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A fantastic 7×9 inch vintage press photo from 1948 the grandaddy of Chicago’s Locomotives The Pioneeralongside a North Western freight diesel
Pioneer (locomotive)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pioneer
Pioneer CNW 4-2-0.jpg
Pioneer c. 1898
[hide]Type and origin
Power type Steam
Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works
Build date 1837
[hide]Specifications
Configuration:
Whyte 4-2-0
[hide]Career
Operators Utica and Schenectady Railroad (U&S),
Michigan Central Railroad (MC),
Galena and Chicago Union Railroad (G&CU),
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q)
Official name Alert (U&S),
Pioneer (G&CU)
Disposition locomotive on static display at the Chicago History Museum, tender stored in Villa Park, Illinois
Pioneer is the name of the first railroad locomotive to operate in Chicago, Illinois. It was built in 1837 by Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Utica and Schenectady Railroad (U&S) in New York, then purchased used by William B. Ogden for the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad (G&CU, the oldest predecessor of Chicago and North Western Railway). The locomotive arrived in Chicago by schooner on October 10, 1848, and it pulled the first train westbound out of the city on October 25, 1848.
History
When the locomotive was built by Baldwin #184 in 1837 for the U&S which gave it the name Alert. It worked almost a decade before it was sold in 1848 to the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad. The G&CU renamed the locomotive Pioneer and used it in the construction of the G&CU until 1850, at which time the locomotive was loaned to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad for work laying is first track in Chicago that summer. The Pioneer was returned and became its road work locomotive until it was retired in 1875 at West Chicago,IL [1]
Pioneer on display at the Chicago History Museum
The locomotive has been preserved and is on display at the Chicago History Museum.
In our search for information about the old West Chicago roundhouse, we stumbled on the location of the Pioneer locomotive, the first engine of the old Galena and Chicago Union Railroad. For those unfamiliar with these names and their relevance to our city, the G&CU was the predecessor to the C&NW and now the Union Pacific Railroad. This prompted a day trip to the Chicago History Museum on the near north side of Chicago.
In mid May, 2015, Bill & Kay Nolan, Tom & Sandy Overton and Reid & Margo Simmons boarded a METRA train from their respective cities and, using a little pre-planning and the modern informational devices we all carry in our hands (including an old fashion map), hooked up in the same car for a ride into Chicagos Ogilvie Transportation Center then CTAs bus system for continuation on to the museum.
The Pioneer locomotive itself was built circa 1837 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Utica & Schenectady Railroad in New York. The U&S RR dubbed it the Alert (in those days, locomotives all had names instead of numbers). It was built without the cab and cow-catcher and used for several years on the U&S and the Michigan Central railroads.
The G&CU RR purchased it used in 1848 but there were no tracks between the fairly well established east coast railroads and Chicago. This 10 ton locomotive was actually shipped to the Chicago on a Lake Michigan schooner. The G&CU renamed it the Pioneer and added the cab and cow-catcher. For you stream locomotive affectionados, this is a wood burning class steam locomotive with a 4-2-0 wheel arrangement.
It was the first steam engine to leave Chicago on the first railroad to operate in the state of Illinois. When the C&NW decided to retire the Pioneer in the early 1870’s, they stored it in the West Chicago roundhouse for almost 20 years. From there it appeared in the 1893 Columbian Exihibition in Chicago, the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, the Century of Progress Exhibition in 1933-34 in Chicago, and the Museum of Science and Industry before moving to its present home at the Chicago History Museum.
Our trips in and out of the city were made much easier with the current day access to information we can carry on our belts or in our purses. Train schedules, bus routes and locations for the enjoyment of food and beverages of choice make traveling both enjoyable and relaxing. Throw in walk through time past with a great late afternoon dinner at Orso’s (a short walk from the museum) and we can further explain the true meaning of retired.
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Category: Collectibles:Transportation:Railroadiana and Trains:Other Railroadiana
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