Pere Marquette 1223
Pere Marquette 1223 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pere Marquette Railway Locomotive #1223 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | 301 N Harbor Dr., Grand Haven, Michigan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 43°4′4″N 86°13′48″W / 43.06778°N 86.23000°W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Area | less than one acre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Built by | Lima Locomotive Works | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Architectural style | steam locomotive | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NRHP reference No. | 00001490[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Added to NRHP | December 7, 2000 |
The Pere Marquette 1223 is a N-1 class 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type steam locomotive on permanent display in Grand Haven, Michigan. It is one of two surviving Pere Marquette 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type locomotives, along with sibling engine No. 1225, the inspiration for the locomotive in the book and movie versions of The Polar Express, which is in operating condition.[2]
History
[edit]No. 1223 was built in November 1941 by the Lima Locomotive Works for $90,000 ($1.86 million in 2023 dollars), 1223 hauled freight and steel between Toledo and Chicago in the years immediately before and after World War II. When the Pere Marquette was absorbed by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, the engine assigned number 2657 but never had the new number applied.[3] The locomotive was not paid off at the time and the merger agreement stated that equipment still under trust was to remain in the Pere Marquette livery. It was retired from service in 1951.[3]
After retirement, No. 1223 was moved to New Buffalo, Michigan, to be scrapped. However, it was repainted and moved in 1960 for display at the state fairgrounds in Detroit. The money for that was provided by the donations collected by school children around the Detroit Area. In 1980, Michigan state fair officials wanted to expand the grandstands, but the locomotive stood in the way. The city of Grand Haven won the bidding process. With the help of the Michigan National Guard as well as Grand Trunk Western and Chessie System railroads, No. 1223 was moved to Grand Haven in 1981.[3]
In 1982, the West Michigan Railroad Historical Society acquired the PM steel boxcar #72222 and cosmetically restored it and joined the engine on static display.[3] Considering the number of years that it has stood out in the elements, No. 1223 would be an expensive and time-consuming project to restore it to operation. However, it received a full cosmetic restoration in 1989. That same year, PM caboose #986 was also purchased and would join No. 1223 on static display.[4]
The locomotive was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 7, 2000.[3]
On February 28, 2020, the rest of the display was vandalized, with No. 1223 being spray-painted several times and a caboose door kicked in.[5][6]
References
[edit]- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Train Engine #1223". SteamLocomotive.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2006.
- ^ a b c d e "Pere Marquette Berkshire #1223". Pere Marquette Historical Society. Retrieved August 7, 2006.
- ^ "Pere Marquette #1223 Facebook". Facebook.
- ^ "Historic train in Grand Haven targeted by vandals". February 27, 2020.
- ^ "Locomotive on display in western Michigan target of vandals".
- "Historic locomotive marks 25 years in Grand Haven". Muskegon Chronicle. Retrieved August 22, 2006.
Media related to Pere Marquette Railway 1223 at Wikimedia Commons
- Pere Marquette Railway locomotives
- 2-8-4 locomotives
- Lima locomotives
- Individual locomotives of the United States
- National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
- Buildings and structures in Ottawa County, Michigan
- Railway locomotives on the National Register of Historic Places
- National Register of Historic Places in Ottawa County, Michigan
- Railway locomotives introduced in 1941
- Standard gauge locomotives of the United States
- 1′D2′ h2 locomotives
- Grand Haven, Michigan
- Preserved steam locomotives of Michigan