Strasburg Rail Road (Canadian National) No. 7312, also known as Strasburg Rail Road No. 31, is an 0-6-0 "Switcher" type steam locomotive originally built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in August 1908 for the Canadian National Railway. It is owned and previously operated by the Strasburg Rail Road outside of Strasburg, Pennsylvania. As of 2021, No. 7312 is currently undergoing restoration back to operating condition. It had sat languishing in the back of the car shop for several years, but has recently been moved to have the work on the crown sheet continued.
History
No. 7312 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in August 1908 for the Grand Trunk Railway as number 118. The 118 was renumbered 1708 in September 1919. In January 1923, the Grand Trunk Railway was merged into the Canadian National Railway. Three months after the creation of Canadian National, 1708 was renumbered 7157, a number the locomotive carried until February 1952 when it was renumbered 7240. In 1957, the locomotive received its final CN number of 7312.[1] In July 1958, No. 7312 was retired at Stratford, Ontario where it had been working as the shop switcher.
In June 1959, No. 7312 was discovered by Strasburg Rail Road Vice President Bud Swearer who was visiting the CN yard at Stratford. The Strasburg Rail Road had intended to purchase a steam locomotive to power freight and passenger excursions and No. 7312 was of appropriate size for the operation. The Strasburg Rail Road negotiated the CN for the locomotive, which was ultimately purchased by a consortium of Strasburg Rail Road officials. Arriving at Strasburg in the summer of 1960, the locomotive was renumbered 31 and placed into service that September, becoming the first steam locomotive to reenter service in the United States. The locomotive was purchased outright by the Strasburg Rail Road in 1968.[2] The locomotive continued to remain in service up until early 2009 when it was time for the locomotive's heavy rebuild. No. 31 (Now renumbered back to 7312) has been stripped apart since then. Its cab remains on the side of Strasburg's engine shed. However, due to the railroad's busy contract work and upkeep of their fleet of three other operable steam locomotives (GW 90, CN 89 and N&W 475), the engine has been officially retired from excursion service. Plans to cosmetically restore the engine have been discussed but nothing has materialized currently.