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Grand Canyon Railway 4960

February 15, 2024

Grand Canyon Railway 4960 is a preserved O-1A class 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotive built in August 1923 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (CB&Q) Railroad. It was used by the CB&Q to pull freight trains, until 1958, when the locomotive pulled its first excursion fantrip, as part of the railroad's steam excursion program.

Grand Canyon Railway 4960
GCRY No. 4960 idling at the Grand Canyon Village during its 100th Birthday celebration, on August 12, 2023
Type and origin
Reference:[1]
Power typeSteam
BuilderBaldwin Locomotive Works
Serial number56809
Build dateAugust 1923
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-8-2
 • UIC1'D1
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.33 in (0.838 m)
Driver dia.64 in (1.626 m)
Trailing dia.42+1⁄2 in (1.080 m)
Tender wheels33 in (0.838 m)
Wheelbase70 ft 0 in (21.34 m) ​
 • Engine33 ft 9+1⁄2 in (10.30 m)
 • Drivers15 ft 21 in (5.11 m)
Height15 ft 10+1⁄2 in (4.84 m)
Adhesive weight233,850 lb (106,070 kg)
Loco weight310,780 lb (140,970 kg)
Tender weight195,300 lb (88,600 kg)
Total weight506,080 lb (229,550 kg)
Fuel typeRecycled vegetable oil, originally coal
Fuel capacityOld tender: 42,000 lb (19,000 kg)
New tender: 3,800 US gal (14,000 L; 3,200 imp gal)
Water cap.Old tender: 10,000 US gal (38,000 L; 8,300 imp gal)
New tender: 18,000 US gal (68,000 L; 15,000 imp gal)
Firebox:​
 • Grate area59 sq ft (5.5 m2)
Boiler:
​
 • Small tubes2+1⁄4 in (57 mm)
 • Large tubes5+1⁄2 in (140 mm)
Boiler pressure200 psi (1,400 kPa)
Feedwater heaterWorthington
Heating surface4,178.00 sq ft (388.149 m2) ​
 • Tubes2,179.00 sq ft (202.436 m2)
 • Arch tubes33.00 sq ft (3.066 m2)
 • Flues905.00 sq ft (84.077 m2)
 • Tubes and flues3,409.00 sq ft (316.706 m2)
 • Firebox254.00 sq ft (23.597 m2)
Superheater:
​
 • Heating area769.00 sq ft (71.442 m2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size27 in × 30 in (690 mm × 760 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort58,090 lbf (258.40 kN)
Factor of adh.3.85
Career
OperatorsChicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Bristol and North Western Railroad
Grand Canyon Railway
ClassCB&Q O-1A
Numbers4960
NicknamesThe Great Teacher (When hauling school trains)
Tenshodo Mikado (When painted brass)
The Green Machine
RetiredJuly 17, 1966 (1st excursion service)
March 1985 (2nd excursion service)
RestoredMarch 1, 1981 (2nd excursion service)
July 27, 1996 (3rd excursion service)
Current ownerGrand Canyon Railway
DispositionOperational

No. 4960, along with 4-8-4 No. 5632, went on to pull several more trains for the steam program, including a train that was dedicated to the CB&Q's connection to Casper, Wyoming. In July 1966, the CB&Q discontinued their steam program, following a rise in insurance costs, a loss of experienced steam-age mechanics, and a change of management.

No. 4960 was subsequently donated to the Circus World Museum (CWM) of Baraboo, Wisconsin, who in turn donated it to the Mid-Continent Railway Museum (MCRM) of North Freedom, Wisconsin. In the early 1980s, the Bristol and North Western (B&NW) Railroad leased the locomotive for use on their tourist operation between Benhams and Bristol, Virginia. No. 4960's time on the B&NW was short-lived, and in 1985, the locomotive was moved to New Haven, Indiana for storage.

In 1989, the Grand Canyon Railway (GCR) purchased No. 4960 at an undisclosed cost, and a few years later, it was moved to the Railway's location in Williams, Arizona. At Williams, No. 4960 was extensively reconditioned with multiple modifications to improve its performance and cosmetics, abandoning its original CB&Q livery. It entered service for GCR in July 1996, and No. 4960 began pulling the Railway's passenger trains between Williams and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

In 2008, GCR's new owner, Xanterra, discontinued steam operations, but they resumed for limited service the following year, with No. 4960 being converted to burn waste vegetable oil. As of 2024, No. 4960 remains operational at GCR, and it serves as a stablemate to Ex-Lake Superior and Ishpeming (LS&I) 2-8-0 No. 29.

History edit

Design edit

Throughout the 1910s, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (CB&Q) Railroad ordered a fleet of 2-8-2 "Mikado" locomotives from the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Eddystone, Pennsylvania, for use in general freight service.[2][3] The first sixty 2-8-2's of the CB&Q (Nos. 5000-5059) were designated as the O-1 Class.[2] They were built with 64-inch (1,626 mm) diameter driving wheels, 27-by-30-inch (686 mm × 762 mm) cylinders, and a working boiler pressure of 170 pounds per square inch (1,172 kPa), and they could produce 49,500 lbf (220 kN) of tractive effort.[2] They could also travel at speeds faster than 60 miles per hour (97 km/h).[3]

In 1917, the CB&Q made multiple alterations to the boiler design on the O-1, and they created a new class of locomotives out of it, designated as the O-1A.[2][3] The O-1A's were designed with radially stayed fireboxes and feedwater heaters, and their boiler pressure was upgraded to 200 psi (1,379 kPa), resulting in their ability to produce 58,090 lbf (258 kN) of tractive effort.[2][3] The O-1A's were lighter than the United States Railroad Administration's (USRA) Heavy Mikado design, but heavier than the USRA's Light Mikado design.[2][4] The first eighty-eight O-1A's (Nos. 5060-5147) were built between 1917 and 1922, and sixty locomotives (Nos. 4940-4999) were built in 1923.[3][a]

Revenue service edit

No. 4960 was constructed in August 1923, as part of that year's batches of O-1A locomotives.[3][4] In revenue service, No. 4960 was mostly assigned by the CB&Q to pull freight trains in the railroad's Chicago Division.[2] After World War II, the CB&Q initiated a $140-million program to dieselize their locomotive fleet, with multiple steam locomotives being reassigned or retired from service.[3][6] No. 4960 was reassigned to work in the Beardstown Division—the final division on the CB&Q where almost all locomotives assigned were steam-powered.[7][8] On the Beardstown Division, No. 4960 served as a mine switcher to pull hopper cars loaded with Southern Illinois coal out of Herrin Junction, Illinois, and it pulled coal extras between Herrin Junction, Beardstown, and Centralia.[2][7][8] It also pulled local freight trains between Herrin Junction, Centralia, Metropolis, and St. Louis.[7] By the fall of 1958, No. 4960 was one of the last O-1A's to remain in active service at Herrin Junction.[9]

First excursion service edit

Beginning in the summer of 1955, the CB&Q hosted a series of excursion fantrips hosted by railfan clubs, including the Illinois Railroad Club, and they kicked off the CB&Q's new steam excursion program.[10][11] In December 1958, No. 4960 moved from Herrin Junction to Chicago, in preparation to pull its first fantrip.[9] The fantrip took place on December 28, when No. 4960 ran from Chicago to Galesburg, Illinois and return, and 490 passengers were on board the train that day.[9][11][12] After the CB&Q discontinued commercial steam operations in January 1959, the railroad's president, Harry C. Murphy, commissioned for additional steam-powered excursion trains to take place.[9][12]

