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Southwest Forest Industries 2-8-0
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Author:  Les Beckman [ Tue Mar 18, 2008 1:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Southwest Forest Industries 2-8-0
The consolidation taking water at Flagstaff, Arizona in September of 1958:

www.azrymuseum.org/collection/img0301.htm

In photo above, the 2-8-0 has a square tender and is numbered 2. In the photo below, she carries the number 25 and has a slope back tender:

www.azrymuseum.org/collection/img0118.htm

The engine was originally built by Baldwin in January of 1911 (s/n 35938) for the Arizona Lumber & Timber Company of Flagstaff as their number 25. Leased in 1941 to the Saginaw & Manistee Lumber Company still carrying the number 25. In 1951, the S&MLC changed the number to 2. Southwest Lumber Mills acquired the engine in November of 1953 and kept the number 2 even when changing the corporate name to Southwest Forest Industries. Interesting that the engine would be re-numbered back to 25, a number not used when in service for SWFI. Engine is now on display in Flagstaff near the Amtrak station there.

Les
Author:  Richard Glueck [ Tue Mar 18, 2008 5:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Southwest Forest Industries 2-8-0
The engine is kept in good cosmetic shape, by the way. Her cab gauges are removed, but the locomotive has not suffered any of the indignities of twisted piping, smashed windows, or wanton vandalism. It is located right in downtown Flagstaff, next to the Amtrak station, in a heavy traffic area. A sister locomotive, #12, a 2-6-6-2 converted from a tank loco is at the Southwest Museum nearby. It too, look like it needs minimal service to bring her back to life. It's a nice comment on the people of Flagstaff.
Author:  Earl Knoob [ Tue Mar 18, 2008 6:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Southwest Forest Industries 2-8-0
SWFI #2/25 was originally displayed at the Flagstaff mill. It was placed on display in the spring of 1966, shortly after SWFI shut down it's logging RR south of Flagstaff. #2 was in servicable condition when the RR shut down and was used as the backup for the BLW S-12 that was also on the property. The S-12 was the 1959 replacement for 2-6-6-2 #12.

Eventually SWFI was sold off and merged with other companies. The last owner ran afoul with the local spotted owl problems that led to closing and scrapping the mill and creating lots of bitter feelings. The company swore that it would scrap #25 instead of giving it to the town of Flagstaff. Two fans came forward and bought #25 moved it to near the ATSF depot and donated it to some local historic foundation.

The legend has it the #25 lost it's last digit because her engineer hung his water bag on the side of the cab and wore off the last digit. So, it became #2. The original BLW front plate simply had a large "2" put over the "25". When SWFI put #2 on display they removed the sheet metal #2 and put her back to #25. The slope back tender never ran behind #25 in service. She had a rectangular similar to the one behind 2-6-6-2 #12. The slope back might have come from Saginaw & Manistee #4 another "tenderized" 2-6-6-2.

#25 is a Flagstaff icon. It is one of very few logging engines to survive multiple owners and stay in the same area for its entire existance.

It was also the first live steam locomotive I ever saw. In 1964 the family was driving to the Grand Canyon from Phoenix. Before the interstates arrived in Flagstaff, SWFI's railroad crossed the highway from Sedona at the south side of town where the I40/I17 interchange is today. Dad heard a whistle, stopped and #2 paddled by with a cut of loaded log cars.
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