Copper Range 29
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Copper Range Railroad No. 29 is the sole survivor of the C-2 class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type
steam locomotives A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomot ...
. Built by ALCO in 1907, No. 29 was primarily used to pull loaded
copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...
trains A train (from Old French , from Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles th ...
out of copper mines in the
Upper Peninsula The Upper Peninsula of Michigan—also known as Upper Michigan or colloquially the U.P. or Yoop—is the northern and more elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from the Lower Peninsula b ...
of
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
, as well as occasional
passenger train A passenger train is a train used to transport people along a railroad line, as opposed to a freight train that carries goods. These trains may consist of unpowered passenger railroad cars (also known as coaches or carriages) push-pull train, ...
s between Houghton and McKeever, until it was removed from service in 1953. In 1967, it was leased to the Keweenaw Central Railroad, who used it to pull excursion trains between Calumet and
Lake Linden Lake Linden is a village in Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,020 at the 2020 census. The village is mostly within Schoolcraft Township, though a tiny portion lies in Torch Lake Township. History Lake Linden ...
, until 1971. For thirty years, the locomotive was stored outside the abandoned
Quincy Smelter The Quincy Smelter, also known as the Quincy Smelting Works, is a former copper smelter located on the north side of the Keweenaw Waterway in Ripley, Michigan. It is a contributing property of the Quincy Mining Company Historic District, a Nat ...
plant in
Hancock Hancock may refer to: Places Places in the United States * Hancock, Iowa * Hancock, Maine * Hancock, Maryland * Hancock, Massachusetts * Hancock, Michigan * Hancock, Minnesota * Hancock, Missouri * Hancock, New Hampshire ** Hancock (CDP), New H ...
under the ownership of Mineral Range Inc.. In 2003, No. 29 was purchased by the
Mid-Continent Railway Museum The Mid-Continent Railway Museum is a railway museum, railroad museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin, North Freedom, Wisconsin, United States. The museum consists of static displays as well as a round trip ride aboard preserved railroad cars. Hi ...
for static display purposes, and the locomotive's move to North Freedom,
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
was funded and financed by the museum the following year. As of 2025, No. 29 remains on static display in front of two passenger cars on the museum's grounds, slowly undergoing a cosmetic stabilization.


History


Revenue service

In the mid-1900s, the
Copper Range Railroad The Copper Range Railroad was a former United States, U.S. Class I railroad that operated from 1899 to 1972 in the western Upper Peninsula of the state of Michigan. History The Copper Range Railroad was incorporated in 1899 as a successor to ...
purchased a fleet of eight C-2 class
2-8-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels. ...
"Consolidation" type steam locomotives from the
American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company (often shortened to ALCO, ALCo or Alco) was an American manufacturer that operated from 1901 to 1969, initially specializing in the production of locomotives but later diversifying and fabricating at various time ...
(ALCO)'s former
Schenectady Locomotive Works The Schenectady Locomotive Works was a factory in Schenectady, New York, that railroad locomotives from its founding in 1848 through its merger into American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in 1901. After the 1901 merger, ALCO made the Schenectady pla ...
in
Schenectady Schenectady ( ) is a City (New York), city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the United States Census 2020, 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-most populo ...
,
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, and they were numbered 23–30. No. 29 was the seventh member of the class, and it was initially fitted with an
oil lamp An oil lamp is a lamp used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and continues to this day, although their use is less common in modern times. The ...
, high polished
boiler A boiler is a closed vessel in which fluid (generally water) is heated. The fluid does not necessarily boil. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications, including water heating, centra ...
jacketing, and a 19th-century design wooden
cowcatcher A cowcatcher, also known as a pilot, is the device mounted at the front of a locomotive to deflect obstacles on the track that might otherwise damage or Derailment, derail it or the train. In the UK, small metal bars called ''life-guards'', ...
. Upon arrival in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the Copper Range initially assigned the locomotive to pull various freight trains, including loaded copper trains out of mines and mills, and the locomotive occasionally served as a substitute for
2-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles and no trailing wheels. T ...
"Mogul" No. 58. As time dragged on, No. 29 was modified with an electric
headlight A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...
with a
lightbulb Electric light is an artificial light source powered by electricity. Electric Light may also refer to: * Light fixture, a decorative enclosure for an electric light source * ''Electric Light'' (album), a 2018 album by James Bay * Electric Light ( ...
, as well as a modernized tender and a modernized cowcatcher made of steel materials. Its boiler jacketing was also repainted to utilitarian black. Whenever a heavy
snow storm A winter storm (also known as snow storm) is an event in which wind coincides with varieties of precipitation that only occur at freezing temperatures, such as snow, mixed snow and rain, or freezing rain. In temperate continental and subarct ...
occurs in the area, No. 29 would operate with a large steel
snowplow A snowplow (also snow plow, snowplough or snow plough) is a device intended for mounting on a vehicle, used for removing snow and ice from outdoor surfaces, typically those serving transportation purposes. Although this term is often used to ref ...
in front of its cowcatcher. No. 29 would also be briefly used for pulling
passenger train A passenger train is a train used to transport people along a railroad line, as opposed to a freight train that carries goods. These trains may consist of unpowered passenger railroad cars (also known as coaches or carriages) push-pull train, ...
s throughout
Copper Country The Copper Country is an area in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States, including Keweenaw County, Michigan, Houghton, Baraga and Ontonagon counties as well as part of Marquette County. The area is so named as copper mining wa ...
, such as short trains that carried
miner A miner is a person who extracts ore, coal, chalk, clay, or other minerals from the earth through mining. There are two senses in which the term is used. In its narrowest sense, a miner is someone who works at the rock face (mining), face; cutt ...
s and mining communities between their homes and the copper mines, as well as area school trains that carried school students between their homes and the area
high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
in Painesdale. Beginning in 1944, No. 29 became one of a few locomotives that were used to pull the Chippewa passenger train between Houghton and McKeever to interchange with the
Milwaukee Road The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (CMStP&P), better known as the Milwaukee Road , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States, Midwest and Pacific Northwest, Northwest of the United States from 1847 ...
's passenger train of the same name. However, the Copper Range discontinued passenger service on September 15, 1946. The following year, 1947, after the railroad purchased two DS-4-4-1000
diesel locomotive A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover (locomotive), power source is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is con ...
s from the
Baldwin Locomotive Works The Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) was an American manufacturer of railway locomotives from 1825 to 1951. Originally located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it moved to nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania, Eddystone in the early 20th century. The com ...
, the Copper Range began
scrap Scrap consists of recyclable materials, usually metals, left over from product manufacturing and consumption, such as parts of vehicles, building supplies, and surplus materials. Unlike waste, scrap can have monetary value, especially recover ...
ping most of their steam locomotive fleet, but No. 29, as well as Numbers 26 and 27, remained in service, and No. 25 remained in storage as a standby locomotive. No. 29's last revenue freight train took place in April 1953, before it was stored inside their Houghton roundhouse. Two years later, Numbers 25-27 were sold for scrap, making No. 29 the last remaining steam locomotive from the Copper Range's fleet.