While the majority of the excursions in the 1950s were hauled by over twenty different steam locomotives, the excursions after 1960 would be exclusively hauled by No. 4960 and 4-8-4 "Northern" No. 5632.[9][11][13] On May 21, 1961, No. 4960 entered the Galesburg roundhouse to undergo a class 3 overhaul, and the work was completed on August 1.[13] Following the success of the steam excursion runs, the CB&Q's passenger department began sponsoring the trips in 1962, and that same year, the railroad launched the "Steam Choo-Choo" excursions to educate school students about steam locomotives.[12][13] Nos. 4960 and 5632 would pull the school trains across the CB&Q system, and Trains Magazine editor David P. Morgan proclaimed No. 4960 as "The Great Teacher" for the school runs.[12][13][14]

Having hauled over 45,000 students in their trains by the end of 1962, the CB&Q continued the Steam Choo-Choo runs into 1963, when the railroad hauled over 75,000 students.[5][15] On October 18, 1963, No. 4960 pulled a deadhead equipment train to Casper, Wyoming, in preparation to attend a special event, but en route, the locomotive smacked into the rear car of a passenger train in Douglas.[5][16][17] The locomotive received only superficial damage upon impact, and the Casper shop crew quickly replaced the damaged headlight bracket on the smokebox door with a makeshift platform.[5][16] On October 20, during the 50th anniversary of the CB&Q's entry into Casper, No. 4960 was spray painted gold and tasked to pull an excursion for 58 miles (93 km) between Casper and Arminto.[17][5][16] Trains Magazine proclaimed No. 4960 as the "Tenshodo Mikado" for this event.[17][18]

 
CB&Q No. 4960 pulling an excursion from Kings to Holcomb, Illinois, in August 1965

In 1964, the CB&Q discontinued the Steam Choo-Choo runs, and Nos. 4960 and 5632 were relegated to running on limited dates.[5][15] The railroad began to experience rising operating and maintenance costs for their steam locomotives, a number of experienced steam mechanics had left, and having the locomotives refueled and watered in a dieselized environment was becoming difficult.[11][5][15] In the fall of 1964, No. 5632 was removed from service to undergo an overhaul, and No. 4960 subsequently continued to run for the diminished steam program on borrowed time.[11][15] In April 1965, No. 4960 was stationed in Savanna, Illinois to pull revenue passenger and freight trains through a flood from the nearby Mississippi River.[19][20] On July 1 that same year, the locomotive was selected to pull the first annual Schlitz Circus World Museum (CWM) train on the Chicago and North Western (C&NW) mainline between Baraboo and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[19][21][22]

Also on July 1, Harry Murphy retired from his position as president of the CB&Q, and he was succeeded by Louis W. Menk.[11][20] Louis Menk explored ways to reduce operating costs for the railroad, and in doing so, he decided to shut down the steam program.[20] No. 4960's flue time was set to expire on August 1, 1966, and it had been expected that the locomotive would receive a flue extension to run another year, but Menk decided against it.[20] Throughout 1966, No. 4960 pulled some final excursion runs throughout Illinois, and on June 30, it pulled the second annual Schlitz CWM train between Baraboo and Milwaukee.[20][23][22] On July 17, No. 4960 pulled the CB&Q's very last steam excursion train, labeled the "Denrock Zephyr", between Chicago and Denrock, Illinois, and it officially marked the end of the CB&Q's steam program.[15][16][24]

First retirement and second excursion service edit

Following the end of the program, the CB&Q donated No. 4960 to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin (SHSW), the owner of the CWM in Baraboo, and the society was required to agree to keep No. 4960 in its CB&Q livery.[11][25][22] The donation was for the locomotive to become a permanent addition to the CWM's collection, but a light-duty bridge prevented No. 4960 from entering the Baraboo property.[3][11] The SHSW subsequently asked the nearby Mid-Continent Railway Museum (MCRM) of North Freedom, Wisconsin to store No. 4960 for them, and the locomotive moved to North Freedom under its power on July 29.[11][26] The following day, No. 4960 was fired up and moved within the museum's yard; it was the only time No. 4960 ever ran at the MCRM.[11]

Following the expiration of No. 4960s flue time, the locomotive required an overhaul, but the CWM did not have qualified employees to perform the work.[22] The CWM subsequently relied on other locomotives to pull its yearly train instead, beginning with Grand Trunk Western 5629 in 1967.[22][27] In October 1970, the SHSW donated No. 4960 to the MCRM, and the museum agreed to abide by the terms of the 1966 donation, regarding the locomotive's CB&Q appearance.[3][11][25] The museum was unable to use the locomotive on their light-weight trackage, due to its heavy weight, so for a number of years, No. 4960 sat idle in the MCRM's yard.[25]

In 1979, the Lonesome Pine Recreation Corporation, led by Harold Keene, acquired the Southern Railway's abandoned 29.6-mile (48 km) route between Bristol and Moccasin Gap, Virginia, with the intention of turning it into an enterprising tourist operation, called the Bristol and North Western (B&NW) Railroad.[28][29] In November 1980, Harold Keene entered negotiations with the MCRM about leasing No. 4960 for the Virginia-based operation.[4][25] Despite some museum members being reluctant to let No. 4960 go, the MCRM agreed to loan the locomotive to the B&NW for a period of ten years.[4][25] The B&NW was mandated to agree to keep the locomotive in its CB&Q livery, during the lease.[4][30] In January 1981, No. 4960 was moved out of North Freedom and shipped on the C&NW and Conrail, bound for Jackson, Ohio.[4]

 
No. 4960 sitting in storage, slightly disassembled, at Casad Industrial Park in New Haven, Indiana, on March 29, 1986

Upon arrival in Jackson, the locomotive was moved inside the former Jackson Iron and Steel Company (JISCO) steel mill, where steam locomotive expert Gary Bensman was hired to overhaul and return No. 4960 to service.[4][25] With the locomotive being worn out from running for the CB&Q steam program, and the demand to have it immediately placed into service, the B&NW crews had to only operate No. 4960 at a working pressure of 150 psi (1,034 kPa), as opposed to 200 psi (1,379 kPa).[4][25][30] Restoration work was completed on March 1, and No. 4960 was moved to B&NW property, later that month.[4]

No. 4960 began pulling the B&NW's three-car tourist trains on summer weekends within the eastern end of the route between Bristol and Benham.[31] Along the route, the locomotive had to climb a steep 3%-grade from Bristol to Haskell.[31] By the end of 1981, the B&NW had hauled over 10,000 passengers, but the state of the economy and a slump in the coal industry resulted in a lack of B&NW trains being run in 1982.[25][32] Concerned about No. 4960's prolonged inactivity, one B&NW volunteer, Robert Franzen, convinced Harold Keene to allow him and other volunteers to repair and run No. 4960 on the B&NW for a short time in the fall of 1984.[25] By that time, the B&NW had informed the MCRM they could no longer run the locomotive, and a group from the Quad Cities area expressed interest in leasing it for a higher price.[25]

