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 Post subject: EJ&E 765 news, 2023
PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:42 pm 

Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 3:15 pm
Posts: 594
I’m surprised that I found this article on a whim. But this is great news for a long neglected locomotive. Long article so I’ve just posted the part about the other 765

https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lak ... 15768.html

GARY — The Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (EJ&E) No. 765 rolled out of the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia in 1929 and rumbled along freight railroads in the Region and greater Chicagoland for decades.

One railroad columnist described the 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotive as a "big, beefy machine with a rather large boiler for an engine whose design traced back to the beginning of the superheater era and that delivered 58,707 pounds of tractive effort." It hauled freight on the Chicago Outer Belt railroad stretching from Porter to Waukegan, Illinois.

Lately, it's looked a little worse for wear. The wooden steps leading up to the locomotive rotted away and were removed. Trees shroud its visibility. Classic Trains columnist Kevin P. Keefe described it as a "magnificent steam engine" and "a symbol for a generation of EJ&E railroaders" that's now "derelict" and as "invisible as a monument can be."

But now a Legacy Foundation grant will allow the Decay Devils preservation, urban exploration and artist group to restore the EJ&E No. 765 steam locomotive, help beautify downtown Gary, revive Gateway Park and turn public fountains there back on. The $60,000 grant from Legacy Foundation’s U.S. Steel/City of Gary Indiana Charitable Fund and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Donor Advised Fund will also allow the Decay Devils to host several downtown events, including an ice cream social, a Taste of the Region with food trucks and a summer festival bringing together several nonprofits.

The EJ&E railroad eventually converted to diesel engines, which would have rendered it obsolete if U.S. Steel didn't step in to give it a second life at its iron ore mines in northern Minnesota's Iron Range. It was sold in 1948 to the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway, where it hauled iron ore and taconite bound for Gary Works and other steel mills.

The massive steam locomotive ended its run in 1962 when it was donated to the City of Gary. The locomotive has been displayed in Gateway Park downtown across from City Hall.

“Our organization is pleased to receive this grant award and put it towards enhancing Gateway and the 5th Avenue parks. We have been dedicated to beautifying that corridor and this work goes hand in hand with our efforts to renovate the Union Station,” said Tyrell Anderson, president of Decay Devils. “We are extremely grateful to the Legacy Foundation, the Mayor’s Office, and the Parks Department for working with us and trusting our organization to execute this project."

The EJ&E No. 765 was last restored by U.S. Steel in 1992.

It's of such historic note that the Illinois Railway Museum tried to acquire it in the early 1980s, but the Common Council decided it was too much a part of Gary's heritage.

"It hasn't been touched since 1992," Anderson said.

The Decay Devils plan to touch up rust spots, water blast it, repaint it and place an awning over it to shield it from rain and snow. They also want to cut down one of the trees blocking the view of it and rebuild the set of stairs so that there's a viewing platform where people can look inside or take photos.

"They took the old stairs down a few years ago because they became a safety hazard," he said. "The floor just rotted out."

They also want to put up a plaque to explain the historic significance.

"My grandmother used to live across the street. I've been seeing that train my whole life," Anderson said. "They built the baseball stadium on that corner, but it was always a staple. It's nice to breathe some life back into it."


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 Post subject: Re: EJ&E 765 news, 2023
PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:18 pm 

Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2004 2:14 pm
Posts: 613
Location: Essex, Connecticut, USA
Greetings:
Really good news for a really good locomotive!
J.David


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 Post subject: Re: EJ&E 765 news, 2023
PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 12:18 am 

Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 3:15 pm
Posts: 594
The organization said to be in charge of this project is the Decay Devils.

Their main project is restoring and repurposing Gary Union Station. Here’s a link to their page.

https://www.decaydevils.org/


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 Post subject: Re: EJ&E 765 news, 2023
PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 1:15 am 

Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm
Posts: 6400
Steamguy73 wrote:


GARY — The Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (EJ&E) No. 765 rolled out of the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia in 1929 and rumbled along freight railroads in the Region and greater Chicagoland for decades.

One railroad columnist described the 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotive as a "big, beefy machine with a rather large boiler for an engine whose design traced back to the beginning of the superheater era and that delivered 58,707 pounds of tractive effort." It hauled freight on the Chicago Outer Belt railroad stretching from Porter to Waukegan, Illinois.



For the record, in addition to its "Outer Belt" line in the Chicago area, the EJ&E also had trackage rights over the Chicago & Eastern Illinois to reach U.S. Steel's coal mines in the central/southern portions of the Prairie state for the company's plants in the area. The "J" had their own concrete roundhouse in the Danville/Rossville area which I believe may still be standing. The railroads 2-8-2's (including perhaps 765 itself) were the motive power for those coal trains.

Here's hoping the cosmetic restoration of the Mike goes well.

Les


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 Post subject: Re: EJ&E 765 news, 2023
PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 10:03 am 

Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:34 pm
Posts: 924
Les, the EJ&E had a reasonable sized concrete round house in Waukegan as well. It was still standing when I left home in 1973. A good portion was no longer used and the concrete ceiling was falling down on occasion. I had made friends with a solitary car knocker who worked outside in warmer weather. Not sure when exactly it was torn down. Last I saw the rubble was still there. Turntable had been filled in when I was there. I was looking for any thing steam related but was not allowed in the crumbling part of the building and warned not to go out back. It was in a very bad part of town with the druggies and gang people just up the hill and down Market st. Many years later long after I had moved I had to PU a shipment for the old brass foundry that was close by right on the shore of Lake Michigan. I remember the slum building still standing but don't remember if the roundhouse was gone by then or not? It was still scary as far as who lived in those still standing buildings. Mostly drug addicts and it was a high crime area. Didn't have a camera back then so no pictures of the roundhouse. Tried researching it and found very few pictures?

Don't know what all the "J" hauled by this time? GM had a coke plant, Johns Manville had a huge plant famous for asbestos contamination and killing off many of its workers, OMC was still running, Diamond Scrap yard as well as a number of smaller industries were all gone shortly after I left the area. Common Wealth Edison still had a power plant so some coal was still moving. Funny the "J" was a hometown railroad but I never had much interest in it. C&NW got all that glory. Regards, John.


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 Post subject: Re: EJ&E 765 news, 2023
PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 11:38 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm
Posts: 6400
John -

Thanks for the info on the EJ&E concrete roundhouse in Waukegan. A number of years ago, I found the J's concrete house a bit south of Rossville, Illinois along the old C&EI tracks (now UP/CSX). There was some type of business using at least part of that structure at that time. I just looked on Mapquest, and it appears that at least half of the house is still in existence, but then I don't know how current the overhead Mapquest photo might be. The overhead photo showed various vehicles around the building and what possibly could be the roof of a boxcar, just south of those roundhouse remains. The roundhouse there near Rossville looks like it might have been about 10 stalls but can't tell for certain. There is a lack of EJ&E steam era photos for sure.

Thanks again for the info on Waukegan. Interesting to say the least.

Les


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 Post subject: Re: EJ&E 765 news, 2023
PostPosted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 10:03 am 

Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:34 pm
Posts: 924
Couple links I found. Brought back fond memories as I did not have to go far to visit here. That car knocker was really nice to me and found it interesting that I helped on a boiler and had an interest in the old stuff. He told me he would safe end tube by his little shack back in the day. He also told me about graphite and drain oil for painting smoke boxes, it was cheap paint. Regards, John.

http://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/2 ... house.html

https://www.lakestatesarchive.org/Harry ... t-Eastern/

http://towns-and-nature.blogspot.com/20 ... d-and.html


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