The Iron Horse Central is a railroad museum located near Chisago City, Minnesota, that features operating steam and diesel locomotives, historic railroad equipment, and a restored Northern Pacific depot. Gasoline Motor Car M-6 operates around the IHC’s 1-mile loop on days that the museum is open; steam locomotive No. 4 is brought out on special occasions, usually once or twice a year. Visit www.ironhorsecentral.com for more information.
A look (and hear) of the steam locomotives running at Calgary Alberta’s Heritage Park. Two 0-6-0 Switchers pulling authentic era cars (steam engines, passanger carriers and caboose). Great sound, good quality video… bells, whistles and steam rising. A fun look at the power of steam and the iron horse that built a nation.
View a special run of steam locomotive No. 4, a 1923 Porter 0-4-0, at the Iron Horse Central Railroad Museum near Lindsrom, Minnesota in June 2009. Built as a tank engine, it was used during the construction of the Tallahasee dam in Tennessee. It was then sold to the Dresser Traprock Company in Dresser, Wisconsin where it and several similar locomotives were used to haul rock between the pit and the crusher. Richard and Robert Thompson, along with their friend Doug Alexander purchased it in 1963. It was stored at a relative’s farm for two years, then moved to its present location in 1965. In 1977 the museum began work to convert it from a tank engine to a tender engine. By 1981 it had a new Northern Pacific-style cab and a coal tender that was purchased from the Duluth & Northeastern Railroad in the 1970′s. The tender was from locomotive No. 1, a 2-6-0 built by Alco’s Cooke Plant in 1907. Though No. 1 itself was scrapped in the 1950′s, the tender survived and was used to service the stationary boiler in the engine house. The drawbar that was fabricated to connect the tender to the engine is actually a side rod from another D&NE engine, No. 30. Today No. 4 is operated once or twice a year for the public on the “Highline Route.” Visit www.ironhorsecentral.com for more details
