Chicago and North Western No. 175 is a class R-1 4-6-0 "Ten Wheeler" steam locomotive. It was built in 1908 by Alco for the Chicago and North Western Railway.
This engine used to haul passenger and freight trains on the Chicago and North Western, and it was owned and bought by Clint Jones for use on Keweenaw Central tourist railroad along side Copper Range #29 in the 60s and 70s.
This was the last steam engine to travel through Antigo where it haul a last excursion in 1957, and a historical society in the town later attempted to buy the locomotive in 2004.
This locomotive was planned to be used on the Keweenaw Central tourist line along with Copper Range #29. The tender, lettered for Northern Pacific, was a replacement for the original CNW tender which apparently was beyond repair.
The locomotive was abandoned in 1972 when Copper Range abandoned its track north of Hancock, requiring the Keweenaw Central to move their equipment. 175 and 29 were stored at Quincy Smelter in a shed. Then, the Soo Line cut the track to the plant and the locomotive's owner could not afford to move them by truck. In 1979, the shed 175 was in collapsed, and the locomotive would spend the remainder of its time at Quincy Smelter outdoors. In 2004, Copper Range 29 was moved to the Mid-Continent Railway Musem, leaving 175 the only locomotive at Quincy Smelter. 175 still had the Northern Pacific tender as of its departure from Quincy Smelter in 2018.
On January 19, 2018, The Steam Railroading Institute of Owosso, MI publicly announced the purchase of #175. The locomotive was moved by road to Owosso in late spring of 2018. Once delivered, an extensive restoration to operating condition began, helped by the fact that many of its smaller components had been stored indoors.
Trivia[]
- This locomotive is one of only three remaining CNW R1's out of 325 built. The other two are 1385 at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom Wisconsin, and 444 at the Forney Transportation Museum in Denver, Colorado.
- Chicago & North Western Railroad was persuaded to bring the locomotive out of its retirement corner.
- The locomotive had been at the Quincy Smelter from 1974-2018.
- C&NW 175 is a unique due to its Walschearts valve gear. 1385 has Stephenson gear which was more common on the R-1s and is why it weighed less than 1385.
- It was to supposed have been donated to the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisc. However, after being stored in Winona, Minn., for many years and deteriorating badly, the museum didn't want it.
- No. 175 was then moved to Michigan's Keweenaw Central tourist railroad, and when it closed the locomotive was stored.
- In 1961 it was sold to the Winona County Historical Society in Winona, MN.