Soo Line 2718 is a Pacific class 4-6-2

4-6-2

4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...

 steam locomotive

Steam locomotive

A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...

 that was originally owned by the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway (“Soo Line”), but operated by their subsidiary, the Wisconsin Central Railway

Wisconsin Central Railway

The original Wisconsin Central Railroad Company was established by an act of the Wisconsin State Legislature and incorporated in February 1871. It built track throughout Wisconsin, connecting to neighboring states, before being leased to Northern Pacific Railway between 1889–1893...

.

History

The 2718 was built in May, 1923 in Schenectady, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

. It was one of six H-23 Pacific Class steam locomotives built for the Soo Line.

The 2718 was donated to the National Railroad Museum

National Railroad Museum

The National Railroad Museum is a railroad museum located in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, in suburban Green Bay.The museum is one of the oldest institutions in the United States dedicated to preserving and interpreting the nation's railroad history. It was founded in 1956 by community volunteers in...

 in February 1958. The museum used it for a few years to move cars around the grounds. It also saw limited service pulling the museum train.

Other H-23 Class Locomotives

There were six H-23 class locomotives built in May 1923. Two of them are preserved.

• 2718 - On display at the National Railroad Museum
  National Railroad Museum
  The National Railroad Museum is a railroad museum located in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, in suburban Green Bay.The museum is one of the oldest institutions in the United States dedicated to preserving and interpreting the nation's railroad history. It was founded in 1956 by community volunteers in...
  
   in Green Bay, Wisconsin
  Green Bay, Wisconsin
  Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
  
  
• 2719
  Soo Line 2719
  Soo Line 2719 is a restored 4-6-2 steam locomotive that was originally operated by the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway . The 2719 was used to haul the Soo Line's last steam-powered train, on a June 21, 1959, round-trip excursion between Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Ladysmith,...
  
   - Preserved at Lake Superior Museum in Duluth, Minnesota
  Duluth, Minnesota
  Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
  
  
• 2720 - Scrapped at United States Steel, July 19, 1951
• 2721 - Scrapped at Purdy Company, November 13, 1950
• 2722 - Scrapped at American Iron & Supply, December 28, 1954
• 2723 - Scrapped at Purdy Company, November 13, 1950

External links

• National Railroad Museum Where the 2718 is on display.