Breadcrumb Trail Links
Published May 17, 2026 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 3 minute read
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Locomotive engineer John Reynolds prepares for his first passengers of the day aboard the locomotive 107 steam engine in Fort Edmonton Park, Thursday June 1, 2023. Photo by David Bloom /Postmedia fileArticle content
I do not know the exact etiquette for this kind of milestone. I will never find the answer in a polite society handbook. But a question lingers over the river valley this week.
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What do you get a steam train for its 107th birthday?
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Golfers often mutter about the rare triumph of shooting their age.
Well, try this on for size.
Locomotive 107 at Fort Edmonton Park brings a whole new meaning to its name.
On June 6, the massive machine turns 107 years old.
It is a milestone for a genuine workhorse. Pure iron. Deep heat. Unyielding power.
On Saturday morning, at exactly 10:20 a.m., the season began.
The wind was fierce. The skies hung cold and grey over the city. But the fire inside the engine burned beyond hot.
That heat propelled the wheels. One. Rotation. At. A. Time. The heavy passenger cars and the caboose fell perfectly into line behind it.
The history of this mechanical beast demands quiet respect. She was born in 1919 in the foundries of Philadelphia. She first roared to life for the Industrial Lumber Company in Oakdale, La. She hauled heavy timber through the sweltering heat for fifty demanding years.
Then came the quiet. The work dried up. The engine was abandoned. Rust set in. Weeds grew tall.
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Things fell apart. Then they came back together.
In 1977, the engine made the long journey north to Fort Edmonton. A crew of dedicated mechanics rolled up their sleeves. Thirteen months later, she breathed again.
She found her steam. She found her tracks. She found her way back.
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Today, all 112,000 pounds of her command absolute attention. Two massive cylinders thrust into the air, producing 1,100 horsepower.
Behind 107 sits her faithful tender, holding 2,500 gallons of water and another 900 gallons of oil. Together, they stretch 51 feet long and stand 14 feet high.
Keeping a century-old iron giant alive requires steady devotion. She is oiled hourly. She is inspected meticulously throughout the day.
The Fort’s train crew watch every valve and joint to ward off breakdowns.
If the train stops, the park essentially stands still. The Edmonton Yukon & Pacific Railway is the undisputed heartbeat of the grounds.
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Tens of thousands of people will ride the rails this summer. They will take the four-kilometre journey from the main station, clattering along to the mandatory stop at the water tower.
The regulars know every whistle and puff. Kids wave at strangers. Grownups reach for cameras. Nobody checks the time.
Which brings us back to the birthday at hand. What do you present to a 107-year-old machine that already has a rich history and a fiercely dedicated crew?
No ribbons. No polite cards. Zero fuss.
You shower 107 with the one thing she was forged to accommodate. You give her the joy of adventure. You give her the spark of education. You give her passengers.
Just make sure you get to the platform early. There’s a thrill in being first. And if you happen to spill your coffee on your shoes in the excitement, well … there are worse ways to start a Saturday.
Above all, I hope we remember the lesson this old steam engine teaches us all. Even when time marches on and the skies turn grey, you keep moving forward. You pull your weight. You never miss the train.
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