A member at our railroad museum states that he remembers the Santa Fe 4-8-4 #2903 that used to be on display at Chicago's Museum of Science & Industry (and which is now at IRyM in Union) being used on at least one fantrip over the Grand Trunk Western prior to being placed at MoS&I. Can anyone verify this? (Perhaps it was not the 2903 that was used but another sister AT&SF Northern.) If this report IS true, I would like to get a photo of the engine from this trip. Does anyone have photos? Thanks.<br>



midlandblb@cs.com

If I were to take a guess here, I would say that the person has their locomotives confused. The GTW 4-8-4 U3b #6323 which is at the museum did run some excursions in the Chicago area. I have not heard of any ATSF run trips about that time with any engine. Personally I think that the U3b's are some of the best looking steam power ever built, and the IRM unit seems to be in excellent condition.<br>Steve<br>

Steve: Thanks for the reply. I rode behind #6323 and also sister 4-8-4 #6322 back at the end of the steam era on the Grand Trunk Western. I must admit that I preferred the 6322 because her headlight was center mounted on the smokebox door whereas #6323's was slightly above center. It was a little thing but in those days we had a choice. If I recall (and I may be wrong in my old age), the 6323 actually lasted longer on the GTW and I think may have been one of the two engines to pull the two sections of the last regularly scheduled steam powered passenger train running in the U.S.A. (out of Detroit, MI). I know for sure that one of the two sections was handled by GTW #6319. So in this case, IRyM definitely has an historic locomotive! As for my sliight preference for #6322 over #6323, I will forever forget it if you guys ever get the 6323 back running again.<p>Now as for the AT&SF running over the GTW, it was only reported to me so I didn't know if it was true or not. I took the money I received as a high school graduate in 1958 and spent it on my first steam fantrip (over the Burlington up to the Missabe) so have no idea as to what went on before that date. I do remember picking up an old copy of Trains Magazine many years ago which reported a traffic surge on the GTW around maybe 1955 or 1956 which caused the Grand Trunk to lease some "foreign" power including Burlington 4-8-4's and Illinois Central 4-8-2's. Perhaps it also included AT&SF 4-8-4's. Maybe someone will know for sure. BTW, how would you have liked to have been around for THAT show!!? Or maybe you were? If so, I am certainly jealous!<br>



midlandblb@cs.com