In March 1985, No. 4960 moved to the B&NW-Norfolk Southern (NS) interchange in Bristol, and then it was towed westbound to New Haven, Indiana.[33][34] In New Haven, the locomotive was moved to Gary Bensman's shop in Casad Industrial Park, allowing Bensman to simultaneously work on both No. 4960 and the nearby Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society's locomotive, Nickel Plate Road 765.[34] By the time the move to New Haven was completed, the Quad Cities group had disappeared, so the MCRM asked Bensman to clean up the No. 4960 locomotive to attract another lessor or a buyer.[33]

Grand Canyon Railway ownership edit

In early 1989, the Santa Fe Railroad's abandoned 64-mile (103 km) route between Williams, Arizona and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon was being redeveloped into a tourist operation, called the Grand Canyon Railway (GCR), under the guidance of Max and Thelma Biegert.[33][34][35] In July that same year, GCR acquired four Ex-Lake Superior and Ishpeming (LS&I) 2-8-0 "Consolidation" locomotives (Nos. 18, 19, 20, and 29) for use on the route, but Gary Bensman, who worked for GCR during the company’s first year, had informed Max Biegert that No. 4960 was also available and suitable for GCR's requirements.[33][36][37] After subsequent negotiations with the MCRM took place, GCR purchased No. 4960 on September 16—one day before No. 18 pulled the Railway's first train.[33][36]

 
GCR No. 4960 sitting at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon

With Gary Bensman leaving his Casad shop, a group of GCR workforces led by Robert Franzen began to prepare No. 4960 to be moved out of Casad Industrial Park, but NS informed them that they would not ship the locomotive, due to pits being discovered in its axles.[33] All of No. 4960's wheels were removed and shipped to NS' Birmingham shop to be reworked.[33] The original plans for the restoration were to have No. 4960 retain its CB&Q livery—with a new tender being installed—and to enter service for GCR by July 4, 1990, before gradually receiving mechanical improvements in ensuing years.[38][39] Unexpected problems with the axles and wheels led to repairs on them taking a number of months to complete.[33] The owners of Casad became impatient about the wheel-less 4960's prolonged storage status in New Haven, so they later threatened to scrap the locomotive, if GCR did not remove it within thirty days.[33][39] As a last resort, Franzen and his crew opted to cut the boiler from the frame to ship No. 4960 in separate pieces via flatcars to Williams, and the original smokebox was consequently damaged beyond salvaging.[34][39]

The shopforces of GCR were determined that when restored, No. 4960 would pull more cars than LS&I Nos. 18 and 29 could, and Franzen opted to give the locomotive a full-fledged rebuild to allow it to run for many miles with minimal required maintenance.[34][36][39] Restoration work on No. 4960 for GCR officially began in the fall of 1993, and Franzen was to lead the process.[34][39] The part of the locomotive that was the most extensively-reconditioned was the boiler; all of the flues, tubes, both flue sheets, and parts of the firebox were replaced with newly-welded duplicates.[34][37][40][41] The boiler also received mechanical upgrades No. 4960 didn't previously have, including the addition of eight transverse arch tubes inside the firebox, and the addition of a custom-made smokebox.[34][40][42]

The shopforces also opted to replace the locomotive's original CB&Q tender, since it was in poor condition, and its small capacity was deemed unsuitable for a full round trip on the GCR.[40][41][43] After looking into a half-dozen options, GCR acquired a larger tender that was formerly paired with Soo Line 4-8-2 No. 4012.[37][41][43][b] The new tender boosted No. 4960's water capacity from 10,000 US gallons (8,327 imp gal) to 18,000 US gallons (14,988 imp gal), and with the locomotive being converted to burn oil, its fuel capacity was changed to 3,800 US gallons (3,164 imp gal) of oil.[34][43] Many other modifications were also applied to alter No. 4960's mechanical performance and cosmetic appearance, including the addition of a boiler-tube cowcatcher and a center-mounted dual-beam headlight on the smokebox door.[40][42][43] The crews decided to give No. 4960 a new livery that would symbolize GCR, instead of retaining the locomotive's original CB&Q livery, and the end result bears a resemblance to locomotives from the Frisco Railway.[40][41][44][c]

At a cost of $1.6 million, the major rebuild on No. 4960 took thirty-months over a three-year period to complete.[34][45] In May 1996, No. 4960 was test-fired outside the shop, and two months later, on July 9, the locomotive emerged from the shop and performed its first test run.[40][44][46] On July 27, No. 4960 pulled its first regular train for GCR between Williams and the Grand Canyon Village, and it led every subsequent GCR train by the end of September.[45][46] The O-1A was able to pull nine loaded passenger cars on GCR without diesel assistance, and while it is capable of pulling more, the extra capacity would create greater wear on the locomotive while traveling at lower speeds at the steep 3%-grades leading into the Canyon.[46] On the weekend of October 5–6, the Grand Canyon Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) hosted a series of photo charters to serve as No. 4960's formal GCR debut.[47] In August 2002, No. 4960 took part in that year's NRHS Convention on GCR, with the O-1A performing a photo doubleheader with visiting locomotive Santa Fe 3751 and a tripleheader with No. 18.[48][49][50]

 
GCR No. 4960 pulling a photo charter train in Coconino Canyon, on May 15, 2011

In late 2006, the Biegert's sold GCR to Xanterra Parks and Resorts.[51][52][53] As a result of environmental concerns and rising fuel prices from the 2000s energy crisis, Xanterra made the decision to discontinue steam operations on GCR by September 2008.[52][53][54][55] On September 19, 2009, during the 20th anniversary of GCR's grand reopening, No. 4960 was returned to service to pull one roundtrip, in dedication of the event.[56][57] In preparation for the run, GCR workforces opted to convert No. 4960 from burning diesel oil to burning recycled waste vegetable oil to boost its economic and environmental efficientcy.[56][57][58] From that point onward, GCR resumed steam operations for limited occasions to save operating costs.[56][58][59]

In September 2011, No. 4960 was removed from service to undergo a 15-year boiler inspection, as mandated by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).[57][60][61] The disassembly and inspection process lasted four months, with the O-1A's boiler passing the inspection with minimal required maintenance.[61][62][63] On February 14, 2012, during the centennial of Arizona's statehood, No. 4960 lead the Arizona Centennial train on GCR, with 1,100 passengers on board the train that day.[63][64] On May 16, No. 4960 performed another doubleheader run with Santa Fe 3751, when the latter visited GCR as part of a six-day mainline excursion.[61][65]

By 2013, GCR set up a schedule for No. 4960 to operate on the first Saturday of the month from March to September.[54][66] The locomotive would also be set to operate in April for Earth Day.[49][67][68] On September 26, 2015, No. 4960 took part in a "Man vs. Machine race", where it raced for 53 miles (85 km) against 260 bike riders from Tusayan to Williams.[69] On April 23, 2022, following the passing of Trains Magazine editor Jim Wrinn, No. 4960's tender was painted with the message "Steam on, Jim Wrinn", with the locomotive pulling an Earth Day excursion in Wrinn's honor.[68] On August 5, 12 and 19, 2023, No. 4960 pulled passenger trains for the centennial of the O-1A’s construction date.[70][71]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ The final O-1A's were numbered in the 4900-series to avoid conflict with the 5200-series assigned to the O-2 Class.[5]
  2. ^ GCR was initially going to purchase a tender formerly paired with Cotton Belt 4-8-4 No. 814 for use as No. 4960's replacement tender.[38]
  3. ^ Many of the repairs made to No. 4960 were inspired by Robert Franzen's experience on the Southern Railway steam program.[39][40]

