Soo Line 2425 is now at our museum in Chisago City, Mn.
http://www.enderlinindependent.com/4DLi ... /1/640/480

For the record, this is one of four surviving Soo Line 2-8-0's. The other three are:

F-8 class #440 in Harvey, North Dakota

F-9 class #451 in New Town, North Dakota

F-22 class #2442 in Marshfield, Wisconsin

From the photo, it doesn't appear that #2425 was taken care of to well by the folks in Enderlin, North Dakota. Hopefully the other 3 Consolidations are in better condition.

Les

Why was the Soo so generous in preserving engines?

The 2425, class F-21, was built by Alco in October of 1909, construction number 46577. While owned by the Wisconsin Central, it was purchased after that road was leased by the Soo Line, so was never actually lettered for the WC, other than a small WC on the cab. This class, four engines, was built concurrently with the two engine Soo F-10 class. Basic specifications:

63" drivers
22.5" x 34" cylinders
engine weight, working order 221,000 lbs.
boiler pressure 170 lbs.
grate 52.75 sq.ft.
T.F. 43,000 lbs.

The engines were constructed as compounds, converted to simple and superheated at some point during their lives.

Congrats to the Ironhorse Central! This delightful little private museum is quickly turning into a first-rate collection, and with this latest addition they can now boast the second-largest collection of steam locomotives in Minnesota, behind the LSRM in Duluth.

The article says the plan is to get the engine running, but then it also calls the boiler a "shell" and seems to confuse the tender with the "firebox" (a particularly amusing case of a reporter obviously knowing nothing about steam locomotives) so I'd take anything it says with a pinch of salt. Is restoration to steam actually the plan? If so, wouldn't this engine be a bit big (heavy, long wheelbase) for the Ironhorse Central's loop? Or is there the possibility of running offline excursions with her?

Richard -

Yes. And it would be interesting to find out exactly the circumstances behind the acquisiton of #2425. Was the City of Enderlin looking to get rid of the locomotive? And if so, why? Or did the Ironhorse Central just approach Enderlin asking if the 2-8-0 might be available? And if so, why did they pick that particular engine? There seems to be a story there. Perhaps the original poster might eventually clue us in.

Les

I have photos of this locomotive taken back in the eighties when W&R was working on a run of brass models, and there were trees growing on it then. At some point during the last ten years, someone noticed it was bleeding "white stuff", which was blowing all over the park, in theory at least. So, the city freaked and erected a pole building around the locomotive for containment; a building that had NO door. Out of sight, out of mind. I believe there was a feeble grass-roots effort locally to "save our train", and that needed time for the realization to set in that there was no support, and no money would be forthcoming.

This is only my views as a distant outsider, but I'm glad that someone had the perseverance to negotiate their way through the local emotions, and then pony up the money to get it moved. The Iron Horse Central is an interesting place with some surprisingly significant pieces in their collection. I think it's going to a good home.

Below is a shot of what the locomotive looked like inside that pole building shot in 1999. There was a hole in the plastic covering the side of the building and I stuck the lens through it and took this shot.

Well, from the photo, it appears to be another case of a community accepting a locomotive and then just leaving it sit with no maintenance whatsover. In this particular case however, it may eventually turn out to be a good thing. The folks at the Ironhorse Central may eventually be able to restore the Consol, and hopefully get her running. As a fan of Soo Line steam, I certainly hope so.

As I recall, I also think that the Soo 4-6-2 in Minot, North Dakota had a similar problem. The local folks rejected a suggestion to just "bury" the engine and were going to try to do something about it. Was this another case of a doorless/windowless building, or something else? And was the "remedy" ever done?

Les

I have not been able to get any recent INFORMED reports from Minot. As far as I know, the asbestos was abated and the engine remains where it was in the city zoo. The abatement was actually done as a volunteer effort; one of the movers and shakers of the local "save our train" movement was in the Air Force reserve, and their unit happened to be certified for hazmat and asbestos removal, The unit donated its time. and the city supplied materials for the plastic containment enclosure, IIRC.

