Illinois Central 201 Explained

Illinois Central 201
Powertype:Steam
Builder:Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works
Serialnumber:2588
Builddate:May 1880
Uicclass:1′B2′ nt
Driverdiameter:NaN0NaN0
Locoweight:1076001NaN1
Boilerpressure:140-1NaN-1
Cylindercount:Two, outside
Cylindersize:16x
Valvetype:Slide valves
Tractiveeffort:118622NaN2
Operator:Illinois Central Railroad
Fleetnumbers:213, renumbered 221 in 1884,
201 in July 1890,
1401 in July 1900
Retiredate:November 1928
Currentowner:Illinois Railway Museum
Disposition:Static display

Illinois Central 201 is a steam locomotive, originally owned and operated by Illinois Central Railroad. In 1949, the locomotive was operated at the Chicago Railroad Fair as part of the "Wheels A-Rolling" pageant. It is now on static display at Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois.

Service

201 was one of several 2-4-4T locomotives built for commuter service between the edge of the Chicago Loop and the South suburbs (now part of the Metra Electric District).

Preservation

1401 was retired in 1926 when the IC electrified the route. The rest of the fleet retired in 1935 from yard service; some were sold to other railroads. in 1934, it was renumbered back into 201 where it took part at the Chicago Worlds Fair for many years until 1949. In 1975, the locomotive was sold to a private owner and displayed in front of the depot in Owatonna, Minnesota. It was later donated to the Illinois Railway Museum in 2002.

References