References edit

  1. ^ Stowe (1966), p. 5
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Bianchi (1997), p. 36
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Moungovan (1997), p. 28
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Boyd (1982), p. 33
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Stagner (1997), p. 18
  6. ^ "HARRY C. MURPHY; HEADED RAILROAD; Was President of Chicago Burlington & Quincy". The New York Times. March 5, 1967. p. 87. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Stagner (1997), p. 7
  8. ^ a b Stagner (1997), p. 13
  9. ^ a b c d e Stagner (1997), p. 15
  10. ^ Stagner (1997), p. 9
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Bianchi (1997), p. 37
  12. ^ a b c d Stowe (1966), p. 2
  13. ^ a b c d Stagner (1997), p. 17
  14. ^ Moungovan (1997), p. 33
  15. ^ a b c d e Stowe (1966), p. 3
  16. ^ a b c d "Remembering the Mike". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 4, no. 5. Carstens Publications. September 1982. pp. 36–37.
  17. ^ a b c "Tenshodo Mikado?". Trains. Vol. 24, no. 4. Kalmbach Publishing. February 1964. p. 19. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  18. ^ Stowe (1966), p. 31
  19. ^ a b Stowe (1966), p. 21
  20. ^ a b c d e Stagner (1997), p. 22
  21. ^ "Here comes the circus!: A revival of bygone days in Wisconsin". Trains. Vol. 26, no. 9. Kalmbach Publishing. July 1966. pp. 47–49. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  22. ^ a b c d e Nelson (2013), p. 85
  23. ^ Zeirke, Jim (July 2000). "The Great Circus Train". Trains. Vol. 60, no. 7. Kalmbach Publishing. pp. 41–43. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  24. ^ "Steam News Photos". Trains. Vol. 26, no. 11. Kalmbach Publishing. September 1966. p. 12. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Bianchi (1997), p. 38
  26. ^ "Steam News Photos". Trains. Vol. 27, no. 3. Kalmbach Publishing. January 1967. p. 12. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  27. ^ Nelson (2013), p. 87
  28. ^ Boyd (1982), p. 30
  29. ^ Boyd (1982), p. 32
  30. ^ a b Moungovan (1997), p. 29
  31. ^ a b Boyd (1982), p. 34
  32. ^ Boyd (1982), p. 36
  33. ^ a b c d e f g h i Bianchi (1997), p. 39
  34. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Moungovan (1997), p. 30
  35. ^ Bianchi (1995), p. 40
  36. ^ a b c Bianchi (1995), p. 42
  37. ^ a b c Mitchell (2019), p. 52
  38. ^ a b Lewis, Hal (February 1990). "Steam to the Grand Canyon". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 9, no. 2. Carstens Publications. pp. 46–47.
  39. ^ a b c d e f Bianchi (1997), p. 40
  40. ^ a b c d e f g Bianchi (1997), p. 41
  41. ^ a b c d Bianchi (1995), p. 44
  42. ^ a b Moungovan (1997), p. 31
  43. ^ a b c d Moungovan (1997), p. 32
  44. ^ a b "News photos — She's back". Trains. Vol. 56, no. 10. Kalmbach Publishing. October 1996. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  45. ^ a b Bianchi (1997), p. 35
  46. ^ a b c Bianchi (1997), p. 42
  47. ^ Del Vecchio, Mike (January 1997). "4960's Grand Debut". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 16, no. 1. Carstens Publications. pp. 34–35.
  48. ^ Mitchell (2019), p. 47
  49. ^ a b Mitchell (2019), p. 55
  50. ^ Barry, Steve (December 2002). "Canyon Rails 2002". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 21, no. 12. Carstens Publications. pp. 31–33.
  51. ^ . The Williams News. September 19, 2020. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  52. ^ a b Mitchell (2019), p. 48
  53. ^ a b Wrinn (2010), p. 26
  54. ^ a b Mitchell (2019), p. 54
  55. ^ . Trains (magazine). September 2, 2012. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  56. ^ a b c . The Williams News. Williams, Arizona. April 16, 2021. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  57. ^ a b c Wrinn (2010), p. 29
  58. ^ a b . The Williams News. April 15, 2021. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  59. ^ . The Williams News. Williams, Arizona. August 5, 2021. Archived from the original on August 5, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  60. ^ Wrinn (2010), p. 30
  61. ^ a b c Hadder (2013), p. 31
  62. ^ Hadder (2013), p. 34
  63. ^ a b Hadder (2013), p. 35
  64. ^ Duffy, Lynda (January 3, 2012). . The Williams News. Williams, Arizona. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  65. ^ Rattenne, Ken (August 2012). "The Grand Canyon Limited". Railfan & Railroad. pp. 26–28.
  66. ^ . The Williams News. Williams, Arizona. May 31, 2023. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  67. ^ . Trains (magazine). May 20, 2023. Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  68. ^ a b . Trains (magazine). September 22, 2022. Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  69. ^ . The Williams News. Williams, Arizona. May 31, 2023. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  70. ^ . The Williams News. Williams, Arizona. July 19, 2023. Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  71. ^ . Trains (magazine). August 8, 2023. Archived from the original on August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.

Bibliography edit

  • Bianchi, Curt (May 1997). "Steam's comeback kid". Trains (magazine). Vol. 57, no. 5. Kalmbach Media. pp. 35–42. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  • Boyd, Jim (September 1982). "The Bristol & North Western: A Burlington Mike on the "Trail of the Lonesome Pine."". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 4, no. 5. pp. 30–36.
  • Moungovan, Tom (January 1997). "4960: A New Career for an Old Friend". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 16, no. 1. Carstens Publications. pp. 28–33.
  • Nelson, Bruce (2013). America's Greatest Circus Train (1st ed.). Heimburger House Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-911581-64-5.
  • Stagner, Lloyd (1997). Burlington Route Steam Finale. David City, Nebraska: South Platte Press. ISBN 0-942035-38-0.
  • Stowe, J. A. (1966). The Northern and the Mike: A Tale of Two Locomotives. Illinois Railroad Club.
  • Bianchi, Curt (May 1995). "By steam to the Grand Canyon". Trains (magazine). Vol. 55, no. 5. Kalmbach Media. pp. 40–44. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  • Mitchell, Alexander (September 2019). "Thirty Years of Growth and Change: Grand Canyon Railway". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 38, no. 9. White River Productions. pp. 47–55.
  • Wrinn, Jim (May 2010). "Grand Canyon goes green". Trains (magazine). Vol. 70, no. 5. Kalmbach Media. pp. 26–30. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  • Hadder, Eric (May 2013). "Critical checkup for steam". Trains (magazine). Vol. 72, no. 5. Kalmbach Media. pp. 31–35. Retrieved December 5, 2023.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grand Canyon Railway 4960.
  • Grand Canyon Railway Official Website