What I've not been able to ascertain is whether they cut pipes and appliances, or cut the jacket to slip it out from behind them, as I suggested. I also don't know if they saved any of the jacket for patterns.

One of the problems I've found with these local efforts is they initially have visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads, and tend to emit sounds like, "Let's get 'er runnin." Explaining the reality of the situation in an effort to keep things from being taken apart that shouldn't be tends to make me the bearer of bad news, so I lose touch with the groups, which quietly lose interest and fade into obscurity.

I had to gently break that news to the people caring for the 2442 in Marshfield, also. They were told by old timers that the engine had "just recently been overhauled". It also sat for thirty years with no cover, until the jacket rusted out. It has been stripped now, and a roof has been erected, but the top of the firebox and tapered boiler course has considerable pitting.

Such is life, I guess.

It is my understanding that there is a fifth Soo Line 2-8-0 in existance, No. 2412 at Columbus, ND. It was last used as Baukol-Noonan Coal Co. No. 173. How everyone has missed this one is a mystery. I don't have a photo of it, but it's clearly visible on the Google Maps view of Columbus, in a park on the east side of town at the end of Fourth Ave.

Jeff Terry

Jeff -

Well, all I can say is that I am completely dumfounded by this revelation. Years ago, I was a member of the Soo Line Historical-Technical Society and got their information about preserved Soo steam locomotives. Number 2412 was not on it. J. David Conrad did not list it in his 1988 publication "The Steam Locomotive Directory of North America". And since that time, I have never heard of this engine. Not even a hint! Am I skeptical? Yes I am. I sure wish someone would publish a photo of the 2-8-0, or at least the Google Map of Columbus, North Dakota, showing the locomotive sitting there.

I have often wondered if steam locomotive historians would one day turn up a locomotive that NO ONE knew about. Stuck in a locked and abandoned industrial plant somewhere. Or in some long abandoned mining companies locked enginehouse. But right out in the open in a park? Seems absurd! BUT then I searched for Columbus, North Dakota on the internet. Located in Burke County butting up against the Canadian border in the northwest part of the state, the info I have shows only 122 folks living there this year, down from 151 in the 2000 U.S. Census. Certainly off of the beaten track (no pun intended) and probably not a place where folks would just happen by! And if someone did drop by, why would they look for a park in the town, let alone a steam locomotive on display there? I found the coal company listed on the internet, with a name change from the old Baukol-Noonan Coal Company, so maybe that part makes sense. Amazing though, that the coal company would even think about donating the locomotive. And the fact that it was renumbered from 2412 to #173 makes me think that there might even have been other locomotives on their company roster at one time. More questions!

Well Jeff, I certainly hope this report is correct. It's not one of the second hand Monon or Rock Island Mikado's that the Soo bought second-hand during 1941 and 1942 to help with increased traffic leading up to and during the Second World War, but I'll gladly settle for an additional Soo Line Consolidation. And if the report IS in fact true, the next question then is, how are those hardy 122 souls taking care of their little Brooks built 2-8-0? Hopefully better than the 2425 was taken care of.

Les

Google Map
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Columbus,+ND&sll=37.509726,-95.712891&sspn=31.808087,64.775391&ie=UTF8&ll=48.904717,-102.774546&spn=0.001618,0.003954&t=h&z=18

Sure looks like a steam locomotive.

It is listed here:
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/ND.shtml

Bob

I can't take credit for this discovery. It was Erik Thompson of the Iron Horse Central - new owner of 2425 - that informed me of the existance of the 2412. Erik still has some clean up work to do with the building that 2425 was in at Enderlin, and he said he *might* travel up to Columbus if he has time. I'd sure like to join him!

Jeff Terry

Via the magic of google, I bring you 2412:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/afiler/2590631399/

Photo purportedly from May 2008.