The wayback machine has transported us back to Aug. 13, 1996. Ohio Central 4-6-0 No. 1551 is running southbound in Baltic with an excursion train. The 1551 was often the standard motive power for the Sugar Creek-Baltic trains.
It once was part of the Steamtown USA collection and before that was owned by Canadian National. It was built in 1912 by Montreal Locomotive Works.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
From 1975 to 1990 the summer and autumn norm in northeast Ohio was former Grant Trunk Western 2-8-2 4070 running from Cleveland to Akron on the Cuyahoga Valley Line.
Even though it was shut down during 1986 and 1987 due to the transition of the ex-Baltimore & Ohio branch from CSX to the National Park Service, when it returned in 1988 many figured 4070 would be running for years to come.
During the 15-year period I spent many available weekends riding, photographing, then volunteering on the restoration and operating crews.
Little did we all know that after the September 1990 mechanical breakdown of 4070 that a changing of the guard was in the works with the organizations and steam in the area.
Luckily Jerry Jacobson’s Ohio Central began operating steam tourist trains out of Sugarcreek in October 1988.
For the next 15 plus years we saw a variety of steamers operating, the former Canadian National 4-6-0 No. 1551.
It had been built by Montreal Locomotive Works in April 1912 as Canadian Northern 1354.
These are two of my favorite photos of Jerry’s first operating steamer on the Ohio Central taken just one month after 4070’s last time under steam.
In the top image, No. 1551 leads a train near Fresno. In the bottom image it cruises through Baltic. Both images were made on Oct. 14, 1990.
It may be arriving in pieces, but former Chicago & North Western 4-6-0 No. 175 is making its way to its new home at the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, Michigan.
The boiler of the R-1 class engine was delivered separately from the running gear on the journey by truck from the Mineral Range Railroad in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Altogether, the 175 was disassembled into four components of parts. The boiler had to be modified so that it would stay beneath the 45-ton load limit of the Mackinac Bridge.
The only other alternative to using the bridge would have been to use the carferry SS Badger between Manitowoc, Wisconsin and Ludington, Michigan, or to truck the locomotive around Lake Michigan through Illinois and Indiana.
Permits would have been required for each state through which the boiler passed.
No. 175 was the last steam locomotive operated by the C&NW, pulling an excursion in 1957.
Built by the Schenectady Works in 1908, it spent much of its life working on C&NW lines in the Upper Peninsula. It is one of three R-1s still in existence.
SRI, which also owns Pere Marquette 2-8-4 No. 1225, plans to restore the 175 to operating condition at an estimated cost of $750,000.
Once operating, the 175 will be able to travel to places on the Great Lakes Central that are off limits to the larger No. 1225, including north of Cadillac, Michigan.
The Michigan-based Steam Railroading Institute plans to restore another steam locomotive to operating condition.
The group in Owosso has acquired former Chicago & North Western 4-6-0 No. 175 from the Mineral Range Railroad of Ishpeming, Michigan.
The R-1 class Ten-Wheeler locomotive will join a fleet that includes Pere Marquette 2-8-4 No. 1225 in pulling excursions on the Great Lakes Central Railroad.
No. 175 was built by Alco in Schenectady, New York, in 1908 and worked in Upper Michigan. It is one of three R-1s still in existence
“We’re very excited about a project that’s actually doable,” said SRI executive director Kimberly Springsdorf. “The 175 will be able to go places we can’t go with [No. 1225].”
Kevin Mayer, SRI’s chief mechanical officer, told Trains magazine that the organization decided to buy No. 175 after inspecting it last summer.
The inspection team, which included institute board member Preston Claytor and steam contractor Dan Pluta, determined during an ultrasound test of the boiler and a review of the running gear that restoration was feasible.
“This fits what we’re all about and helps fulfill our mission statement,” Mayer said.
No. 175 could potentially operate on the Great Lakes Central to Petoskey, Michigan, over a 71-stretch of track has bridges that cannot support the weight of the 1225.
SRI officials said they are now exploring fund-raising opportunities to pay for restoration of No. 175, which will be moved by truck to Owosso in June