February 15, 2024
grand, canyon, railway, 4960, preserved, class, mikado, type, steam, locomotive, built, august, 1923, baldwin, locomotive, works, chicago, burlington, quincy, railroad, used, pull, freight, trains, until, 1958, when, locomotive, pulled, first, excursion, fantr. Grand Canyon Railway 4960 is a preserved O 1A class 2 8 2 Mikado type steam locomotive built in August 1923 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Chicago Burlington and Quincy CB amp Q Railroad It was used by the CB amp Q to pull freight trains until 1958 when the locomotive pulled its first excursion fantrip as part of the railroad s steam excursion program Grand Canyon Railway 4960GCRY No 4960 idling at the Grand Canyon Village during its 100th Birthday celebration on August 12 2023Type and originReference 1 Power typeSteamBuilderBaldwin Locomotive WorksSerial number56809Build dateAugust 1923SpecificationsConfiguration Whyte2 8 2 UIC1 D1Gauge4 ft 8 1 2 in 1 435 mm Leading dia 33 in 0 838 m Driver dia 64 in 1 626 m Trailing dia 42 1 2 in 1 080 m Tender wheels33 in 0 838 m Wheelbase70 ft 0 in 21 34 m Engine33 ft 9 1 2 in 10 30 m Drivers15 ft 21 in 5 11 m Height15 ft 10 1 2 in 4 84 m Adhesive weight233 850 lb 106 070 kg Loco weight310 780 lb 140 970 kg Tender weight195 300 lb 88 600 kg Total weight506 080 lb 229 550 kg Fuel typeRecycled vegetable oil originally coalFuel capacityOld tender 42 000 lb 19 000 kg New tender 3 800 US gal 14 000 L 3 200 imp gal Water cap Old tender 10 000 US gal 38 000 L 8 300 imp gal New tender 18 000 US gal 68 000 L 15 000 imp gal Firebox Grate area59 sq ft 5 5 m2 Boiler Small tubes2 1 4 in 57 mm Large tubes5 1 2 in 140 mm Boiler pressure200 psi 1 400 kPa Feedwater heaterWorthingtonHeating surface4 178 00 sq ft 388 149 m2 Tubes2 179 00 sq ft 202 436 m2 Arch tubes33 00 sq ft 3 066 m2 Flues905 00 sq ft 84 077 m2 Tubes and flues3 409 00 sq ft 316 706 m2 Firebox254 00 sq ft 23 597 m2 Superheater Heating area769 00 sq ft 71 442 m2 CylindersTwoCylinder size27 in 30 in 690 mm 760 mm Valve gearWalschaertsPerformance figuresTractive effort58 090 lbf 258 40 kN Factor of adh 3 85CareerOperatorsChicago Burlington and Quincy RailroadBristol and North Western RailroadGrand Canyon RailwayClassCB amp Q O 1ANumbers4960NicknamesThe Great Teacher When hauling school trains Tenshodo Mikado When painted brass The Green MachineRetiredJuly 17 1966 1st excursion service March 1985 2nd excursion service RestoredMarch 1 1981 2nd excursion service July 27 1996 3rd excursion service Current ownerGrand Canyon RailwayDispositionOperationalNo 4960 along with 4 8 4 No 5632 went on to pull several more trains for the steam program including a train that was dedicated to the CB amp Q s connection to Casper Wyoming In July 1966 the CB amp Q discontinued their steam program following a rise in insurance costs a loss of experienced steam age mechanics and a change of management No 4960 was subsequently donated to the Circus World Museum CWM of Baraboo Wisconsin who in turn donated it to the Mid Continent Railway Museum MCRM of North Freedom Wisconsin In the early 1980s the Bristol and North Western B amp NW Railroad leased the locomotive for use on their tourist operation between Benhams and Bristol Virginia No 4960 s time on the B amp NW was short lived and in 1985 the locomotive was moved to New Haven Indiana for storage In 1989 the Grand Canyon Railway GCR purchased No 4960 at an undisclosed cost and a few years later it was moved to the Railway s location in Williams Arizona At Williams No 4960 was extensively reconditioned with multiple modifications to improve its performance and cosmetics abandoning its original CB amp Q livery It entered service for GCR in July 1996 and No 4960 began pulling the Railway s passenger trains between Williams and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon In 2008 GCR s new owner Xanterra discontinued steam operations but they resumed for limited service the following year with No 4960 being converted to burn waste vegetable oil As of 2024 No 4960 remains operational at GCR and it serves as a stablemate to Ex Lake Superior and Ishpeming LS amp I 2 8 0 No 29 Contents 1 History 1 1 Design 1 2 Revenue service 1 3 First excursion service 1 4 First retirement and second excursion service 1 5 Grand Canyon Railway ownership 2 See also 3 Notes 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksHistory editDesign edit Throughout the 1910s the Chicago Burlington and Quincy CB amp Q Railroad ordered a fleet of 2 8 2 Mikado locomotives from the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Eddystone Pennsylvania for use in general freight service 2 3 The first sixty 2 8 2 s of the CB amp Q Nos 5000 5059 were designated as the O 1 Class 2 They were built with 64 inch 1 626 mm diameter driving wheels 27 by 30 inch 686 mm 762 mm cylinders and a working boiler pressure of 170 pounds per square inch 1 172 kPa and they could produce 49 500 lbf 220 kN of tractive effort 2 They could also travel at speeds faster than 60 miles per hour 97 km h 3 In 1917 the CB amp Q made multiple alterations to the boiler design on the O 1 and they created a new class of locomotives out of it designated as the O 1A 2 3 The O 1A s were designed with radially stayed fireboxes and feedwater heaters and their boiler pressure was upgraded to 200 psi 1 379 kPa resulting in their ability to produce 58 090 lbf 258 kN of tractive effort 2 3 The O 1A s were lighter than the United States Railroad Administration s USRA Heavy Mikado design but heavier than the USRA s Light Mikado design 2 4 The first eighty eight O 1A s Nos 5060 5147 were built between 1917 and 1922 and sixty locomotives Nos 4940 4999 were built in 1923 3 a Revenue service edit No 4960 was constructed in August 1923 as part of that year s batches of O 1A locomotives 3 4 In revenue service No 4960 was mostly assigned by the CB amp Q to pull freight trains in the railroad s Chicago Division 2 After World War II the CB amp Q initiated a 140 million program to dieselize their locomotive fleet with multiple steam locomotives being reassigned or retired from service 3 6 No 4960 was reassigned to work in the Beardstown Division the final division on the CB amp Q where almost all locomotives assigned were steam powered 7 8 On the Beardstown Division No 4960 served as a mine switcher to pull hopper cars loaded with Southern Illinois coal out of Herrin Junction Illinois and it pulled coal extras between Herrin Junction Beardstown and Centralia 2 7 8 It also pulled local freight trains between Herrin Junction Centralia Metropolis and St Louis 7 By the fall of 1958 No 4960 was one of the last O 1A s to remain in active service at Herrin Junction 9 First excursion service edit Beginning in the summer of 1955 the CB amp Q hosted a series of excursion fantrips hosted by railfan clubs including the Illinois Railroad Club and they kicked off the CB amp Q s new steam excursion program 10 11 In December 1958 No 4960 moved from Herrin Junction to Chicago in preparation to pull its first fantrip 9 The fantrip took place on December 28 when No 4960 ran from Chicago to Galesburg Illinois and return and 490 passengers were on board the train that day 