Last GTW Steam Locomotives in Muskegon Michigan 1957 & 1961.

View a slide show with big band music and see GTW Pacific type 4-6-2 #'s 5627 and 6323 In Muskegon Michigan in 1957 and August of 1961. See the 6323 as it travels east bound along Laketon Avenue towards Simpson Jct. The 6323 will cross Laketon Ave then head south to "Shaw Jct" where it will head East on the Pennsylvania tracks (The GTW used the PRR to gain access to Muskegon) to Marne MIch where it will join the Grand Haven line at "Penn Jct". Then east to Grand Rapids crossing the Grand River and ending up at Durand Mich. The 5627 had a famous sister. Dick Jensen's 5629 which was one of the main steam excursion engines along with steamer off the CB&Q. An unresolved dispute between Metra and Mr Jenson resulted in Metra scrapping the 5629. See the 5629 in service and it's scrapping at the Metra Blue Island (ex Rock Island Yard). I was only three years old at the time the 1957 photos were taken.I do not remember these. But I do remember the 6323 in August of 1961. Liability was NOT an issue and my Dad & I were free to climb all over the engine. My Dad asked permission to do so. He received it. Likely because the GTW guys knew the PM/C&O guys.The whole experience was frightening for a 7 year old child. My dad stepped on a floor pedal and the "Butterfly" firebox doors swung open. He asked me to look inside. The heat was unbearable in this white hot coal fire. I was scared. If that weren't enough, we climbed on the tender. When I got to the rear platform, The engineer blew two LOUD whistle blasts, then started to move with my Dad & I on the tender. Now I was REALLY scared. But he stopped after about 10 feet to blow water out of the cylinder cocks. We lived a 1/2 mile from the Pennsy. So my Dad wanted me to listen, When he heard the 6323 coming he said "Remember this sound because you'll never hear this sound again!" Steam had died on August of 1961 according to my Dad. That was my only experience with steam until we saw the ex Southern Mikado 2-8-2 #4501 in Birmingham Alabama.. This time I wasn't scared!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• GTW Steam Locomotives. Trains

[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.

[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 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.

[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

[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.

[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.