Was this the last C&NW locomotive in steam (excluding 1385)? Shown here at Chadron, Nebraska in 1956, I've seen it written that it was later taken east for stationary boiler use, where it blew up, about 1960 or 1961. Anyone have details?

http://gowest.coalliance.org/cgi-bin/imager?00003218+OP-3218
ryarger@rypn.org

> Was this the last C&NW locomotive in
> steam (excluding 1385)? Shown here at
> Chadron, Nebraska in 1956, I've seen it
> written that it was later taken east for
> stationary boiler use, where it blew up,
> about 1960 or 1961. Anyone have details?

Bob,
I believe that this was the locomotive that blew up about that timeframe while being used as a stationary boiler in a Milwaukee, WI, enginehouse. Russ Porter did a book within the last couple of years that has photos of her inside the enginehouse prior to her untimely demise. His caption, if I remember correctly, indicated that the watchman became inattentive (sleeping?) and allowed the crownsheet to become exposed. When he realized his error he compounded it by starting the injector. As Paul Harvey says, "And that's the rest of the story..." One of the Morning Sun books on the C&NW may also have photos and the story, too.
Don C.


old_fxrs@msn.com

Bob,
My memory was pretty good. I am home now and pulled out "Chicago and Northwestern in Color" Volume 2 and page 90 relates the whole story. Also, Russ Porter's "Chicago and Northwestern - Milwaukee Road Pictorial" has photos on pages 10 and 13 of 1899 in the Chase Avenue roundhouse in Milwaukee a week before she exploded. The books date the explosion to December of 1959. The watchman expired at the same time the 1899 did.
Unfortunate circumstances for both the locomotive and the watchman.
Don C.

old_fxrs@msn.com

> Bob,
> My memory was pretty good. I am home now and
> pulled out "Chicago and Northwestern in
> Color" Volume 2 and page 90 relates the
> whole story. Also, Russ Porter's
> "Chicago and Northwestern - Milwaukee
> Road Pictorial" has photos on pages 10
> and 13 of 1899 in the Chase Avenue
> roundhouse in Milwaukee a week before she
> exploded. The books date the explosion to
> December of 1959. The watchman expired at
> the same time the 1899 did.
> Unfortunate circumstances for both the
> locomotive and the watchman.
> Don C.

Wasn't the 444 the last C&NW locomotive that operated in Nebraska?

God Bless,
Gerald Kopiasz

hrrhs@aol.com

Yes, I believe so. In 1958, when it ran under its own power from Chadron to the CB&Q interchange to be taken to Hill City, SD. R-1 No. 175 powered an excursion the year before, I think in upper Michigan.

> Wasn't the 444 the last C&NW locomotive
> that operated in Nebraska?

> God Bless,
> Gerald Kopiasz


ryarger@rypn.org