CB&Q 5629, now on display at CRRM in Golden, CO, is pictured under steam in the June 1962 Train Magazine Steam News Photos with the following caption, "Q 5629 served as temporary boiler at Lincoln depot during conversion this winter." So she served during the winter of 1961-1962.

The March 1962 Trains has a photo of C&NW 4-6-4s 4008 and 4009 (sans tenders and streamlining and welded to the rails) being scrapped at Escanaba, Mi. The caption indicates that they were used until August 1961 (I wonder how many frozen ore jennies ended up in Escanaba in AUGUST?!) I guess they were welded to the rails so they did not attempt another "jail break" similar to sister 4004.

Don C.

Don -

Your posting brings up a couple of questions. First, pertaining to Burlington O5B #5629 now at the Colorado Railroad Museum. I have read that the 4-8-4 was "put away" with a boiler full of water which was allowed to freeze. How would this affect any possible restoration to active service? In other words, exactly what damage would have been done? Of the four surviving Q 4-8-4's, the 5629 is probably the closest to sister 5632 (oil burning and all-weather cab) in appearance. And yes, I realize that it will probably never leave the museum in Golden.

Secondly, I know that the NorthWestern had 9 E-4 class oil burning Hudsons. But I have seen the numbers described as 4000-4008 and also as 4001-4009. The TRAINS photo in their March 1962 issue of the two 4-6-4's being scrapped indicates that the later sequence is correct, UNLESS the photo caption was wrong. Any C&NW experts out there know the numbering sequence for sure?

Thanks.

Les

Les,

Here is what Bob Richardson wrote about "Q" 5629 in his 1995 Sundance Publications Ltd book "Chasing Trains":

"Outwardly, 5629 was a splendid example of a modern locomotive; however, volunteers discovered that when the 4-8-4 was last used, the engine had not been drained. And in the below-zero winter climate of Lincoln, Nebraska, water had frozen inside of the engine and great damage had been done throughout, rendering steaming very unlikely."

So what does that really mean? Piping, appliances and other items or some major issue with the boiler? How much water was in the boiler when it froze? Is anyone around who was on that inspection team?

And there was the rumor floating around in the early 1960's (I qualify this with the statement that it was a steam/railfan rumor) that 5629 might replace 5632 when her flue time was up. Of course, Harry Murphy retired in late 1965 and 5632's rebuild was curtailed and the Burlington steam program was eliminated. Maybe 5632's rebuild was started because of the damage done to 5629. I'm sure this is all lost to history now.

I, too, found that sources vary concerning the numbering scheme of the C&NW Hudsons. I did find a photo of 4009 taken in 1953 on a westbound passenger train at Council Bluffs. That means that the Trains caption was correct. By the way, while I was hunting for confirmation of the C&NW 4-6-4 numbering scheme, I came across a C&NW locomotive that survived as a stationary boiler - 2-8-0 1899 which lasted at the Milwaukee Chase roundhouse as late as 1959. Unfortunately, and tragically, the 1899 and her watchman perished in a boiler explosion which occurred after the watchman let her boiler water level drop below the crownsheet and in an attempt to rectify his error, he ran the injector which ended in the demise of the employee and the oil-burning 2-8-0.

Don C.

To answer the question above about the Rock Island 4-8-4's, the CRI&P Technical and Historical Society, and published photos, tell me the 5103 was an oil burner, as were Nos. 5100 through 5109. The 5110 through 5119 were coal burners. We have never succeeded in figuring out which 5110-series engine PM 1225's auxiliary tender came from, but the welded-shut door to the stoker-engine compartment tells us it was a coal tender. Interestingly, this tender was discoverd in a steel mill in Lemont, Illinois, just south of Joliet, but it got there through conversion to a fuel-oil tank car by the Rock and later ownership by Dick Jensen, not from an engine in stationary boiler service.

Aarne Frobom
Still waiting for Joliet Jake, in Rock Island, Illinois

[/quote]Aarne Frobom
Still waiting for Joliet Jake, in Rock Island, Illinois[/quote]

I think he "Took the Katy".........

Don C.

Nah, "SHE took the Katy".....Jake got the mule.

Jeff

N&W A's 1218, 1202, and 1208 Where used as stationary boilers at Union Carbide in Charleston WVA...