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Pere Marquette 1225

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Description

This is an old photo that was taken back in 2005 (I was 12 then) during my visit to the Steam Railroading Institute.

Pere Marquette 1225 sits in the SRI shops awaiting it next excursion. If you look closely, you can see the "Polar Express" lettering on the tender.

Taken: June 24, 2005

Location: Steam Railroading Institute, Owasso, MI
Image size
2048x1536px 842.49 KB
Make
FUJIFILM
Model
FinePix S3000
Shutter Speed
1/64 second
Aperture
F/2.8
Focal Length
6 mm
ISO Speed
100
Date Taken
Jun 24, 2005, 10:08:15 AM
Sensor Size
5mm
© 2013 - 2024 metalheadrailfan
Comments15
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RattlerJones's avatar
Similar to Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 Berkshires by the appearance, Pere Marquette's N-1 Class 2-8-4 number 1225 is another preserved locomotive which was once one of nearly forty 2-8-4's for the Pere Marquette Railway in 1944. 
Retired from revenue service in 1951, the 1225 was since pushed into a display locomotive at the Michigan State University. 
Years later with the first restoration stages in the 1970's, the locomotive was eventually moved to the former Ann Arbor steam shops on the Tuscola and Saginaw Bay railroad in the early 1980's where it was finally restored by the State Trust for Railway Preservation by 1985. 
In 1990, the 1225 rode on the high iron hauling two freight trains in a test trial to determine if the PM steamer was suited for next year's National Railway Historical Society convention at Huntington, West Virginia. 
A year later, despite having slapped with a 20 mph speed restriction for lacking a speed-recorder on board, the 1225 was accompanied by its Nickel Plate cousin no. 765 as they hauled two freight trains together along the way to Huntington.
To this day, both the 1225 and 765 make a good team together as they perform in photo freights and excursion runs, they even hauled the 1st freight bound for Cincinnati as they passed by the former Lima Locomotive Works in Ohio, their old home.
There a tribute of whistles and exhausts from both of these engines ricocheted the brick walls of the old buildings that turned out both machines a half-century old.  
For MSTFRP member; Rod Crawford, it was a emotional moment, a dream come true where two preserved Lima-built Berkshires became a duo together at their old home where they were built.
The doubleheader steam train was a frosting to a cake for Rod as well.
Once arrived into Huntington the next day by the late afternoon, the two Berkshires began their 1st event of the convention on Friday August 9th by racing side-by-side on a 38-mile eastbound run to St. Albans. 
On Saturday while on the double-header run to Hinton, West Virginia, the 1225 began having a problem with a leak in one of the thermic syphons, which led this problem to the 765 for the whole trip. 
Although the syphon leak had dampened the 1225's performance, it hadn't dampened its triumphant actions for the 1991 NRHS Convention when it traveled home to Owosso.
The 1995 Steamtown Grand Opening tried to invite the Pere Marquette 1225, but the locomotive's trip was cancelled with only two days when the Scranton organizers declined to boost the Preservation Group's 
compensation for the extra 500 miles for the locomotive to travel through Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Still, the only-operable PM steamer hadn't gave up its best quality in performances later in 1998 and 1999 right before the dawn of the 21st Century.
The 1225 was also influenced by the use of a fictional Polar Express locomotive in the 2004 feature film by the name of a similar title to the most best-selling Christmas book; the Polar Express since 1985.