Milwaukee Road 261

Milwaukee Road 261

Milwaukee Road 261 in preparation for an excursion trip in September 2008.

Type and origin Power type Steam Builder American Locomotive Company Serial number 71974 Build date July 1944

Specifications Configuration 4-8-4 UIC class 2′D2′ h2 Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Driver dia. 74 in (1,880 mm) Adhesive weight 259,300 lb (117,600 kilograms; 117.6 tonnes) Fuel type Coal Boiler pressure 250 lbf/in2 (1.72 MPa) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 26 in × 32 in (660 mm × 813 mm)

Performance figures Maximum speed 100 mph (160 km/h) Power output 4,500 hp (3,400 kW) Tractive effort 62,119 lbf (276.32 kN) Factor of adh. 4.17

Career Operators Milwaukee Road Class S3 Number in class 2nd of 10 Numbers 261 Retired August 1954 Restored 1993 Current owner Friends of the 261 Disposition Operational, used for occasional excursion service based in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Milwaukee Road 261 is a 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company, (ALCO), in Schenectady, New York in July 1944 for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad. It was used for heavy mainline freight work until being retired by the railroad in 1954. Instead of being cut up for scrap, the 261 was preserved and donated to the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1958. Today the locomotive is owned, operated, and maintained by Minneapolis-based nonprofit organization Friends of the 261, which runs seasonal excursion trains using the 261. The steam engine, restored in 1993, has logged more than 25,000 miles (40,000 km) under its own power since that time.

Built by the American Locomotive Company in July 1944, the 261 was originally operated by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, which was also known as the Milwaukee Road. The locomotive, weighing 460,000 pounds (210,000 kg), is rated at a maximum of 4,500 hp (3,400 kW) and maximum speed of 100 mph (160 km/h), is coal fueled. It had a 3 chime whistle and airhorn mounted on it. It operated with the railroad until retiring in 1954, and eventually donated to the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. As the new museum's first acquisition, 261 was moved to the museum site in 1958.

In 1991, the newly formed "North Star Rail" selected 261 for restoration for mainline excursions. It was selected for a variety of reasons. The engine was large enough to handle the expected trains at track speed. It featured several modern features for a steam locomotive, including easier to maintain roller bearings. It also already had its asbestos lagging removed, which is very expensive to remove for environmental and safety reasons. Finally, 261's relatively short 10 year service life meant that the engine's boiler is more pristine, meaning it would take less work to rebuild the engine.