9 11 12 After the CB amp Q discontinued commercial steam operations in January 1959 the railroad s president Harry C Murphy commissioned for additional steam powered excursion trains to take place 9 12 While the majority of the excursions in the 1950s were hauled by over twenty different steam locomotives the excursions after 1960 would be exclusively hauled by No 4960 and 4 8 4 Northern No 5632 9 11 13 On May 21 1961 No 4960 entered the Galesburg roundhouse to undergo a class 3 overhaul and the work was completed on August 1 13 Following the success of the steam excursion runs the CB amp Q s passenger department began sponsoring the trips in 1962 and that same year the railroad launched the Steam Choo Choo excursions to educate school students about steam locomotives 12 13 Nos 4960 and 5632 would pull the school trains across the CB amp Q system and Trains Magazine editor David P Morgan proclaimed No 4960 as The Great Teacher for the school runs 12 13 14 Having hauled over 45 000 students in their trains by the end of 1962 the CB amp Q continued the Steam Choo Choo runs into 1963 when the railroad hauled over 75 000 students 5 15 On October 18 1963 No 4960 pulled a deadhead equipment train to Casper Wyoming in preparation to attend a special event but en route the locomotive smacked into the rear car of a passenger train in Douglas 5 16 17 The locomotive received only superficial damage upon impact and the Casper shop crew quickly replaced the damaged headlight bracket on the smokebox door with a makeshift platform 5 16 On October 20 during the 50th anniversary of the CB amp Q s entry into Casper No 4960 was spray painted gold and tasked to pull an excursion for 58 miles 93 km between Casper and Arminto 17 5 16 Trains Magazine proclaimed No 4960 as the Tenshodo Mikado for this event 17 18 nbsp CB amp Q No 4960 pulling an excursion from Kings to Holcomb Illinois in August 1965In 1964 the CB amp Q discontinued the Steam Choo Choo runs and Nos 4960 and 5632 were relegated to running on limited dates 5 15 The railroad began to experience rising operating and maintenance costs for their steam locomotives a number of experienced steam mechanics had left and having the locomotives refueled and watered in a dieselized environment was becoming difficult 11 5 15 In the fall of 1964 No 5632 was removed from service to undergo an overhaul and No 4960 subsequently continued to run for the diminished steam program on borrowed time 11 15 In April 1965 No 4960 was stationed in Savanna Illinois to pull revenue passenger and freight trains through a flood from the nearby Mississippi River 19 20 On July 1 that same year the locomotive was selected to pull the first annual Schlitz Circus World Museum CWM train on the Chicago and North Western C amp NW mainline between Baraboo and Milwaukee Wisconsin 19 21 22 Also on July 1 Harry Murphy retired from his position as president of the CB amp Q and he was succeeded by Louis W Menk 11 20 Louis Menk explored ways to reduce operating costs for the railroad and in doing so he decided to shut down the steam program 20 No 4960 s flue time was set to expire on August 1 1966 and it had been expected that the locomotive would receive a flue extension to run another year but Menk decided against it 20 Throughout 1966 No 4960 pulled some final excursion runs throughout Illinois and on June 30 it pulled the second annual Schlitz CWM train between Baraboo and Milwaukee 20 23 22 On July 17 No 4960 pulled the CB amp Q s very last steam excursion train labeled the Denrock Zephyr between Chicago and Denrock Illinois and it officially marked the end of the CB amp Q s steam program 15 16 24 First retirement and second excursion service edit Following the end of the program the CB amp Q donated No 4960 to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin SHSW the owner of the CWM in Baraboo and the society was required to agree to keep No 4960 in its CB amp Q livery 11 25 22 The donation was for the locomotive to become a permanent addition to the CWM s collection but a light duty bridge prevented No 4960 from entering the Baraboo property 3 11 The SHSW subsequently asked the nearby Mid Continent Railway Museum MCRM of North Freedom Wisconsin to store No 4960 for them and the locomotive moved to North Freedom under its power on July 29 11 26 The following day No 4960 was fired up and moved within the museum s yard it was the only time No 4960 ever ran at the MCRM 11 Following the expiration of No 4960s flue time the locomotive required an overhaul but the CWM did not have qualified employees to perform the work 22 The CWM subsequently relied on other locomotives to pull its yearly train instead beginning with Grand Trunk Western 5629 in 1967 22 27 In October 1970 the SHSW donated No 4960 to the MCRM and the museum agreed to abide by the terms of the 1966 donation regarding the locomotive s CB amp Q appearance 3 11 25 The museum was unable to use the locomotive on their light weight trackage due to its heavy weight so for a number of years No 4960 sat idle in the MCRM s yard 25 In 1979 the Lonesome Pine Recreation Corporation led by Harold Keene acquired the Southern Railway s abandoned 29 6 mile 48 km route between Bristol and Moccasin Gap Virginia with the intention of turning it into an enterprising tourist operation called the Bristol and North Western B amp NW Railroad 28 29 In November 1980 Harold Keene entered negotiations with the MCRM about leasing No 4960 for the Virginia based operation 4 25 Despite some museum members being reluctant to let No 4960 go the MCRM agreed to loan the locomotive to the B amp NW for a period of ten years 4 25 The B amp NW was mandated to agree to keep the locomotive in its CB amp Q livery during the lease 4 30 In January 1981 No 4960 was moved out of North Freedom and shipped on the C amp NW and Conrail bound for Jackson Ohio 4 nbsp No 4960 sitting in storage slightly disassembled at Casad Industrial Park in New Haven Indiana on March 29 1986Upon arrival in Jackson the locomotive was moved inside the former Jackson Iron and Steel Company JISCO steel mill where steam locomotive expert Gary Bensman was hired to overhaul and return No 4960 to service 4 25 With the locomotive being worn out from running for the CB amp Q steam program and the demand to have it immediately placed into service the B amp NW crews had to only operate No 4960 at a working pressure of 150 psi 1 034 kPa as opposed to 200 psi 1 379 kPa 4 25 30 Restoration work was completed on March 1 and No 4960 was moved to B amp NW property later that month 4 No 4960 began pulling the B amp NW s three car tourist trains on summer weekends within the eastern end of the route between Bristol and Benham 31 Along the route the locomotive had to climb a steep 3 grade from Bristol to Haskell 31 By the end of 1981 the B amp NW had hauled over 10 000 passengers but the state of the economy and a slump in the coal industry resulted in a lack of B amp NW trains being run in 1982 25 32 Concerned about No 4960 s prolonged inactivity one B amp NW volunteer Robert Franzen convinced Harold Keene to allow him and other volunteers to repair and run No 4960 on the B amp NW for a short time in