The town of Fort Erie is deciding what to do with the historical CN 6218 steam locomotive and caboose which have been outside of Fort Erie Railway Museum since 1974.

Fort Erie town council spent from April to August narrowing down options based on a number of risk-assessment criteria like costs and resources, municipal policies and practices, industry standards, the impact on the Fort Erie Railway Museum and the impact on the trains.

In a media release this week, council said they’ve narrowed the options down to 10, which will be discussed Nov. 6 at a council-in-committee meeting.

“Public input was sought through meetings with identified stakeholder groups who had expressed interest in the future of the CN 6218; by soliciting public input through the Town of Fort Erie’s website and social media platforms; through questionnaires distributed at the Fort Erie Historical Museum and Fort Erie Railway Museum; and by hosting a public open house at the Town Hall,” said the release.

In 1973, Fort Erie town council passed a motion to accept the donation of the CN 6218 steam locomotive.

Since 1989, the town has invested nearly $90,000 into repairing and maintaining the engine.

In 2010 and 2011, council committed $50,000 each year for a total of $100,000 to a fund securing the future of the engine, though none of that fund has been spent.