Last GTW Steam Locomotives in Muskegon Michigan 1957 & 1961.

[wilee217]

Like the video my grandfather was the last original steam engine employee the retire from the Grand Trunk in 1962. He lived in Detroit Michigan

[Vorahk3985]

1:54 WHAT THE FUCK?

[strobx1]

@Vorahk3985 . I don't understand your comment. I really don't appreciate language such as that. But anyway. That is GTW 5629 being scrapped at the Metra yard in Blue Island Illinois. This was because its owner Dick Jensen would not repair the bearing problems. After a battle of about 10 years & several notices to Mr Jensen by Metra warning him of the impending scrapping, True to Metra's word it was scrapped. Mr Jensen abandoned that fine Pacific Loco. Too bad!!!

[Vorahk3985]

@strobx1 Sorry for the harsh language. But I think you should NOT have posted that picture in the video. It just went too far.

[strobx1]

@Vorahk3985 . Ok. Now I understand. It is very sad when an owner of a steam locomotive, for various reasons allows it too be scrapped. Dick Jenson could have donated the 5629 to a historical society/museum, but didn't.. This is typical of what happened after dieselization.. Very few were saved such the the PRR's 4-4-4-4 or a Baldwin Centipede diesel. The song said "Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got till it's gone!" Thus is the case here.

[longhornandsouthern]

If Metra had a bit of sense, they would've taken possession of 5629 instead of tearing it down where it stood. They could've at least TRIED to repair it and restore it to service in a similar arrangement to UP's Steam Program, which seems to be highly successful.

[brucefetter]

This is just great. I was a little boy when 1225 PM was being restored in East Lansing, and my brother and I would climb around it, pull levers and push pedals and imagine we were engineers. It is such a great memory. What's odd is that we never took any photos of it back then. I wish I could see it sitting there in a photo. Anyhow, this really is great stuff. You seem to have had a wonderful childhood of trains.

[john4951]

Thanks for posting this- the memories fade and these photos help keep it alive. My Grandfather worked the PM and later C&O from 1910- 1957 - Wyoming Mich. yard

[strobx1]

@john4951 My Dad worked first for the GTW as the Coal Dock operator fueling Steam locos & on the section gang out of Grand Haven. When he got fired from the GTW, he hired out on the PM in the round house at Muskegon North Yard. The he went to the car department as a Carmen Helper, then coach cleaner in Muskegon. He was transferred to Holland where he cleaned the coaches for the Muskegon Holland train (206 S-203-N) for 4 hours. He the hiked the 1/2 mile to Waverly Yard where he cleared cars.

[strobx1]

@john4951 He cleaned box cars & Gons on 12 track. He was a "Vacation Relied Car knocker" at North Yard in Muskegon, He retired in 1970 and passed in 1981. But I rode all over the east coast as a "dead head". My Parents had a "system pass" and my Dad had to order my pass 2 weeks in in advance. I spent a lot of time in Chicago's Grand Central Station on Harrison & Wells.

[sdwarrenpapermill]

strobx - Great memories of Muskegon and GTW steam. I am from Muskegon and loved to watch the passenger trains travel along Laketon Avenue on their way past the Nibble a Scrib Nib and the curve over Laketon to join the rail to Grand Rapids and beyond. My Aunt live on Ray street near Laketon.