Soo Line 1003

Soo 1003 operating in the rain at WSOR's 25th anniversary party in Madison, Wisconsin, on July 23, 2005

Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Builder	Schenectady plant of American Locomotive Company (ALCO)
Serial number	52826
Build date	March 1913

Specifications
Configuration	2-8-2
UIC class	1′D1′ h2
Gauge	4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia.	33 in (838 mm)
Driver dia.	63 in (1,600 mm)
Trailing dia.	42 in (1,067 mm)
Loco weight	290,000 lb (131,500 kg; 131.5 t)
Fuel type	Coal
Fuel capacity	35,000 lb (15,900 kg; 15.9 t)
Water cap	10,000 US gal (38,000 l; 8,300 imp gal)
Boiler pressure	170 lbf/in² (1.17 MPa)
Cylinders	Two, outside
Cylinder size	28 in × 30 in (711 mm × 762 mm)
Valve gear	Walschaerts
Valve type	piston valves

Performance figures
Tractive effort	53,947 lbf (239.97 kN)

Career
Operators	Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway ("Soo Line")
Class	L-1
Number in class	3rd of 10
Locale	United States Upper Midwest
Retired	1954
Restored	October 27, 1996
Current owner	Steam Locomotive Heritage Association
Disposition	Operational, based on Hartford, Wisconsin, at Wisconsin Auto Museum

Soo Line 1003 is a restored 2-8-2 Mikado type steam locomotive of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway ("Soo Line") L-1 class. It is occasionally operated on the major railroads of the American Upper Midwest.

The locomotive was built in 1913 by ALCO. It was used by the Soo Line until retirement in 1954, when it went into serviceable storage in Gladstone, Michigan as part of the railroad's strategic reserve. In December 1959, the railroad donated the locomotive to the city of Superior, Wisconsin, where it was put on public display. In the mid 1970s, Superior Shortline Steam Railroad Ltd. was organized to restore the locomotive to operations.

It made a few short runs in 1983 in Superior before going back in for a major overhaul. The work slowed due to a lack of money and some notable errors (including ordering boiler flues that were three quarters of an inch too short). The locomotive was sold partially disassembled in 1994 to Wisconsin Railway Preservation Trust (WRPT), another organization whose goal was to return the locomotive to operations. WRPT raised $250,000 for the locomotive's restoration. It was originally hoped that the locomotive could be used for excursion trips on the weekend of October 5, 1996, but boiler tests showed the engine to not be ready in time.

The 1003's first run after restoration under its own power occurred on October 27, 1996, when it steamed up the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway's Proctor Hill. It performed a few more test runs before its first public excursion in 1997. In 1998 it ran the "triple-header" excursion with Northern Pacific 328 and Soo Line 2719.

Excursion service

The locomotive made its final journey under its FRA-mandated 15-year boiler certificate on November 13, 2010. But shortly afterwards, the operators raised funds to have the engine overhauled and certified for another 15 years of operation. 1003 returned to service in September 2012, but flue problems delayed its first excursion until November 2014.

References

Gilchinski, Steve (February 1997). "Soo Line 2-8-2 back in steam". Trains magazine. Vol. 57 no. 2. pp. 24–25.

External links

Soo Line steam locomotives

0-4-0	A A-20 A-21

0-6-0	B (321 / X90) B-1 B-2 B-3 B-4 (346) (353) B-20 B-21 B-22 B-23

4-4-0	C C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 V

2-6-0	D D-1 D-2 D-3 D-4 D-20 Z

4-6-0	E E-1 E-2 E-20 E-21 E-22 E-23 E-24 E-25 (2645)

2-8-0	F-1 F-2 F-3 F-4 F-6 F-7 F-8 (440) F-9 (451) F-10 F-11 F-12 F-20 F-21 (2425) F-22 (2442) F-23

2-10-0	G (950)

4-6-2	H H-1 H-2 H-3 (735) (736) H-20 H-21 (2713) H-22 (2714) H-23 (2718) (2719)

2-6-2	J

4-4-2	K-20

2-8-2	L L-1 (1003) L-2 (1011) L-3 L-4 (1024) L-20

4-8-2	N-20

4-8-4	O-20

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