Chicago and North Western No. 1385 is an R-1 Class 4-6-0 "Ten-Wheeler" steam locomotive. It was built in 1907 by the American Locomotive Co. (ALCO) for the Chicago and North Western Railway (C&NW).
This locomotive was originally designed to haul passenger and freight trains on the C&NW.
Mid Continent Railway Museum - C&NW -1385
No. 1385 retired in 1956, and was purchased by the Historical Society of Milwaukee in 1961 for $2600.
In 1963, the society purchased an abandoned line in North Freedom, Wisconsin, from the C&NW, moving #1385 there before changing its name to the Mid-Continent Railway Museum as it is now known.
The locomotive was in excursion service for most of the 1980's and 1990's, doing excursions over large parts of the C&NW system, but was shopped for major boiler work in 1998.
Today the locomotive is being rebuilt as part of the locomotive's full restoration to operating condition.
1385's Excursions[]
- 1984: 1385 was used to haul the Golden Arrow excursion train.
- 1985: Hauled the Circus World Museum Train, from Baraboo to Milwaukee. The locomotive would pull the circus train again in 1986 and 1987.
- The locomotive was scheduled to participate in the 1993 NRHS Convention in Chicago by hauling a steam trip coinciding with a Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad excursion on July 25, the last day of the event. The steam trip had to be cancelled when Midwest flooding marooned 1385, preventing it from reaching Chicago.
- In 1994, the locomotive was seen leading an easbound passenger extra from Horicon, WI back to Granville, on the outskirts of Milwaukee city.
- The locomotive was then purchased by the Historical Society of Milwaukee in 1961 for $2600.