Illinois Central 201

Illinois Central 201
IC 201 at the Illinois Railway Museum
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works Serial number 2588 Build date May 1880
Specifications Configuration: ​  •  Whyte 2-4-4 RT  •  UIC 1′B2′ nt Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 56+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Loco weight 107,600 lb (48,806.5 kg; 48.8 t) Fuel type Coal Boiler pressure 140 lbf/in2 (970 kPa) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 16 in × 22 in (406 mm × 559 mm) Valve type Slide valves
Performance figures Tractive effort 11,862 lbf (52.76 kN)
Career Operators Illinois Central Railroad Chicago Railroad Fair Numbers IC 213 IC 221 IC 201 IC 1401 Retired November 1928 Preserved 2002 Current owner Illinois Railway Museum Disposition On static display

Illinois Central 201 is a 2-4-4 RT type steam locomotive, originally owned and operated by Illinois Central Railroad. In 1949, the locomotive was operated at the Chicago Railroad Fair as part of the "Wheels A-Rolling" pageant. It is now on static display at Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois.

Service

No. 201 was one of several 2-4-4T locomotives built for commuter service between the edge of the Chicago Loop and the South suburbs (now part of the Metra Electric District).

Preservation

No. 1401 was retired in November 1928 when the IC electrified the route. The rest of the fleet retired in 1935 from yard service; some were sold to other railroads. In 1934, it was renumbered back to No. 201 where it took part at the Chicago Worlds Fair for many years until 1949. In 1975, the locomotive was sold to a private owner and displayed in front of the depot in Owatonna, Minnesota. It was later donated to the Illinois Railway Museum in 2002.

References

• Chicago Railroad Fair Official Guide Book. 1949.
• Edson, William D. (Spring 1979). "Locomotive Rosters Illinois Central Railroad and Predecessor Lines". Railroad History . 140 (140). Railway and Locomotive Historical Society: 10–114. JSTOR   43523944.
• Moshein, Peter; Rothfus, Robert R. (Autumn 1992). "Rogers Locomotives: A Brief History and Construction List". Railroad History . 167 (167). Railway and Locomotive Historical Society: 13–147. JSTOR   43521603.