Editorial:

It’s easy to understand the frustration of the train buffs who agreed in 2002 to help steer the restoration of Guelph’s historic steam locomotive. They clearly didn’t think they were signing up for a project that would drag on to 2015, as it now appears it might.

For train buffs like Locomotive 6167 Restoration Committee member Bruce Lowe, there’s an irresistible appeal to steam locomotives – both as a part of our history that’s worth preserving and as significant tourist attractions. Lowe and others who have volunteered so many hours to restore the locomotive, which was donated by CN to Guelph in 1967, are justifiably impatient to finish the job.

It’s not clear why some sort of compromise can’t be worked out to allow access to railway property to finish the restoration of the locomotive. At first blush, the refusal of permission for access, apparently backed up by a threat of trespassing charges, seems unreasonable.

The idea of the locomotive sitting in an unfinished state until 2015 is hard to swallow. It’s worth another try to see what can be done to wrap the project up sooner.