Records show that five locomotives were completed for the Grand Trunk during 1856: seven for the Grand Trunk and other pioneer Canadian railways in 1857, four in 1958, and eleven in 1859.

During the Fifties several other Canadian firms began the manufacture of locomotives, but, of all these early builders, only the Kingston works was able to remain in the business.

Among those who fell by the wayside after producing a few engines during the years between 1853 and 1887 were James Good, Toronto; Kinmond Bros., Montreal; Dan C. Gunn, Hamilton; Fleming & Humbert, St. John; and Montgomery Iron Works, Halifax.

What was the reason for the success of Kingston as compared with all its early Canadian competitors? Clearly it could only have been the superiority of its products - a superiority which is attested to by early motive power records in existence today. Then, as in the years to come, Kingston locomotives were establishing records of outstanding performance.

In the years prior to 1887, the annual production of the Kingston plant always outstripped its Canadian competition. From 1887 to 1904, Kingston was alone in Canadian locomotive manufacturing .

However, the Company was not alone in supplying the Canadian market. For many years Canadian railroads placed large orders with English and American builders as with those in Canada and, in addition, produced a considerable number of locomotives in their own shops.

The Company was engaged in a highly competetive field and, like many Canadian pioneer firms of the period, went through several reorganizations and many vicissitudes before emerging as the large, well-capitalized company of today.