Someone seeing sunshine for the first time in her present form.
https://www.midcontinent.org/category/cnw-1385/
...........mld

I've lost track of her restoration. Didn't she have a new boiler made in St. Louis?

Indeed it was by Continental Fabricating..............mld

Thanks. I thought that was the one I saw there. Great company.

First steam engine my wife and I ever rode behind; we even crossed the Kate Shelley High Bridge. That would have been - I think - September of 1983. By sheer luck, I also caught #1385 either that same year or an adjacent one at a stop between Marshalltown and Hampton, IA on the ex-M&StL... I believe that may have been the last time a steam locomotive ever creaked up those rails, which are now gone.

I realize that it is not polite to ask when the long restoration of 1385 is expected to be finished, but when I checked the Mid-Continent Railway Museum's website, I found an interesting note. Talking about the 1385 it says that it "will be the only operational steam locomotive from the C&NW". With the recent initial restoration steps being taken on C&NW 4-6-0 #175 by the Steam Railroading Institute, Mid-Continent may have to change that statement.

Les

Hi Les,
We will gladly celebrate SRI's success and make that change when it happens. We do wish them the best but also know how long & hard that road can be.

As to your cleverly veiled request, our goal is to have #1385 back at the Museum and at least making break-in runs in 2025. As to whether or not we're allowed to meet that goal we will see what the fates allow..........mld

I just took a look at the photos from Mid-Continent, and I think the 1385 is looking great! Assuming no serious issues with a new boiler, it looks like the restoration is essentially on the downhill stage for now, basically just putting the engine together, running those boiler tests, and buttoning her up. It helps that she's a nice, simple locomotive of modest size, unlike a big 4-8-4 with a lot of auxiliaries to work on.

Looking forward to her being under steam and running! She'll be most appropriate pulling those wooden cars at Mid-Continent.

mldeets -

Not so "cleverly veiled" at that, I guess! Thanks very much for the goal date. Would like to make it up to North Freedom, to ride behind the old girl.

Les

Pete, I continue to cheer from the sidelines.

Viva C&NW #1385 !!!!!