Brookfield, Salt Creek, & Western No. 1 is a 2-8-0 Locomotive rebuilt out of a 1918 German Army 0-8-0t Brigade Locomotive by Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works in the 1960s.
Service[]
The HF number "2372" was intended for this locomotive, but due to its late completion in July 1918, it is unlikely that it was used in the war. In the In the following years, the locomotive was transferred to the "Sophia-Jacoba" coal mine in Hückelhoven, where it was used on the material railway as locomotive "II" for the transport of overburden and slags. In March 1965, the locomotive was retired and parked, but it was not scrapped.
Rebuild[]
In the 1960's, the locomotive was bought by Elliott Donnelly, for use at a European-Style 600mm railway at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo. Donnelly had also bought a WWII 0-4-0t. The second locomotive,was not used and ended up at the 600mm railway at Heritage Square in Golden, Colorado. Its current whereabouts are unknown. Donnelly had contacted Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works to make the locomotives US legal. Norman Sandley, however, had other ideas for the Feldbahn 0-8-0t and talked Donnelley into a major conversion to an American-style 2-8-0 "Consolidation".
The American Consolidation idea was agreed upon and conversion work began on the 0-8-0T. Unfortunately, the conversion wasn't entirely successful. As it turned out, the new firebox is so big that it made the loco back-heavy preventing the lead truck from staying on the track. Additional weight in the form of 3" axle material was added to the hollow front frame to help the "balance". The extra weight, as it turned out, really wasn't enough to ensure proper operation.
Zoo Service[]
The Locomotive, Hiawatha No. 1, was delivered to the Brookfield Zoo in August, 1969. The Burlington switcher #999 had been shipped to the zoo 2 years earlier and had been the only locomotive in service up to this point. It was wonderful to see a real live steam engine plying the rails at the zoo, a real dream come true for publishing giant and zoo train sponsor, Elliot Donnelley. The No. 1, due to the minimal grades, could haul 6 of the zoo's Sandley built coaches.
2nd Preservation[]
The Brookfield Zoo had no longer any interest in operating its 2ft Gauge Railroad. After the railroad was closed down on Labor Day weekend, 1985, No. 1, No. 242, No. 999, and the Zoo's 8 Coaches were stored in a Forest Preserve barn until it could be disposed of. The Forest Preserve District made an attempt to place the train in southern Lockport Illinois. They planned a park with a petting zoo, sawmill, and the train as attractions. Apparently, the residents of Lockport had no interest in the project and it was shelved. With no place to go, the 2 steam locomotives (242 and 1), plus the gasoline powered "diesel" switch engine (999), and eight cars remained in storage. Year after year, all this narrow gauge equipment sat. It succumbed to the effects of corrosion and rot for 17 long years. Finally, in 2002, after negotiations with the Forest Preserve District and some help from the Donnelley family, a deal was struck allowing the equipment to be moved to the Hesston Steam Museum in Northwest Indiana. All of the stored zoo equipment was flat-bedded the 80 miles to Hesston in late fall of 2002.
Currently, No. 1 is under a slow restoration at the Hesston Steam Museum.
Sources: https://www.discoverlivesteam.com/magazineold/36/index.html https://www.discoverlivesteam.com/magazineold/41/index.html https://www.discoverlivesteam.com/magazineold/53.html
Gallery[]