the fall of 1984 25 By that time the B amp NW had informed the MCRM they could no longer run the locomotive and a group from the Quad Cities area expressed interest in leasing it for a higher price 25 In March 1985 No 4960 moved to the B amp NW Norfolk Southern NS interchange in Bristol and then it was towed westbound to New Haven Indiana 33 34 In New Haven the locomotive was moved to Gary Bensman s shop in Casad Industrial Park allowing Bensman to simultaneously work on both No 4960 and the nearby Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society s locomotive Nickel Plate Road 765 34 By the time the move to New Haven was completed the Quad Cities group had disappeared so the MCRM asked Bensman to clean up the No 4960 locomotive to attract another lessor or a buyer 33 Grand Canyon Railway ownership edit In early 1989 the Santa Fe Railroad s abandoned 64 mile 103 km route between Williams Arizona and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon was being redeveloped into a tourist operation called the Grand Canyon Railway GCR under the guidance of Max and Thelma Biegert 33 34 35 In July that same year GCR acquired four Ex Lake Superior and Ishpeming LS amp I 2 8 0 Consolidation locomotives Nos 18 19 20 and 29 for use on the route but Gary Bensman who worked for GCR during the company s first year had informed Max Biegert that No 4960 was also available and suitable for GCR s requirements 33 36 37 After subsequent negotiations with the MCRM took place GCR purchased No 4960 on September 16 one day before No 18 pulled the Railway s first train 33 36 nbsp GCR No 4960 sitting at the South Rim of the Grand CanyonWith Gary Bensman leaving his Casad shop a group of GCR workforces led by Robert Franzen began to prepare No 4960 to be moved out of Casad Industrial Park but NS informed them that they would not ship the locomotive due to pits being discovered in its axles 33 All of No 4960 s wheels were removed and shipped to NS Birmingham shop to be reworked 33 The original plans for the restoration were to have No 4960 retain its CB amp Q livery with a new tender being installed and to enter service for GCR by July 4 1990 before gradually receiving mechanical improvements in ensuing years 38 39 Unexpected problems with the axles and wheels led to repairs on them taking a number of months to complete 33 The owners of Casad became impatient about the wheel less 4960 s prolonged storage status in New Haven so they later threatened to scrap the locomotive if GCR did not remove it within thirty days 33 39 As a last resort Franzen and his crew opted to cut the boiler from the frame to ship No 4960 in separate pieces via flatcars to Williams and the original smokebox was consequently damaged beyond salvaging 34 39 The shopforces of GCR were determined that when restored No 4960 would pull more cars than LS amp I Nos 18 and 29 could and Franzen opted to give the locomotive a full fledged rebuild to allow it to run for many miles with minimal required maintenance 34 36 39 Restoration work on No 4960 for GCR officially began in the fall of 1993 and Franzen was to lead the process 34 39 The part of the locomotive that was the most extensively reconditioned was the boiler all of the flues tubes both flue sheets and parts of the firebox were replaced with newly welded duplicates 34 37 40 41 The boiler also received mechanical upgrades No 4960 didn t previously have including the addition of eight transverse arch tubes inside the firebox and the addition of a custom made smokebox 34 40 42 The shopforces also opted to replace the locomotive s original CB amp Q tender since it was in poor condition and its small capacity was deemed unsuitable for a full round trip on the GCR 40 41 43 After looking into a half dozen options GCR acquired a larger tender that was formerly paired with Soo Line 4 8 2 No 4012 37 41 43 b The new tender boosted No 4960 s water capacity from 10 000 US gallons 8 327 imp gal to 18 000 US gallons 14 988 imp gal and with the locomotive being converted to burn oil its fuel capacity was changed to 3 800 US gallons 3 164 imp gal of oil 34 43 Many other modifications were also applied to alter No 4960 s mechanical performance and cosmetic appearance including the addition of a boiler tube cowcatcher and a center mounted dual beam headlight on the smokebox door 40 42 43 The crews decided to give No 4960 a new livery that would symbolize GCR instead of retaining the locomotive s original CB amp Q livery and the end result bears a resemblance to locomotives from the Frisco Railway 40 41 44 c At a cost of 1 6 million the major rebuild on No 4960 took thirty months over a three year period to complete 34 45 In May 1996 No 4960 was test fired outside the shop and two months later on July 9 the locomotive emerged from the shop and performed its first test run 40 44 46 On July 27 No 4960 pulled its first regular train for GCR between Williams and the Grand Canyon Village and it led every subsequent GCR train by the end of September 45 46 The O 1A was able to pull nine loaded passenger cars on GCR without diesel assistance and while it is capable of pulling more the extra capacity would create greater wear on the locomotive while traveling at lower speeds at the steep 3 grades leading into the Canyon 46 On the weekend of October 5 6 the Grand Canyon Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society NRHS hosted a series of photo charters to serve as No 4960 s formal GCR debut 47 In August 2002 No 4960 took part in that year s NRHS Convention on GCR with the O 1A performing a photo doubleheader with visiting locomotive Santa Fe 3751 and a tripleheader with No 18 48 49 50 nbsp GCR No 4960 pulling a photo charter train in Coconino Canyon on May 15 2011In late 2006 the Biegert s sold GCR to Xanterra Parks and Resorts 51 52 53 As a result of environmental concerns and rising fuel prices from the 2000s energy crisis Xanterra made the decision to discontinue steam operations on GCR by September 2008 52 53 54 55 On September 19 2009 during the 20th anniversary of GCR s grand reopening No 4960 was returned to service to pull one roundtrip in dedication of the event 56 57 In preparation for the run GCR workforces opted to convert No 4960 from burning diesel oil to burning recycled waste vegetable oil to boost its economic and environmental efficientcy 56 57 58 From that point onward GCR resumed steam operations for limited occasions to save operating costs 56 58 59 In September 2011 No 4960 was removed from service to undergo a 15 year boiler inspection as mandated by the Federal Railroad Administration FRA 57 60 61 The disassembly and inspection process lasted four months with the O 1A s boiler passing the inspection with minimal required maintenance 61 62 63 On February 14 2012 during the centennial of Arizona s statehood No 4960 lead the Arizona Centennial train on GCR with 1 100 passengers on board the train that day 63 64 On May 16 No 4960 performed another doubleheader run with Santa Fe 3751 when the latter visited GCR as part of a six day mainline excursion 61 65 By 2013 GCR set up a schedule for No 4960 to operate on the first Saturday of the month from March to September 54 