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Description
Between 1937 and 1944, the Pere Marquette railway received nearly (40) 2-8-4 Berkshire type locomotives from the Lima Locomotive Works at a cost of $200,000 each.
Saddling on 69 inch drivers, these fast-freight locomotives had a maximum speed of 70 mph, allowing for 69,368 Ibs of tractive effort and 3000 tons of horsepower
to pack a similar capability in comparison to other Lima-built Berkshires of the United States.
Pere Marquette's Berkshires had been divided into three groups; numbers 1201-1215 were classified as 'N's, numbers 1216-1227 were 'N-1's and numbers 1228-1239 were 'N-2's.
When the PM merged with the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad in 1947, the 'N's were renumbered to numbers 2685-2699 while the 'N-1's were changed to numbers 2650-2661,
and the rest of the 'N-2's became numbers 2670-2681, with the exception of one 'N-1' number 1225.
This part of the merger agreement was because that the locomotives which the Pere Marquette had already paid for entirely would remain lettered for the railroad.
In the end, only the original 'N' class steamers were repainted into Chesapeake & Ohio engine units.
Between 1947 and 1957, the majority of Pere Marquette's fast freight Berkshires were scrapped, leaving two survivors in preservation, 1223 on current display at
Chinook Pier in Grand Haven, and 1225 at Owosso, Michigan with a rich and colorful history in the preservation era.
Having been donated to the Michigan State University, the locomotive was put on display on campus near the Spartan Stadium in 1957.
Thirteen years later, a student organization known as the Michigan State University Railroad Club labored throughout the entire decade to tear down
and restore the 1225 into operating condition.
By the dawn of the 1980's, the locomotive was conveyed to a new organization called the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation (currently known as the
Steam Railroading Institute).
Moving the 1225 resurrection project to Owosso in 1983, the MSTFRP group established the headquarters in a ex-Ann Arbor Railroad shop where the restoration was
completed in 1985.
Entering excursion service in 1988, the locomotive undergo a series of runs on the high iron in late 1990 including her first outing on West Virginia trackage in
mid/late 1991 with her Nickel Plate cousin number 765.
In recent years of her excursion career, she practically received an completely upgraded firebox since her boiler was remodified three times in the past 40 years.
In 2004, the 1225 made a notable and unforgettable movie appearance when a CGI animated version of the iron horse starred in a blockbuster Christmas feature
"The Polar Express", based on a popular children's book by Chris Van Allsburg the author.
A virtual digital version of the locomotive was manufactured by animators who used the original Pere Marquette mechanical drawings, augmented by the recordings of
the actual sounds from 1225 herself.
Having the distinction of being one of the most active mainline steam locomotives of the past 25 years, 1225 is also an iconic symbol of steam's greatest technological leap forward:
the development of Super Power technology which was introduced in the 1920's by the Lima Locomotive Works of Lima, Ohio.
Today, this iron horse operates at various times during the year on the trackage of the former Tuscola and Saginaw Bay, which is currently known today as the Great Lakes Central,
that serves much of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
Her most popular appearance is the annual series of the "North Pole Express" excursion trips in November and December, a nod to the locomotive's legendary movie role.

Models by: Steve Lerro - Manager of K&L Trainz in association with NV3/Auran/Trainz Simulator

Description
Between 1937 and 1944, the Pere Marquette railway received nearly (40) 2-8-4 Berkshire type locomotives from the Lima Locomotive Works at a cost of $200,000 each.
Saddling on 69 inch drivers, these fast-freight locomotives had a maximum speed of 70 mph, allowing for 69,368 Ibs of tractive effort and 3000 tons of horsepower
to pack a similar capability in comparison to other Lima-built Berkshires of the United States.
Pere Marquette's Berkshires had been divided into three groups; numbers 1201-1215 were classified as 'N's, numbers 1216-1227 were 'N-1's and numbers 1228-1239 were 'N-2's.
When the PM merged with the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad in 1947, the 'N's were renumbered to numbers 2685-2699 while the 'N-1's were changed to numbers 2650-2661,
and the rest of the 'N-2's became numbers 2670-2681, with the exception of one 'N-1' number 1225.
This part of the merger agreement was because that the locomotives which the Pere Marquette had already paid for entirely would remain lettered for the railroad.
In the end, only the original 'N' class steamers were repainted into Chesapeake & Ohio engine units.
Between 1947 and 1957, the majority of Pere Marquette's fast freight Berkshires were scrapped, leaving two survivors in preservation, 1223 on current display at
Chinook Pier in Grand Haven, and 1225 at Owosso, Michigan with a rich and colorful history in the preservation era.
Having been donated to the Michigan State University, the locomotive was put on display on campus near the Spartan Stadium in 1957.
Thirteen years later, a student organization known as the Michigan State University Railroad Club labored throughout the entire decade to tear down
and restore the 1225 into operating condition.
By the dawn of the 1980's, the locomotive was conveyed to a new organization called the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation (currently known as the
Steam Railroading Institute).
Moving the 1225 resurrection project to Owosso in 1983, the MSTFRP group established the headquarters in a ex-Ann Arbor Railroad shop where the restoration was
completed in 1985.
Entering excursion service in 1988, the locomotive undergo a series of runs on the high iron in late 1990 including her first outing on West Virginia trackage in
mid/late 1991 with her Nickel Plate cousin number 765.
In recent years of her excursion career, she practically received an completely upgraded firebox since her boiler was remodified three times in the past 40 years.
In 2004, the 1225 made a notable and unforgettable movie appearance when a CGI animated version of the iron horse starred in a blockbuster Christmas feature
"The Polar Express", based on a popular children's book by Chris Van Allsburg the author.
A virtual digital version of the locomotive was manufactured by animators who used the original Pere Marquette mechanical drawings, augmented by the recordings of
the actual sounds from 1225 herself.
Having the distinction of being one of the most active mainline steam locomotives of the past 25 years, 1225 is also an iconic symbol of steam's greatest technological leap forward:
the development of Super Power technology which was introduced in the 1920's by the Lima Locomotive Works of Lima, Ohio.
Today, this iron horse operates at various times during the year on the trackage of the former Tuscola and Saginaw Bay, which is currently known today as the Great Lakes Central,
that serves much of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
Her most popular appearance is the annual series of the "North Pole Express" excursion trips in November and December, a nod to the locomotive's legendary movie role.

Models by: Steve Lerro - Manager of K&L Trainz in association with NV3/Auran/Trainz Simulator