I'm just curious but does anyone know what happened to ICRR 2-8-2 1678 that was reported sold to the Des Moines, IA water works in May, 1956? It was built by Alco in 1923, original IC number 1380 and renumbered in 1954. It was probably scrapped long ago but I wonder why the water works bought it and how they used it.

I have several "inventories" or "directories" of preserved and potentially-preserved steam locomotives of the era, including "the Koenigsberg," or Victor Koenigsberg's "U.S. Steam Locomotive Directory" of 1967, and said IC 2-8-2 is nowhere to be found in any of them. I'm presuming that the water works in question acquired the loco as an emergency boiler, either in an emergency or as back-up reserve, and either disposed of it after boiler repairs or found it not up to the task long-term.

Jim -

An interesting post. I hope you can find out about IC #1678. It reminds me of another sale to an unlikely source. One of the Rock Island's 5100 4-8-4's was sold to Commonwealth Edison for use at its power plant in the Joliet, Illinois area. I think that the engine was number 5103, which would have been one of the oil burners. I assume that this engine too was eventually disposed of, but wonder when it was sold, and how long ComEd actually kept it.

Les

Jim -

I sent a note to the Des Moines Water Works and asked about the Illinois Central Railroad Mikado that they purchased. Got a note today from a lady who works for DMWW and she says that the engine was used as a temporary boiler and was disposed of in 1959. No photos have yet been discovered of the engine while it was there. She went on to say that the employees apparently used to like to climb up into the cab and ring its bell. The bell was removed and currently resides in their museum. So something from the old IC Mike still exists at least!

Les

Well, question regarding these 1600s, but it appears they may be an offshoot of the USRA light 2-8-2. The only two difference I can see is the cylinder size (it definitly is bigger than the ones on a USRA light mikado, but I don't know by how much) and that initially the 1600s didn't have the squared off sand dome common to the Illinois Central steam fleet... In one case (ICRR 1604, later 2113) had a disc main driver applied during it's rebuild in 1939. It has me perplexed...

The IC was famous for "kit-bashing" their steamers, including things like installing "over-sized" cylinders from larger locomotives onto smaller ones.

Installing disk main drivers was pretty common on a lot of roads since the main drivers were the most highly stressed and often didn't have adequate room for the desired amount of counterweight material, both conditions which disk type drivers improved.

Here are a couple of photos I took, probably in the mid-to-latter 1950s.

WOW! This list is great, and this thread proves it. Goes from what happened to it, to finding out exactly when it was scrapped to having someone post photos of it while in stationary service.

Just simply outstanding.

Got an e-mail this morning from the lady at DMWW with a photo of the preserved bell from IC #1678 as it sits in their museum. I tried to post it to this thread, but was unsuccessful. Sure does look pretty though.

The photos submitted by Richard William of the 1678 sitting there at the Water Works are terrific. They must have been taken after they were finished using the locomotive as the bell has already been removed.

Les

Another try on the bell off of IC 1678 and it looks like it may have gone through this time. Got some help on this from Richard William (the gentleman who posted the photos of the IC Mike). Thanks Dick!

Les

Les - - Glad the bell photo made it. Happy to be of help.

Dick

I think that was a good looking locomotive, in spite of that weird sand dome and wrinkly pilot IC used; wish she had survived. . .