Chicago, Burlington and Quincy No. 4000, also known as Aeolus, is a preserved S-4a class 4-6-4 "Hudson" steam locomotive that was originally built by Baldwin in 1930 as S-4 locomotive No. 3002. It was primarily used to pull fast passenger trains before it was rebuilt by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad in 1937 to be re-classified as an S-4a with Streamlining, and it was renumbered 4000 in the process. The streamlining was removed during World War II, and the locomotive was later downgraded to secondary passenger and mail service. In 1956, No. 4000 pulled an excursion train between Galesburg and Aurora, Illinois for the Illinois Railroad Club before it was retired altogether. The locomotive was donated to the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1963, and it remains on static display in Copeland Park, as of 2022.
History[]
Revenue service[]
In the late 1920s, the 4-6-4 "Hudson" type was starting to make a big impact on steam-powered passenger train travel. Between 1930 and 1935, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) ordered a total of twelve S-4 class 4-6-4s from the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as one from their own West Burlington, Iowa shops, and they were numbered 3000–3012. No. 4000 was numbered 3002 at the time, being the third locomotive of the class, and it was designed to pull the CB&Q's premier passenger trains across the road's system, such as the Chicago Limited between Chicago, Illinois and Denver, Colorado, and the American Royal between Chicago and Kansas City, Missouri.
As the 1930s progressed, the CB&Q also purchased a fleet of diesel locomotives from the Electro-Motive Corporation as the first locomotives to ever be built with aerodynamic streamlining, and they were used to pull the CB&Q's newer trains that would be famously known as the Zephyrs. However, sometimes, one of these units would break down, and a conventional steam locomotive would have to take it's place, resulting in the train to be de-streamlined from the front end, and the train itself wouldn't go as fast as the Zephyrs were designed to go. In response to this, the CB&Q decided to streamline one of their own steam locomotives as a back-up power for their diesel units. And so in late 1936, No. 3002 was taken to the CB&Q's West Burlington shops to be completely rebuilt with the application of a new valve gear frame, a middle Boxpok driving axle, lightweight roller bearing rods, roller bearing trailing bogies, and tender bogies. The locomotive also became the very first steam locomotive to be shrouded with stainless steel streamlining in the United States.
No. 4000 at the head of the Denver Zephyr train. Photo taken by Otto Perry on February 26, 1938.
With these modifications increasing the locomotive's tractive effort to 47,700 pounds and top speed to over one hundred miles per hour, No. 3002 was reclassified as an S-4a, and it was renumbered to 4000. It was also given the official name Æolus, being named after an ancient Greek God of the same name, as the CB&Q was giving Greek names to most of their Zephyr locomotives. After rolling out of the shops in April 1937, No. 4000 was reassigned to the famous Zephyr trains for whenever a diesel unit wasn't available for use, such as the Denver Zephyr, the Silver Streak Zephyr, and the General Pershing Zephyr. No. 4000 received a classmate in 1938 in the form of No. 4001, which was also an S-4a that was shrouded with the "shovel-nose" streamlining. Eventually, No. 4000 was also nicknamed after a Popeye cartoon character "Big Alice the Goon", as a result of the locomotive's official name having a slight resemblance to "Alice".
The streamlining on the S-4as were removed in 1942, as the CB&Q was contributing to the World War II effort by scrapping most of their unnecessary equipment in favor of the war's steel drive. No. 4000 was also reassigned again to pull heavier trains that would carry military soldiers and military equipment. Once the war was over, Æolus was reassigned to pull the same trains it pulled before it became streamlined back in 1937. This wouldn't last as long, however, since by the beginning of the 1950s, diesel locomotives have taken over most of the CB&Q's high priority trains, and No. 4000 was again reassigned to secondary passenger service, and eventually, freight and mail services.
Excursion run and preservation[]
In late 1956, the Illinois Railroad Club sponsored an excursion train that would run from Galesburg to Aurora, Illinois on Labor Day weekend. The two locomotives selected for this trip were No. 4000 and 4-6-0 No. 637. Crowds watched as the two locomotives arrived in Aurora and posed side by side. Once the fan trip was over, Æolus' fire was dropped for the final time. With the success of the first fan trip, the CB&Q's president, Harry C. Murphy, eventually decided to start a steam excursion program that would last for almost a decade before it would eventually be cancelled by a new president in 1966. Despite taking part in the 1956 fan trip, however, No. 4000 was never brought back under steam for the program, which was mostly hosted by 2-8-2 No. 4960 and 4-8-4 No. 5632. Instead, No. 4000 spent six years sitting idle in Galesburg before it became secured for preservation. With the desire to preserve pieces of railroad history, a group of people in La Crosse, Wisconsin that were railroaders and enthusiasts organized and founded The La Crosse Short Line Railroad Company. They requested the CB&Q to donate Æolus to the city of La Crosse for static display in Copeland Park, a stadium park that takes place in North La Crosse.
No. 4000 on Static Display at Copeland Park 2022.
After a two-year fundraising campaign, the locomotive was cosmetically restored and towed to its new home in Copeland Park along with a Milwaukee Road caboose on August 19, 1963. Ever since then, the last remaining S-4a has remained on outdoor static display, being exposed to the elements. Throughout the 1990s, a group of volunteers gathered to cosmetically refurbish the locomotive to make it look as good as it did during its revenue career. As of 2022, No. 4000 remains in Copeland Park with its headlights missing, but the locomotive has been carefully taken care of by a nonprofit group called the 4000 Foundation. Every once in a while, the foundation would host special events that would take place around No. 4000's display site. Although there are no future plans for the locomotive to be brought back under steam, Æolus is in good enough condition to be rebuilt for operational purposes.
Historical significance[]
No. 4000 remains the most advanced surviving example of the CB&Q's 4-6-4 locomotives. It is also one of very few remaining steam locomotives in the United States that is officially named.
No. 4000 was one of the very last steam locomotives to regularly operate for the CB&Q.
The locomotive is also one of only five preserved American steam locomotives that were once streamlined, the only others being Chesapeake and Ohio 490, Norfolk and Western 611, Southern Pacific 4449, and the semi-streamlined Southern Pacific 4460, all of which have retained their streamlining unlike No. 4000. Chesapeake and Ohio 614 was also temporarily semi-streamlined in preservation, and a newbuild of the Pennsylvania Railroad streamlined T1 class is currently under construction.