#2020
Canadian National Class Z-4-a
🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by English Electric· from 1924· class of 9 Canadian boxcab electric locomotives
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1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. CN 6722 at Monkland Station, Montreal, Que. in October 1971 -- 2 Photos (35181537823): Marty Bernard from U.S.A.· Public domain
what is it?
The Canadian National Class Z-4-a was a batch of nine electric "boxcab" type locomotives built by English Electric for the Montreal Harbour Commissioners, later the National Harbour Board of Canada from 1924 to 1926. The Port of Montreal decided to de-electrify its railway system in 1940, and so in 1941 the fleet of locomotives was traded with Canadian National Railway for seven steam switcher locomotives. They were given the classification Class Z-4-a by CN and renumbered.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 102 years ago, in 1924.
- Weighs about as much as 15 African elephants (~6 t each).
electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.
spec sheet
- built
- 1924–1926
- retired
- 1995
- status
- retired
- number built
- 9
- kind
- Electric
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- builders
- English Electric, Beyer, Peacock and Company
- designer
- English Electric
- operators
- Canadian National Railway, National Harbours Board
- top speed
- 80 km/h
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- 2400, later 3000 V DC catenary
- wheel arrangement
- Bo+Bo
- weight
- 91.4 t
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q87722553, Wikipedia: Canadian National Class Z-4-a (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.