period when CN and CP passenger timetables were merged, leading into the creation of VIA Rail as a separate entity.
CN had maintained a fleet of coaches in reserve for seasonal rushes. I am thinking of the 6-axle, ice air conditioned 5200-series coaches that remained in good condition. In the first years of 6060 trips, CN had a busy spell and even used 12 & 1 sleepers behind 6060, with the facing open section seats. I forget the car numbers. They had lesser capacity but were still in good shape.
By the late 1970's scheduled trips, CN simply pulled coaches from the coach yard as needed, mainly 5500-series with axle-generated AC, and steam heated.
Even CP had a reserve fleet of sorts, with the 2200-series streamlined steel coaches, plus the full fleet of Budd streamlined coaches from the Canadian.
VIA Rail's contract with CN and CP, from my memory, was costed on the number of cars per train, so VIA had to be thrifty. VIA did not keep much of a reserve fleet and went to reserved seats and limited train lengths.
Thinking back, when CN relinquished passenger services, and the people running them, it left 6060 out in the cold for equipment. Also, the Spadina roundhouse complex was eventually sold for the construction of the Sky Dome stadium.
It was a real surprise to many of us when CP restored Hudson 2816. I heard something today, from a well-placed source that her return to operation is progressing nicely!
Another question comes to mind -- does anyone remember the training program CN used for engine crews for 6060? The fellows I knew had hired on as firemen during the steam era, but had not been engineers until the 1960s. Also, they would have had no experience with the nuances of oil firing. From my experiences, those fellows must have been quick learners, because they always seemed to run the engine well.
Thank you for the response.

I find it hard to believe lack of serviceable coaches would have dictated retirement. No doubt a string of a dozen period passenger cars, coaches, diners, parlors, sleepers, baggage and an observation, could have been held alongside the 6060 and kept in shape. I'm guessing some promoted accountant dictated the move.

In 2022, CNR could contribute to and facilitate 6060's restoration, put her back on the mainline and do something great. If not 6060, there are several other well maintained and big CNR steamers sitting in museum collections, just dying to stretch their legs.

Yes, one could hope that the examples set by Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific could have an influence with CN brass. Sadly, there have been no murmurs of that happening.

Would be very interesting to see the 6060 run again. Not many 4-8-2s out there running in the preservation era. Always thought the CPR 4-8-4s would have made neat excursion power.

The folks in Alberta are working away on her:

https://6060.org/

Some major work being done, show below:

https://www.fitzhugh.ca/work-begins-on- ... the-rails/