Hamilton - For ol' 71, it's the end of the line.

  For rail enthusiasts here and employees on the Toronto, Hamilton, & Buffalo Railway (TH&B) it's the death of an old friend.

  The only remains of the engine are burnt, twisted metal, the aftermath of an accident with a truck.

  Engine 71 was one of the earliest diesels to appear on Canadian rails and the first from General Motors, London, locomotive plant.

  The engine was one of seven GP7's ordered by the TH&B to be used in both freight and passenger service. All were rated at 1500 hp.

  Engine 71 was the first road unit to displace steam engines on the Toronto-Buffalo passenger run. Ironically, 71 was displaced by rail diesel cars on passenger runs and relegated to freight service only a few years later.

  Like her sister units, the engine saw service only in southern Ontario around the Hamilton area.

  Employees who operated and maintained the first-generation diesel engine for 30 years feel a degree of sadness, along with rail enthusiasts.

  With the co-operation of the TH&B, the company's corporate archives will place the bell, horn, and number plates in its collection.