This was the first locomotive to operate out of Chicago. Called the Pioneer, it was built in 1837 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was originally used by the Utica and Schenectady Railroad in New York. It was later acquired by the Chicago and North Western Railway and put into service there in 1848. The Pioneer still survives, and is on display at the Chicago History Museum.
Showing posts with label train. Show all posts
Showing posts with label train. Show all posts
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Chicago's first locomotive, the 1837 Pioneer
This was the first locomotive to operate out of Chicago. Called the Pioneer, it was built in 1837 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was originally used by the Utica and Schenectady Railroad in New York. It was later acquired by the Chicago and North Western Railway and put into service there in 1848. The Pioneer still survives, and is on display at the Chicago History Museum.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Last of the private steam locomotive collections? Even had a Big Boy... the Blount collection
looks like a Big Boy http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/12/big-boy-used-coal-so-fast-that-shovels.html 
In the late 50's a seafood company founder began collecting steam locomotives... can a guy collect anything bigger? Has anyone? I doubt it. Anyway, he made a small tourist attraction and called it Steamtown, moved it a couple times but didn't get very close to any major cities... he stuck it in Vermont.
Anyway, he died in 1967, at the age of 47 and without setting up a modicum of management to keep the trains in good condition, so they were sold off, neglected, and falling apart. The company that ran the collection moved from Vermont to Scranton, PA in 1984 after about 20 years of barely surviving, and went bankrupt in 1986
Congress was quick to make it a national park, and the park service now runs the train attraction as a learning center about 1850 to 1950 steam locomotives.
Read a bit more about it from the souce of my info: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6160936&postcount=20825
Friday, February 11, 2011
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