non-profit Tri-Cities Historical Society, which tapped the late PM historian Art Mil- lion to lead the group and oversee the cos- metic restoration of the locomotive. The his- torical society had, a year prior, received a pair of Grand Trunk Western cabooses, one of which was to be paired with 1223 to cre- ate a first-class railroad display near Grand Haven’s historic downtown. But where to build the exhibit? Million
and the others set their sights on an aban- doned railroad yard fronting the Grand Riv- er at the intersection of North Harbor Drive and First Street. The yard had been the western terminus of the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee, and at one time had featured a freight house, roundhouse, turntable, and carferry slips, in addition to a brick depot dating back to 1870. DGH&M was merged into the Grand Trunk in 1928, and the site continued to serve car ferry op- erations until 1933, when they were relocat- ed to Muskegon. By the 1980s only a crum- bling concrete coaling towner remained at the site, along with the depot a few blocks away, which had been preserved in the late 1960s by the Tri-Cities Historical Society. All trackage had been removed, save for a short spur operated by Chessie. It was the perfect location for a railroad display. Moving 1223 the 180 miles from Detroit
to Grand Haven turned out to be quite an undertaking, involving the cooperation of the Michigan National Guard, Chessie Sys- tem, and Grand Trunk Western. In July 1981, 1223’s main rods were disconnected, the side rods and eccentric cranks were re- moved, and the bearings were heavily lubri- cated. Volunteers from the National Guard laid down panel track in front of the engine, and over the next few days 1223 was inched out of the fairgrounds towards a nearby GTW spur. From there, GTW dispatched two diesels to deliver it to Chessie’s Oak Yard, and on August 1, 1981, the 2-8-4 left Detroit in the a special train consisting of a Chessie Geep, a caboose, and ten empty gon- dolas for braking. By sheer coincidence, on its way out of town at Milwaukee Junction, 1223 passed GTW 4-8-4 No. 6323, which was in the consist of a freight heading for its new home at the Illinois Railway Museum. Number 1223 took two days to reach
Grand Haven. Upon arrival, the locomotive was pushed onto a fenced display track built over the summer by 1223 Committee volun- teers using 500 feet of donated rail, spikes, tie plates, and ties. After that, it was up to committee members to turn 1223’s rusting hulk into a showpiece. The cosmetic resto- ration of 1223 took nearly a decade using nothing but volunteer labor, individual do- nations, and precious little grant money. Many local businesses and organization of- fered their services. The locomotive and tender were separat-
ed and sandblasted, with special care taken to protect the running gear and other mov- ing surfaces. The cab was removed and re- built with new sides and roof, and repairs were made to the sand dome. Smaller items such as boiler piping, air tanks, and small appliances were removed, sandblasted, re- painted, and reinstalled. Boiler insulation and rusted jacketing came off, and new jack- eting was installed above the running boards (although the firebox jacketing has yet to be replaced). The cab interior was ful- ly restored with new floorboards and wood- work, and is complete down to the gauges,
which were rebuilt by the original manufac- turer. The 1223 Committee hosts a yearly ice cream social in August, during which 1223’s cab is open for tours. The incorrect C&O lettering has been re-
moved, and today 1223 wears proper Pere Marquette lettering on the cab and tender. The high front number boards have been re- tained, although the white lettering and running boards are a pre-war style. The lo- comotive was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, and is periodical- ly repainted to keep it looking fresh. Unfortunately, the display site has been vandalized with several items, such as a pair of marker lights, stolen. So, many of the ‘collectable’ parts, including the builder’s plates, have been removed and stored for safe keeping. Also, despite persistent ru- mors, No. 1223 has not been a frequent parts donor for sister 1225. The only items now on No. 1225 are the smokebox class lights and the driver grease cellars, which were traded for 1225’s Hennessey mechani- cal journal lubricators in the 1980s. The old- er grease cellars, which use grease cakes, have proven more reliable on excursion en- gines than Hennessey oil-bath lubricators. An assortment of equipment has joined
1223 at the display site, including PM auto- mobile boxcar 72222, which was discovered rusting away at the old PM yard in Saginaw. The 50-foot car, built in 1946 by Ralston, was donated by CSX and restored by the West Michigan Railroad Historical Society of Grand Rapids. Today, it serves as a stor- age shed, housing tools and spare parts. PM steel caboose A986 joined the exhibit
in 1983. This car, which saw service out of Grand Haven, was built by St. Louis Car in 1941 and served Pere Marquette, C&O, and Chessie before its retirement in 1981. It’s been restored in its original red paint and given proper Pere Marquette lettering. GTW wooden caboose 77915 is the oldest
piece on display, constructed in the 1890s and rebuilt into its current configuration in 1925. Volunteers have replaced the wood siding and restored the interior, returning it to its 1950s appearance with orange paint and GTW’s distinctive “maple leaf” logo. Towering 79 feet over the equipment is
the hulking GTW coaling tower, built in 1925 by Ogle Construction of Chicago. It had a capacity of 300 tons of coal and served GTW engines until 1955, when it was taken out of service and stripped of its chutes, lad- ders, and other metal components. It and the 1870 GTW depot located a few blocks southwest of the display site and home to the Tri-Cities Historical Museum, are the last visible remnants of the Grand Trunk’s existence in this part of Grand Haven. As with is the case with many display lo- comotives, some would love to see 1223 re- turn to steam. The engine is believed to be in sound mechanical condition, and its boiler was inspected many years ago and found to be in acceptable shape. However, with sister 1225 undergoing a costly mechanical over- haul, it makes little sense to restore a dupli- cate to operation, especially when so few railroads are willing to host steam excur- sions. The 1223 does, however, make an at- tractive display piece, and hopefully will continue to be maintained to a high degree for many years to come. To make a tax-de- ductible donation for its upkeep, contact: Pere Marquette 1223 Committee, PO Box 234, Grand Haven, MI 49417.
R.V Photo: George Gabritsch
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