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| Canadian National 3254 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 CN No. 3254 on static display in the yard, August 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Canadian National 3254 is a class "S-1-b" 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotive built by the Canadian Locomotive Company for the Canadian National Railway as the fifth member of the Canadian National class S-1-b.
Canadian National 3254 was built in 1917 by the Canadian Locomotive Company for the Canadian Government Railways where it was originally numbered as No. 2854. [1] In 1918, the Canadian Government Railways was merged with the Canadian Northern Railway to create the Canadian National Railway (CN). During a subsequent renumbering process within the locomotive fleet, No. 2854 was renumbered to No. 3254. The locomotive had considerable pulling power, could climb grades without incident, and was used to pull heavy freight trains. [1] No. 3254 had a mostly uneventful career before it was involved in a head-on collision in British Columbia in 1941. The locomotive subsequently continued to pull freight trains for CN, until its last major class 3 overhaul was completed in Allendale, Ontario, and it was retired from revenue service in February 1958. [1]
After being stored for three years, the locomotive was sold in November 1961 to motel owner Willis F. Barron, who moved it to a Reading Company (RDG) station in Ashland, Pennsylvania. [1] [2] Barron had intentions to run the locomotive on the former RDG branchline that served the town, but rails were ripped up before Barron's planned venture could begin operation. [1] He had No. 3254 disassembled, moved via truck, and reassembled at his Ashland Court Motel for static display in front of a New Haven passenger coach. [1] [2] During the 1970s, Barron lost interest in restoring No. 3254 to operating condition, so it was sold to the Adirondack Railroad in Lake Placid, New York, but it was never delivered there.
In 1982, it was sold again to the Gettysburg Railroad, and they disassembled it to be hauled by truck to Gettysburg. [1] It was subsequently reassembled and restored to operating condition in 1985, and it began pulling excursion trains between Gettysburg and Mount Holly Springs. It also participated in that year's National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) convention alongside Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad 2-8-0 No. 38. During its time at Gettysburg, however, the locomotive proved to be oversized and overpowered for the railroad's needs, so it only operated there for a year and a half until it was pulled from service and put into storage in 1986.
Simultaneously, Steamtown, U.S.A. needed a larger locomotive to meet the demand for greater motive power to pull their longer excursion trains, and they needed a second operable steam locomotive for their grand reopening of 1987. [3] In June 1987, the Gettysburg Railroad agreed to trade No. 3254, in exchange for Canadian Pacific 1278 and $100,000. [1] [3] The locomotive was repainted as Delaware, Lackawanna and Western (DLW) No. 1271, and on June 14, it moved under its own power from Gettysburg to Harrisburg to Steamtown's location in Scranton. [1] [3] After the National Park Service (NPS) acquired Steamtown, which was consequently renamed as Steamtown National Historic Site, No. 3254 was reverted to its CN appearance. In 1995, the locomotive participated in the grand opening of Steamtown's main roundhouse alongside multiple other locomotives, including Canadian Pacific 2317, Baldwin Locomotive Works 26, Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad 425, New York, Susquehanna and Western 142, and Milwaukee Road 261. [4]
Steamtown also owns Canadian National 3377, which became a spare parts provider for the locomotive. The tender from No. 3377 replaced No. 3254 original tender in 2010 due to rust leaks; the original tender would later be scrapped. As a result of issues with either the boiler/firebox or the frame, combined with other needed maintenance which made further operation impractical, the locomotive made its last run on December 2, 2012. It was taken out of service after the 2012 holiday season, and it was subsequently awaiting its 1,472 day inspection and rebuild. Steamtown later decided to officially retire it from excursion service indefinitely due to its poor condition. The early retirement is likely attributed due to its bent frame of its 1941 collision, it has frequently been described as a "rough rider," and had been chewing up bearings at an accelerated rate. It also consumed a staggering amount of coal compared to the amount consumed by Canadian Pacific 2317. [5]
As of 2023, the engine still remains on static display, with no plans on returning to service anytime soon, due to its poor condition and bent frame. Boston and Maine 3713 will be replacing both No. 3254 and No. 2317 as Steamtown's main line excursion locomotive once restored to operation. [6] [7] Additionally, despite being used for spare parts, sister locomotive No. 3377 will be the next candidate for restoration. [7]
On July 24, 1941, No. 3254 was pulling the second section of CN’s Transcontinental passenger train out of New Westminster, British Columbia and onto a single-track line in the Brunette Valley at less than 25 miles per hour (40 km/h), and then at 9:42 am, it collided head-on with a Great Northern Railway (GN) passenger train, led by 4-6-2 locomotive No. 1351. [8] Local experts believed that the GN No. 1351 crew, who were new to their jobs at the time, have accidentally caused the collision; they were ordered to stop at a siding to wait for the second section of the Transcontinental—No. 3254’s train—to pass before proceeding on the single-track shared by CN and GN, but when the first section of the Transcontinental passed, the engineer allegedly mistook it as the train they were supposed to wait for and proceeded too early. [8]
No. 3254 and its tender jackknifed onto their sides, and the locomotive was severely damaged upon impact, with the cylinder blocks being ripped away from the frame and the piston rods being twisted upwards, and a wooden baggage car directly behind it was crushed. [8] The locomotive also began to engulf in flames, and when fire fighters arrived at the scene, they had to use chemical equipment to put the fire out. [8] No. 3254 engineer Herbert H. Mills and fireman Tillinger were both severely injured, as was No. 1351 engineer John Caray. [8] No. 1351 fireman A. Hager and CN baggage man Harold H. Krinks—who was inside the wooden baggage car—were killed upon impact, while twenty-one passengers and crew members received minor injuries. [8]
Many people arrived at the scene to help bring the injured passengers and crew to safety, and a second mainline was temporarily built to clear the wreckage. [8] Despite being badly damaged following the accident, CN rebuilt the No. 3254, and it continued to run in revenue service, but the locomotive was left with a bent frame and an off-centered cab.
