Сақталған "Pere Marquette" локомотиві №1225

Preserved PM N 1 class 2 8 4 locomotive

Pere Marquette 1225 is a class "N 1" 2 8 4 "Berkshire" type steam locomotive built in October 1941 for the Pere Marquette Railway (PM) by Lima Locomotive Works (LLW) in Lima, Ohio. No. 1225 is one of two surviving Pere Marquette 2 8 4 locomotives, the other being 1223, which was on display at the Tri Cities Historical Society near the ex Grand Trunk Western (GTW) coaling tower in Grand Haven, Michigan, and both have the distinction of being the only surviving Pere Marquette steam locomotives left in preservation. No. 1225 was well known to be the basis for the locomotive used in the 2004 film The Polar Express, earning itself the nickname "The Real Polar Express." The Pere Marquette Railway used No. 1225 in regular service from the locomotive's construction in 1941 until the railroad merged into Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) in 1947; It remained in use on C&O's Michigan lines until 1951. Avoiding the scrapyard, No. 1225 was acquired by the Michigan State University in 1957 and put on static display. In 1969, a group of students took an interest in No. 1225, and in 1971, the Michigan State University Railroad Club was formed and began work to restore No. 1225 to operational status, an effort that culminated with its first excursion run in 1988. The locomotive, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is now operated by the Steam Railroading Institute for use in excursion service on the Great Lakes Central Railroad between Owosso and Ashley, Michigan. It will also eventually run alongside Chicago and Northwestern 175, which is presently being restored to operating condition.

No. 1225 is an N 1 class 2 8 4 steam locomotive built in October 1941 by Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio (LLW) at a cost of $200,000 for the Pere Marquette Railway (PM). class N 1 in 1941 (Nos. 1216–1227), and class N 2 in 1944 (Nos. 1228–1239). For the first part of its service life, 1225 was used to shuttle steel and wartime freight between Detroit, Saginaw, Flint and northern Indiana steel mills. After ten years of service, the engine was retired and sat in a scrap yard until 1957. The C&O then instructed the yardmaster at New Buffalo to send an engine to the Wyoming Shops for a cosmetic restoration and repainting with the name Chesapeake and Ohio on the side. Lighted number boards were added as was the standard for C&O engines, though the Pere Marquette Railway never used them. Eventually, the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation, operating at the Steam Railway Institute, decided to remove these. No. 1225 was the last engine in the line, i. e. easiest to get out. Baker received the gift of the locomotive in June 1957 when it was brought to campus. In 1969, a group of MSU students formed the Michigan State University Railroad Club as a railfan group. Steve Reeves, a student and part time employee of the Museum, whose responsibility was to display the engine on football weekends, sent out a notice in the State News that the Railroad Club would be meeting. Those early meetings did not discuss the restoration of the engine. Instead, they were slide shows of engines various members had seen on trips across the US, most of which were diesels. In 1970, at the suggestion of Randy Paquette, the club investigated the possibility of restoring the locomotive to running condition and started on that goal in 1971, with Baker's permission. Baker later stated that he thought having students be occupied with restoring a locomotive was far more in keeping with his idea of the image the university should be presenting than campus protests. The first excursion service occurred in 1988 on a 17 mile trip between Owosso and St. Charles, Michigan. In August 1991, 1225 along with NKP 765 pulled a 31 car passenger train during the National Railway Historical Society's annual convention in Huntington, West Virginia. in Owosso, Michigan from July 23–26 as part of a fundraiser to raise money for 1225's upcoming 2010 2013 FRA overhaul. The national event showcased hundreds of train related items, events, and themes from around the country and some parts of the world. No. 1225 was not able to haul any excursions during the Festival due to 5 of its flues failing, which occurred on July 24. 1225 was on display during the rest of festival for people to visit the engine, chat with the crew, take photos, and explore the cab. On October 7, 2008, it was announced that NKP 765 would once again join 1225 at Train Festival, marking the first time the two Berk's have met each other since 1991. In 2022, the locomotive went under a significant overhaul to its wheels and running gear with assistance from FMW Solutions. In late 2023, No. 1225 went back into service with a new dual beam headlight, a digital thermocouple, a second Nathan mechanical lubricator from Nickel Plate Road 757, along with a temperature sensor and alarm systems for the crew to monitor the brass and bearing boxes.

In 2002, Warner Bros. was given copies of the 1225's blueprints, saved from oblivion and donated to the MSURRC by Hank Truer, which were the prototype for the locomotive image, and its sounds were used in the 2004 film The Polar Express, directed by Robert Zemeckis. However, the whistle used in the film was provided by steam locomotive Sierra No. 3 of Back to the Future Part III fame, which was also directed by Zemeckis. The film was based on the Caldecott Medal winning book of the same name. The children's book was written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, who grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and as a child attended every home football game at Michigan State, next to which this engine was on static display. He recalls playing on this engine many times as a child saying, "I remember that train on campus, I can't believe it's the same train! I climbed on that train. I actually stood on it." Appropriately enough, the locomotive's road number is the date of Christmas, 12/25. Some people claim that the 1225 was picked out by the railroad to give to MSU because the number represented Christmas Day. Chuck Julian, in speaking to Sam Chidester and Herschal Christiansen, had it revealed to him that the engine was chosen because it was the last engine on the line at New Hudson, waiting to be scrapped. It was the easiest one to get out. The number was not a consideration at all. Phil Gary, the brakeman who accompanied the engine to campus, confirmed the story. The 1225 and the other locomotives on the scrap line, sat there for many years after the railroad had stopped running steam. This was because the railroad could not scrap the engines until the liens to Detroit Bank and Trust (later to become known as Comerica), were paid off and removed.