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PITTSBURG —
Engine 1023, the only surviving Kansas City Southern steam locomotive, made it into Schlanger Park in 1955 under its own power on a special spur track built by the railroad, and over the years became one of the city’s favorite public displays.
On Sept. 8, 2012, the engine, now rusted by decades of exposure to rain, snow and sun, and damaged by vandalism, was moved 20 miles by truck to the Heart of the Heartlands Railroad Museum at Carona.
To move the 120-ton engine, Tilton and Sons House Moving company constructed a massive 50-ton steel trailer around the engine with trucks that pivoted as the trailer rounded corners.
The tender from the locomotive had been moved to the museum in May.
Some Pittsburg residents had protested the move, but Pittsburg City Commissioners, saying no funds were available to maintain or repair the train, voted unanimously in December, 2011, to donate it to the museum.
Heart of the Heartlands members are now working to restore the engine for static display, and sandblasting and painting is planned in the spring. When the work is completed, a cover will be constructed over the engine to prevent further deterioration.
Funds for the project have been donated by the Webb family and Watco Companies of Pittsburg.
Engine 1023 began its existence as locomotive No. 488 in 1906 at the Pittsburgh, Pa., Locomotive Works. Originally a long haul engine out of Kansas City, it was eventually replaced by diesel engines. It was then sent to Pittsburg, given a new number and put to work moving freight cars from area factories through the railyards, and also made runs to yards in Neosho, Mo., and Watts, Okla.
It was retired in 1955, and sold by KCS to the City of Pittsburg for $1. W.B. “Bus” Johnson, superintendent of machinery for KCS in 1955 and grandfather of Watco CEO Rick Webb, was instrumental in saving the engine from being scraped and having it sold to the city.
Engine 1023, the only surviving Kansas City Southern steam locomotive, made it into Schlanger Park in 1955 under its own power on a special spur track built by the railroad, and over the years became one of the city’s favorite public displays.
On Sept. 8, 2012, the engine, now rusted by decades of exposure to rain, snow and sun, and damaged by vandalism, was moved 20 miles by truck to the Heart of the Heartlands Railroad Museum at Carona.
To move the 120-ton engine, Tilton and Sons House Moving company constructed a massive 50-ton steel trailer around the engine with trucks that pivoted as the trailer rounded corners.
The tender from the locomotive had been moved to the museum in May.
Some Pittsburg residents had protested the move, but Pittsburg City Commissioners, saying no funds were available to maintain or repair the train, voted unanimously in December, 2011, to donate it to the museum.
Heart of the Heartlands members are now working to restore the engine for static display, and sandblasting and painting is planned in the spring. When the work is completed, a cover will be constructed over the engine to prevent further deterioration.
Funds for the project have been donated by the Webb family and Watco Companies of Pittsburg.
Engine 1023 began its existence as locomotive No. 488 in 1906 at the Pittsburgh, Pa., Locomotive Works. Originally a long haul engine out of Kansas City, it was eventually replaced by diesel engines. It was then sent to Pittsburg, given a new number and put to work moving freight cars from area factories through the railyards, and also made runs to yards in Neosho, Mo., and Watts, Okla.
It was retired in 1955, and sold by KCS to the City of Pittsburg for $1. W.B. “Bus” Johnson, superintendent of machinery for KCS in 1955 and grandfather of Watco CEO Rick Webb, was instrumental in saving the engine from being scraped and having it sold to the city.