Steamtown National Historic Site (NHS) is a railroad museum and heritage railroad located on 62.48 acres (25.3 ha) in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the site of the former Scranton yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W). The museum is built around a working turntable and a roundhouse that are largely replications of the original DL&W facilities; the roundhouse, for example, was reconstructed from remnants of a 1932 structure. The site also features several original outbuildings dated between 1899 and 1902. All the buildings on the site are listed with the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Yard-Dickson Manufacturing Co. Site.
Canadian Pacific 2816, also known as the "Empress", is a preserved class "H1b" 4-6-4 Hudson-type steam locomotive built by the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) in December 1930 for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). It is the only non-streamlined H1 Hudson to be preserved.
Steamtown, U.S.A., was a steam locomotive museum that ran steam excursions out of North Walpole, New Hampshire, and Bellows Falls, Vermont, from the 1960s to 1983. The museum was founded by millionaire seafood industrialist F. Nelson Blount. The non-profit Steamtown Foundation took over operations following his death in 1967. Because of Vermont's air quality regulations restricting steam excursions, declining visitor attendance, and disputes over the use of track, some pieces of the collection were relocated to Scranton, Pennsylvania in the mid-1980s and the rest were auctioned off. After the move, Steamtown continued to operate in Scranton but failed to attract the expected 200,000–400,000 visitors. Within two years the tourist attraction was facing bankruptcy, and more pieces of the collection were sold to pay off debt.
Canadian National 3377 is a preserved class "S-1-d" 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotive currently on display at the Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Canadian Pacific 1293 is a class "G5d" 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive built in June 1948 by the Canadian Locomotive Company for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Built for passenger service, No. 1293 served an eight-year career until being replaced by diesel locomotives where it was then retired in 1959. Purchased in 1964 by F. Nelson Blount for use at his Steamtown site in Bellows Falls, Vermont, No. 1293 was easily restored to operation for hauling fan trips for the general public. 1293 was later sold to the Ohio Central Railroad in 1996 for tourist train service. Today, the locomotive is out on display at the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio.
Canadian Pacific 1278 is a class "G5d" 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive built by the Canadian Locomotive Company for the Canadian Pacific Railway. After being retired from revenue service, the locomotive was purchased in 1965 by F. Nelson Blount for excursion trains at his Steamtown, U.S.A. collection. The locomotive was sold to Gettysburg Railroad in 1987, and it pulled excursion trains between Gettysburg and Biglerville, but it was subject to shoddy maintenance by inexperienced crews. The locomotive was retired from excursion service in 1995, after suffering a firebox explosion in June. As of 2024, the locomotive is on static display at the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio.
Canadian Pacific 1246 is a preserved G5c class 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive built by the Montreal Locomotive Works in June 1946. In 1965, it became one of three G5 locomotives to be purchased by Steamtown, U.S.A. for excursion service. After operating in Scranton for a few years in the 1980s, No. 1246 was sold at an October 1988 auction to the Railroad Museum of New England with plans to restore and operate it, and it was initially put on static display. As of 2023, No. 1246 is stored at the Railroad Museum of New England.
Illinois Central No. 790 is a preserved 2-8-0 “Consolidation” steam locomotive, built by ALCO’s Cooke Works in 1903. In 1959, No. 790 was saved from scrap and purchased by Lou Keller, and he used it to pull excursion trains in Iowa. In 1965, the locomotive was sold to a New York businessman, who, in turn, sold it the following year to F. Nelson Blount, the founder of Steamtown, U.S.A.. As of 2024, No. 790 is on static display at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Reading Blue Mountain and Northern 425 is a 4-6-2 light "Pacific" type steam locomotive originally built in 1928 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Railroad. After the GM&N was consolidated into the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio in 1940, the locomotive was renumbered No. 580 and served in passenger service before being retired in 1950. The locomotive is currently owned and operated by the Reading & Northern, based out of Port Clinton, Pennsylvania in excursion service. At the end of 2022, No. 425 was taken out of service for its mandatory Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 1,472-day inspection and overhaul.
