Pere Marquette 1223

The Pere Marquette 1223 is a steam locomotive on permanent display in Grand Haven, Michigan. It is one of two surviving Pere Marquette 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type locomotives, along with sibling engine No. 1225, the inspiration for the locomotive in the book and movie versions of The Polar Express, which is in operating condition.

Pere Marquette 1223
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Lima Locomotive Works Serial number 7837 Build date 1941
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-4  • UIC 1′D2′ h2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia. 36 in (0.91 m) Driver dia. 69 in (1.75 m) Trailing dia. 43 in (1.09 m) Length 101 ft 8 in (30.99 m) Height 15 ft 8 in (4.78 m) Adhesive weight 277,600 lb (125,900 kilograms; 125.9 tonnes) Loco weight 442,500 lb (200,700 kilograms; 200.7 tonnes) Total weight 802,500 lb (364,000 kilograms; 364.0 tonnes) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 44,000 lb (20,000 kilograms; 20 tonnes) Water cap. 22,000 US gal (83,000 L; 18,000 imp gal) Fuel consumption 1 short ton (0.91 t; 0.89 long tons) of coal per 12 miles (19 km) travelled (1 tonne every 21 km) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 90.3 sq ft (8.4 m2) Boiler pressure 245 psi (1.69 MPa) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 26 in × 34 in (660 mm × 864 mm)
Performance figures Maximum speed 70 mph (113 km/h) Power output 2,979 hp (2.22 MW) Tractive effort 69,350 lbf (308.5 kN)
Career Operators Pere Marquette Railway → Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Class PM N-1 C&O N-1 Number in class 8 of 12 Numbers PM 1223 C&O 2657 (never renumbered) Norfolk & Western 1223 Nicknames "The Forgotten N-1" Locale Michigan Retired 1951 Preserved 1981 Restored 1989 (cosmetically) Current owner The City of Grand Haven Disposition On static display
Pere Marquette Railway Locomotive #1223
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	301 N Harbor Dr., Grand Haven, Michigan
Coordinates	43°4′4″N 86°13′48″W
Area	less than one acre
Built by	Lima Locomotive Works
Architectural style	steam locomotive
NRHP reference No.	00001490
Added to NRHP	December 7, 2000

History

Built in 1941 by the Lima Locomotive Works for $90,000 ($1.86 million in 2023 dollars), 1223 hauled freight between Toledo and Chicago in the years immediately before and after World War II. When Pere Marquette was absorbed by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, the engine assigned number 2657 but never had the new number applied. The locomotive was not paid off at the time and the merger agreement stated that equipment still under trust was to remain in Pere Marquette livery. It was retired from service in 1951.

After retirement, the engine was moved to New Buffalo, Michigan, to be scrapped. However, it was repainted and moved in 1960 for display at the state fairgrounds in Detroit. The money for that was provided by the donations collected by school children around the Detroit Area. In 1980, Michigan state fair officials wanted to expand the grandstands but the locomotive stood in the way. The city of Grand Haven won the bidding process. With the help of the Michigan National Guard as well as Grand Trunk Western and Chessie System railroads, it was moved to Grand Haven in 1981.

In 1982, the West Michigan Railroad Historical Society acquired the PM steel boxcar #72222 and cosmetically restored it and joined the engine on static display. Considering the number of years that it has stood out in the elements, it would be an expensive and time-consuming project to restore it to operation. However, It received a full cosmetic restoration in 1989. That same year, the PM caboose #986 was also purchased and would join the engine on static display.

The locomotive was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 7, 2000.

On February 28, 2020, the engine and the rest of the display was vandalized, with the locomotive being spray-painted several times and a caboose door kicked in.

References

• "Historic locomotive marks 25 years in Grand Haven". Muskegon Chronicle. Retrieved August 22, 2006.

Media related to Pere Marquette Railway 1223 at Wikimedia Commons