Marquette  Michigan  Graveyard ?
Dec.21, 2001
On  September  1977  Jerry Jacobson ( today owner of the Ohio Central RR ),  Bill Goslan and  I  went to Marquette Michigan  to inspect  many  ex-LS&I  steam locomotives.   Jerry  was  examining  the  locomotives with the intention  of  purchasing the best candidate for restoration.   All of these engines were 2-8-0's  and  were in two sizes.

It was  this same group of  those  larger size locomotives that  the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway's #33  and  Western Maryland Scenic Railway's #734  (ex-LS&I #34) came from.   The  smaller  engines were numbered in the 10's  and 20's .

    This area was like a time capsule;  surrounded  by  sand  and pine trees.  However, it  was also sad to see many parts strun about the area from trespassing thieves,  who damaged the engines only to abandon their booty when it became impossible to carry it further.  The area looked like someone had bombed the locomotives;  scattering their parts everywhere.   This wasn't one of  Railfanning's finer contributions !


Well anyhow here are a few of the photos I took back then:

A  distant photo of  some of the Locomotives  in the line-up,  also  an enlargement of the same photo

Looking along the opposite side of the Locomotives,  and   across their tops

Big  #35  is viewed from the front  and  a  close-up  of  its  tender's  Booster.
Today this engine is at the Illinois Railway Museum as #19.

Smaller  2-8-0   #29  is  also  seen .  It later went  to  the  Grand Canyon Scenic Railway .

A  flatcar covered  with surplus  tires,  axles  and even a connecting rod!


The owner of  these  locomotives  also had restored  #23  and was using it in a nearby  Tourist Railway operation.

#23  is  seen  from  the  side  and  also  head-on,  prior to the  first trip's  departure.   It later went to the Empire State Railway Museum in New York.

Later  this  same  Train  is seen  as  it  passes the line-up  of  old  locomotives.  Notice the olive colored boiler jacket.


Well  the  Marquette  purchase  don't  pan-out.   Their  owner  backed out of the deal.   Years later I heard that  these locomotives went to  several Museums and Tourist Railways.