Nickel Plate Road 759 is a class "S-2" 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type steam locomotive built in 1944 by the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio as a member of the S-2 class for the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, commonly referred to as the "Nickel Plate Road". Built as a fast freight locomotive, No. 759 served the Nickel Plate until being retired in 1959 and placed into storage. In 1965, No. 759 was purchased by F. Nelson Blount for display in his Steamtown, U.S.A. collection in North Walpole, New Hampshire. The locomotive was restored to operating condition in 1967 by New York commodity broker Ross Rowland for use in hauling his Golden Spike Centennial Limited, a special commemorative train that celebrated the 100th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1969. Afterwards, No. 759 pulled numerous excursions for Ross Rowland and Steamtown until being retired once more and placed back on display in 1977. As of 2023, the locomotive remains on static display at the Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and sibling engine No. 765 continues to operate in mainline excursion service.
Canadian National Railway (CN) Class S locomotives were a Class of 2-8-2 wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or 1′D1′ in UIC classification. These locomotives were designed for 16° operating curvature. The first examples of this very successful class were built for the Grand Trunk Railway in 1913. Major purchases of the class continued through 1924. Sub-classes S-3 and S-4 employed higher pressure boilers with smaller diameter cylinders to achieve similar tractive effort with higher efficiency. The class remained in freight service until the final replacement of steam with diesel-electric locomotives. 53 were renumbered between 4045 and 4097 in 1956.
Boston and Maine 3713, also known as the "Constitution", is the sole survivor of the "P-4a" class 4-6-2 "Heavy Pacific" type steam locomotives. It was built in December 1934 by the Lima Locomotive Works for the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M), hauling passenger trains around the New England region. In 1956, No. 3713 was given the duty to haul B&M's Farewell to Steam excursion between Boston, Massachusetts and Portland, Maine, marking the end of steam operations on the B&M.
Canadian Pacific 2317 is a class "G-3c" 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive built by the Montreal Locomotive Works for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Reading 2124 is a preserved class T-1 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive that was built by the Reading Company (RDG) in January 1947, using parts from "I-10sa" class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type locomotive No. 2024, which was originally built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in December 1924.
The Reading T-1 was a class of 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotives owned by the Reading Company. They were rebuilt from thirty "I-10sa" class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type locomotives between 1945 and 1947. Out of the thirty rebuilt, four survive in preservation today, those being numbers 2100, 2101, 2102, and 2124.
Grand Trunk Western No. 4070 is an S-3-a class 2-8-2 USRA Light Mikado steam locomotive, and it was originally built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in December 1918 for the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) as No. 474. It was later re-numbered to 3734 by the Grand Trunk Western (GTW), after the GTR was absorbed into Canadian National (CN). In the late 1950s, the locomotive received a larger tender from an S-3-c class locomotive, and it was further re-numbered to 4070.
The Great Northern H-5 was a class of 25 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotives that were originally built as E-14 4-6-0 "Ten Wheelers" by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1909 and operated by the Great Northern Railway until the mid-1950s.
Grand Trunk Western No. 6039 is a preserved class "U-1-c" 4-8-2 "Mountain type" steam locomotive built in June 1925 by Baldwin. It served the Grand Trunk Western Railroad by pulling fast passenger and freight trains throughout the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, until the railroad decided to dieselize their locomotive fleet. During that time, it was leased to the Central Vermont Railway for freight service, only to become one of the very last steam locomotives to regularly operate in the state of Vermont. After being retired in the late 1950s, No. 6039 became one of the first steam locomotives to be owned by F. Nelson Blount, and it subsequently became part of his Steamtown, U.S.A. collection for static display. In 1984, the locomotive was moved along with every other locomotive in the Steamtown collection from Bellows Falls to Scranton, Pennsylvania, where the name would late be changed to Steamtown National Historic Site under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. As of 2023, No. 6039 remains on static display at Scranton with very meticulous cosmetic care.
Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad and Coal Co. 38 is a preserved 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive. It was built by Baldwin in April 1927 for use on the Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad and Coal Company in south central Pennsylvania in the United States, which commonly used the locomotive to pull short-distance freight trains, as well as occasional passenger trains, until the railroad shut down operations in 1954. The locomotive was subsequently acquired by the Rail City Historical Museum in Sandy Creek, New York for static display. In the late 1960s, No. 38 was sold to the Livonia, Avon and Lakeville Railroad in Lakeville, New York, who restored the locomotive to operating condition to pull their excursion trains.
