The Grand Trunk Western Class K4a is a class of 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotives that were built as copies of the USRA Light Pacifics.
History[]
Beginning[]
During the days of steam, the Grand Trunk Western Railroad needed a new class of steam locomotive that could haul freight trains at fast speeds, in response to this, the American Locomotive Company (ALCO), who was insisting on designing a locomotive class for the GTW had went back to the drawing board to draw up a design. Enter the Grand Trunk Western Class K4a, they were built to haul both passenger trains and freight trains at a maximum speed of 80 mph (130 km/h).
The Fall of Remainder[]
Main Article: Grand Trunk Western No. 5629.
Retired in 1959, No. 5629 was placed in storage at Durand, MI. In 1960, it was sold to Richard Jensen of Chicago, IL for approximately $9,540.40, the scrap value of the locomotive at the time. GTW 5629 was steamed up for the first time in October 1961, No. 5629 made its debut pulling a trip over the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad, for which it was painted in B&O colors. After pulling several more trips on the B&OCT, it was invited to run a trip over the GTW between Chicago and South Bend, IN in the summer of 1966. Shortly before the run, Richard Jensen traded its original tender to a local scrapyard in exchange for a larger tender from a Soo Line 4-8-2. The new tender allowed for more coal and water to be transported which meant the train did not have to stop as often to replenish its supply.
The first Grand Trunk Western trip proved to be a big success and over the next few years, No. 5629 lead many excursions over the GTW in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. In 1967 and 1968, it traveled to Baraboo, WI to pull the Circus World Museum's Schlitz Circus Train. In 1973, Richard Jensen was severely injured after a friend's refrigerator fell on him while he was moving it. Unable to run the locomotive, it was placed in storage at the Amtrak yard near Union Station in Chicago while Jensen was hospitalized. After he was released from the hospital, Jensen began planning another excursion trip, but it never happened due to financial troubles.
Scrapping[]
In the late 1970s, Jensen moved No. 5629 to the Rock Island Railroad's Burr Oak Yard in Blue Island, IL. Around this time, the Rock Island was on the verge of bankruptcy, and in March 1980, the railroad shut down for good. Burr Oak Yard was sold to Metra Commuter Rail of Chicago, who asked Jensen to relocate No. 5629 so they could build a new car shop where it stood. Unfortunately, the locomotive had been vandalized over the years to the point where it was unsafe to move. Metra told Jensen that he could move it to a nearby connection with the Iowa Interstate Railroad, but they would not assist him in moving it. In failing health, Jensen was unable to do so and took Metra to court. The judge ruled in favor of Metra and stated that if Jensen could not move it, Metra would be allowed to scrap it.
Word of No. 5629's endangerment spread through the local railroad community. Several groups, including the Illinois Railway Museum and the Mid-Continent Railway Museum, stepped in to try and save it, but soon realized it would be too costly since it could no longer move on its own wheels.
Eventually, Metra had received a court order that 5629 was to be scrapped, and Metra had contacted with the Erman-Howell Division of the Luria Brothers Scrap Company to dispose the 5629. Scrapping process had began on July 14, 1987 and it was done by July 20th. After the scrapping had occurred, it was discovered that some of the vandalism done to the locomotive was done by Metra's own employees. As a result of this, nine employees were fired from Metra and Jensen filed a lawsuit, but ultimately lost.
Stock List[]
| Image | Loco No. | Manufacturer | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5627 | American Locomotive Company | Scrapped | - |
|
5628 | American Locomotive Company | Scrapped | - |
|
5629 | American Locomotive Company | Scrapped | Used on excursion service by Richard Jensen, Scrapped as late as 1987. |
| 5630 | American Locomotive Company | Scrapped | - | |
| 5631 | American Locomotive Company | Scrapped | - |