This was the little tender-equipped 0-4-0 that was dismantled and kept outside the CB&Q depot in Aledo, Illinois for years. A Non-Profit acquired the engine in 2020 and today announced their plans to restore it to operation.

More information:

https://railfan.com/iowa-group-to-resto ... ocomotive/

www.industrialrails.org

www.facebook.com/industrialrailsteam

I ran across that engine in Pacific, MO in 1987. Hope they get it running again. https://www.flickr.com/photos/41428530@N03/22725021701/in/dateposted/

Not only is that an adorable locomotive, but I notice that the President of this group is a very nice young fella named Sam Aufmuth, who has been active on this forum. It was only a few years ago that he was in high school, it looks an awful lot like he's got something on the ball these days. Just goes to show that they didn't throw away the mold when they quit making steam railroaders, in fact, they're still making them !!! It is a pleasure to offer my CONGRATULATIONS to Sam and his co-conspirators, and wish them best of luck with their efforts.

VIVA Indiana Northern #4 !!!

Sam is a great fellow. He is one of our crew members at the J&L Narrow Gauge although he now lives too far away to make more than the occasional visit. A couple of years ago he hatched this plan to acquire the locomotive and I agreed to act as the intermediary through Youngstown Steel Heritage to handle the donations then to make the purchase when the time came. We made the purchase and once AIRS had been incorporated and achieved tax exempt status sold the loco to them for $1.00.

I have no doubt that the 4 will steam again!

Thank you for doing that, Rick.

Today is the first I heard of this project, for which I want to thank you as well, Rick. I usually don't blab about anything before everything is rock solid, but I can't resist telling the world that we're plotting to doublehead Audrey with #4 someday, maybe have a tug-of-war, like the movie "Danger Lights"... all I gotta do is live long enough, but only the good die young, so that works in favor of it.

I guess I have developed a habit of helping groups acquire steam locomotives!

Let me join in with wishing this group does well with the locomotive.

Who would think a little old switcher could look this good?

It certainly is a nice little engine. It's good something has come of it after all this time. Just for perspective, this looks like a more current photo of it from their website. Certainly the work is cut out for them. IIRC quite some work was done to the chassis back in the 90s.

If I recall right, this one was part of Dave Miners collection, when he passed it was all auctioned off....
While he had it, he either did or had done much of the running gear work, but had apparently not gotten to the boiler...
Hopefully, all that time sitting in the weather hasn't completely ruined that work....

eze240 -

I seem to recall hearing that the running gear was worked on at Strasburg, but I may have that wrong.

Les

The running gear received a great deal of work at Strasburg, including new tires, bearings, springs, pistons, and a significant amount of machine work. The locomotive had been through several floods in its original location at a sand and gravel pit so, despite 15 years of outdoor storage since the work was performed, the machine work required is significantly less than it would have been prior. The locomotive's survival and future operation owes a lot to Mr. Miner.