66 The locomotive would also be set to operate in April for Earth Day 49 67 68 On September 26 2015 No 4960 took part in a Man vs Machine race where it raced for 53 miles 85 km against 260 bike riders from Tusayan to Williams 69 On April 23 2022 following the passing of Trains Magazine editor Jim Wrinn No 4960 s tender was painted with the message Steam on Jim Wrinn with the locomotive pulling an Earth Day excursion in Wrinn s honor 68 On August 5 12 and 19 2023 No 4960 pulled passenger trains for the centennial of the O 1A s construction date 70 71 See also edit nbsp Trains portal nbsp Arizona portalChicago Burlington and Quincy 4000 Chicago Burlington and Quincy 4963 Grand Trunk Western 4070 Nickel Plate Road 587 Southern Railway 4501 Soo Line 1003Notes edit The final O 1A s were numbered in the 4900 series to avoid conflict with the 5200 series assigned to the O 2 Class 5 GCR was initially going to purchase a tender formerly paired with Cotton Belt 4 8 4 No 814 for use as No 4960 s replacement tender 38 Many of the repairs made to No 4960 were inspired by Robert Franzen s experience on the Southern Railway steam program 39 40 References edit Stowe 1966 p 5 a b c d e f g h Bianchi 1997 p 36 a b c d e f g h i Moungovan 1997 p 28 a b c d e f g h i Boyd 1982 p 33 a b c d e f g Stagner 1997 p 18 HARRY C MURPHY HEADED RAILROAD Was President of Chicago Burlington amp Quincy The New York Times March 5 1967 p 87 Retrieved March 25 2023 a b c Stagner 1997 p 7 a b Stagner 1997 p 13 a b c d e Stagner 1997 p 15 Stagner 1997 p 9 a b c d e f g h i j k Bianchi 1997 p 37 a b c d Stowe 1966 p 2 a b c d Stagner 1997 p 17 Moungovan 1997 p 33 a b c d e Stowe 1966 p 3 a b c d Remembering the Mike Railfan amp Railroad Vol 4 no 5 Carstens Publications September 1982 pp 36 37 a b c Tenshodo Mikado Trains Vol 24 no 4 Kalmbach Publishing February 1964 p 19 Retrieved February 6 2024 Stowe 1966 p 31 a b Stowe 1966 p 21 a b c d e Stagner 1997 p 22 Here comes the circus A revival of bygone days in Wisconsin Trains Vol 26 no 9 Kalmbach Publishing July 1966 pp 47 49 Retrieved May 22 2023 a b c d e Nelson 2013 p 85 Zeirke Jim July 2000 The Great Circus Train Trains Vol 60 no 7 Kalmbach Publishing pp 41 43 Retrieved May 22 2023 Steam News Photos Trains Vol 26 no 11 Kalmbach Publishing September 1966 p 12 Retrieved February 4 2024 a b c d e f g h i j Bianchi 1997 p 38 Steam News Photos Trains Vol 27 no 3 Kalmbach Publishing January 1967 p 12 Retrieved February 8 2024 Nelson 2013 p 87 Boyd 1982 p 30 Boyd 1982 p 32 a b Moungovan 1997 p 29 a b Boyd 1982 p 34 Boyd 1982 p 36 a b c d e f g h i Bianchi 1997 p 39 a b c d e f g h i j Moungovan 1997 p 30 Bianchi 1995 p 40 a b c Bianchi 1995 p 42 a b c Mitchell 2019 p 52 a b Lewis Hal February 1990 Steam to the Grand Canyon Railfan amp Railroad Vol 9 no 2 Carstens Publications pp 46 47 a b c d e f Bianchi 1997 p 40 a b c d e f g Bianchi 1997 p 41 a b c d Bianchi 1995 p 44 a b Moungovan 1997 p 31 a b c d Moungovan 1997 p 32 a b News photos She s back Trains Vol 56 no 10 Kalmbach Publishing October 1996 Retrieved January 17 2024 a b Bianchi 1997 p 35 a b c Bianchi 1997 p 42 Del Vecchio Mike January 1997 4960 s Grand Debut Railfan amp Railroad Vol 16 no 1 Carstens Publications pp 34 35 Mitchell 2019 p 47 a b Mitchell 2019 p 55 Barry Steve December 2002 Canyon Rails 2002 Railfan amp Railroad Vol 21 no 12 Carstens Publications pp 31 33 New ownership for Xanterra GC Railway The Williams News September 19 2020 Archived from the original on September 19 2020 Retrieved May 31 2023 a b Mitchell 2019 p 48 a b Wrinn 2010 p 26 a b Mitchell 2019 p 54 Ridership loss rising fuel prices drove GCR to cancel steam program Trains magazine September 2 2012 Archived from the original on September 2 2012 Retrieved May 31 2023 a b c Steam engine to return for a special run Sept 19 The Williams News Williams Arizona April 16 2021 Archived from the original on April 16 2021 Retrieved May 31 2023 a b c Wrinn 2010 p 29 a b Ride the rails via recycled vegetable oil powered steam The Williams News April 15 2021 Archived from the original on April 15 2021 Retrieved May 31 2023 Vintage steam locomotive back on the tracks The Williams News Williams Arizona August 5 2021 Archived from the original on August 5 2021 Retrieved May 31 2023 Wrinn 2010 p 30 a b c Hadder 2013 p 31 Hadder 2013 p 34 a b Hadder 2013 p 35 Duffy Lynda January 3 2012 Williams chamber heads into new year with rebranding campaign The Williams News Williams Arizona Archived from the original on December 5 2023 Retrieved December 5 2023 Rattenne Ken August 2012 The Grand Canyon Limited Railfan amp Railroad pp 26 28 GC Railway to run steam engine once every month through September The Williams News Williams Arizona May 31 2023 Archived from the original on May 31 2023 Retrieved May 31 2023 Grand Canyon Railway No 4960 steams up for Earth Day Trains magazine May 20 2023 Archived from the original on May 20 2023 Retrieved May 31 2023 a b Grand Canyon excursion honors late Trains editor Trains magazine September 22 2022 Archived from the original on September 22 2022 Retrieved May 31 2023 Grand Canyon Railway steam train wins Man vs Machine race Sept 26 The Williams News Williams Arizona May 31 2023 Archived from the original on May 31 2023 Retrieved May 31 2023 Grand Canyon Railway s steam engine No 4960 to turn 100 The Williams News Williams Arizona July 19 2023 Archived from the original on July 19 2023 Retrieved February 8 2024 Steam locomotive No 4960 returns to the Grand Canyon after cancelled July excursion Trains magazine August 8 2023 Archived from the original on August 8 2023 Retrieved August 8 2023 Bibliography editBianchi Curt May 1997 Steam s comeback kid Trains magazine Vol 57 no 5 Kalmbach Media pp 35 42 Retrieved May 22 2023 Boyd Jim September 1982 The Bristol amp North Western A Burlington Mike on the Trail of the Lonesome Pine Railfan amp Railroad Vol 4 no 5 pp 30 36 Moungovan Tom January 1997 4960 A New Career for an Old Friend Railfan amp Railroad Vol 16 no 1 Carstens Publications pp 28 33 Nelson Bruce 2013 America s Greatest Circus Train 1st ed Heimburger House Publishing Company ISBN 978 0 911581 64 5 Stagner Lloyd 1997 Burlington Route Steam Finale David City Nebraska South Platte Press ISBN 0 942035 38 0 Stowe J A 1966 The Northern and the Mike A Tale of Two Locomotives Illinois Railroad Club Bianchi Curt May 1995 By steam to the Grand Canyon Trains magazine Vol 55 no 5 Kalmbach Media pp 40 44 Retrieved July 31 2023 Mitchell Alexander September 2019 Thirty Years of Growth and Change Grand Canyon Railway Railfan amp Railroad Vol 38 no 9 White River Productions pp 47 55 Wrinn Jim May 2010 Grand Canyon goes green Trains magazine Vol 70 no 5 Kalmbach Media pp 26 30 Retrieved July 31 2023 Hadder Eric May 2013 Critical checkup for steam Trains magazine Vol 72 no 5 Kalmbach Media pp 31 35 Retrieved December 5 2023 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grand Canyon Railway 4960 Grand Canyon Railway Official Website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Grand Canyon Railway 4960 amp oldid 1205027036, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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