Preservation

In 1967, businessman Clinton Jones created a non-profit group called the
Keweenaw Central Railroad The Keweenaw Peninsula (, ) is a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. Part of the greater landmass of the Upper Peninsula, the Keweenaw Peninsula projects about northeasterly into Lake Superior, forming Keweenaw Bay. The peninsula is part ...
with the intention to operate steam-powered
excursion train An excursion train is a chartered train run for a special event or purpose. Examples are trains to major sporting event, trains run for railfans or tourists, and special trains operated by the railway company for employees and prominent custo ...
s over the Copper Range's mainline. In June of that year, the Keweenaw Central purchased No. 29 from the Copper Range, and they briefly repaired the locomotive at the Houghton roundhouse before they moved it to their location in Calumet. No. 29 subsequently spent four years pulling 13-mile excursion trains on the Copper Range's mainline. After leaving Calumet, the locomotive would run over a steep 2% grade on St. Louis Hill, and then it would travel through the Top Rock Valley and across Bridge 30, a 350-foot long and 120-foot high steel bridge that lied over the waters of Douglas Houghton Creek, before the trip would end at
Lake Linden Lake Linden is a village in Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,020 at the 2020 census. The village is mostly within Schoolcraft Township, though a tiny portion lies in Torch Lake Township. History Lake Linden ...
. The locomotive would also pull Ex-Copper Range
passenger car A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are around one billio ...
No. 60, which No. 29 had been pulling in revenue passenger service for years. The Keweenaw Central also owned Ex-
Chicago and North Western The Chicago and North Western was a Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states befor ...
R-1 class
4-6-0 A 4-6-0 steam locomotive, under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, has four leading wheels on two axles in a leading bogie and six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles with the abs ...
"Ten-wheeler" No. 175 to serve as a running mate and an emergency backup for No. 29, but its restoration there was never finished. In the fall of 1970, No. 29 had suffered some boiler problems, and it was temporarily removed from service to undergo some repairs to be ready for the 1971 operating season while an Ex-
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington Route, the Burlington, CB&Q, or as the Q, it operated extensive trackage in the states of Colorado ...
motor car A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are around one bil ...
was used as a temporary stand in. The locomotive's last excursion passenger train took place on October 10, 1971. The following year, the Copper Range Railroad was put up for abandonment after they declared bankruptcy. Their trackage was subsequently ripped up, and the Keweenaw Central was forced to remove their equipment from Calumet, including their locomotives. No. 29 was moved along with No. 175 inside a shed at the Quincy Smelter plant in Hancock for storage purposes. However, the
Soo Line Railroad The Soo Line Railroad is one of the primary United States railroad subsidiaries for the CPKC Railway , one of six U.S. Class I railroads, controlled through the Soo Line Corporation. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Saul ...
subsequently abandoned and ripped up the only trackage that connected the smelter plant to the
national rail network In United States railroading, the term national rail network, sometimes termed "U.S. rail network", refers to the entire network of interconnected standard gauge rail lines in North America. It does not include most subway or light rail lines. F ...
, and No. 29 became landlocked. The locomotive spent the next three decades in storage at the abandoned smelter plant, and during that time, the shed it was stored inside of collapsed, and it was towed outdoors. In September 2003, Jones, who still owned No. 29 under the banner of Mineral Range Incorporated, was approached by the Mid-Continent Railway Historical Society (MCRM), who had interest in adding the locomotive to their museum collection, due to its cultural significance in the
Upper Midwest The Upper Midwest is a northern subregion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. Although the exact boundaries are not uniformly agreed upon, the region is usually defined to include the states of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wi ...
, and they already owned two Ex-Copper Range passenger cars, including No. 60, to recreate the Copper Range's short-lived Chippewa passenger train. Clint Jones soon came to an agreement with the MCRM to trade No. 29 in exchange for Ex-
Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad is a Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United States after BNSF, ...
2-8-0 No. 440. Shortly afterward, however, the Quincy Smelter plant fell under ownership of the
National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...
, and they ordered No. 29 to be removed from the area as quickly as possible. The MCRM began a fundraiser in March 2004 to have No. 29 disassembled and moved by
truck A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport freight, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construct ...
to their museum grounds in North Freedom, Wisconsin. By May 1, over thirty people contributed to the MCRM's needs, and $20,000 was raised to fund No. 29's move. The MCRM hired Steve Butler's Mid-West Locomotive and Machine Works of North Lake, Wisconsin to separate the locomotive's boiler from the
frame A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent. Frame and FRAME may also refer to: Physical objects In building construction *Framing (con ...
and
running gear In railway terminology the term running gear refers to those components of a railway vehicle that run passively on the rails, unlike those of the driving gear. Traditionally these are the wheels, axles, axle boxes, springs and vehicle frame of ...
and load them onto four separate flatbeds provided by Deppe Transportation Services of
Baraboo Baraboo ( ) is the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States, located along the Baraboo River. The population was 12,556 at the 2020 census. The most populous city in the county, Baraboo is the principal city of the Baraboo micropol ...
and R. Becker Interprises of
Warren Warren most commonly refers to: * Warren (burrow), a network dug by rabbits * Warren (name), a given name and a surname, including lists of persons so named Warren may also refer to: Places Australia * Warren (biogeographic region) * War ...
. Despite bad weather hovering Hancock, work began on May 20, and the locomotive's journey to North Freedom began six days later. On May 27, No. 29's components arrived in one of the MCRM's
parking lot A parking lot or car park (British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surface. In most jurisdi ...
s, and museum employees and volunteers used ballast to create a suitable base for the cranes that would be used to unload the locomotive's components.
Railfan A railfan, train fan, rail buff or train buff (American English), railway enthusiast, railway buff, anorak (British English), gunzel (Australian English), trainspotter (British English) or ferroequinologist is a person who is recreationally in ...
s came to the museum to watch the unloading process, which began with the tender being placed on the trackage. After that, the frame and running gear were unloaded, and then the boiler was placed back onto the frame. No. 29's move was officially completed when the wooden cab was placed back onto the backend of the firebox. Afterwards, the MCRM began inspecting the locomotive's condition, and as a result of being stored out in the elements for several years, many of the locomotive's components were found to be in poor condition. The firebox was deteriorated, its end beams were rotted, and both of its knuckle couplers were missing. Beginning in 2006, museum crews painted the locomotive in primer-red in preparation for a cosmetic stabilization, and later on, No. 29 was repainted black, and the locomotive's bell, numberplate, and electric headlight have returned. The rotten wooden bar in front of the pilot deck has also been replaced with a new one. The MCRM is currently awaiting funds to complete the cosmetic stabilization by bringing back the locomotive's couplers and connecting rods. For the time being, No. 29 sits on static display in front of passenger car No. 60, as well as another Copper Range car, to represent the Copper Range's Chippewa train.


See also

*
Chicago and North Western 1385 Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 census, it is the third-most populous city in the United States after New York City and Los ...
* Soo Line 2645 * Lake Superior and Ishpeming 23 * Grand Canyon Railway 29 *
Union Pacific 618 Union Pacific 618 is a C-2 class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive previously owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. The engine is now located in Heber City, Utah and owned by the Heber Valley Railroad. Built in July 1907 by the Baldwin ...


References


Further reading

*


External links

{{Commons category, Copper Range Railroad 29
Mid-Continent Railway Museum website
ALCO locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1907 Freight locomotives Standard-gauge locomotives of the United States Preserved steam locomotives of Wisconsin 2-8-0 locomotives Standard-gauge steam locomotives Individual locomotives of the United States