The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan is home to a number of historic steam locomotives that played important roles in the development of rail transportation in the United States. Greenfield Village includes an operating roundhouse filled with authentic and operational equipment used to service steam locomotives.

One of the most prominent locomotives on display is the Allegheny, a massive articulated locomotive built by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1941 for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. The Allegheny was designed to haul heavy freight trains through the Appalachian Mountains, and it was one of the most powerful steam locomotives ever built. It is now one of the largest artifacts in the museum's collection, and visitors can see it up close and even walk inside its cab.

In addition to the locomotives, the museum and village also feature exhibits on the history of rail transportation, including displays of passenger cars, freight cars, and other artifacts related to the rail industry. Visitors can learn about the role of railroads in the Industrial Revolution, the growth of rail transportation in the United States, and the impact of railroads on American society and culture.

The Henry Ford Museum may be best known as the home of Chesapeake & Ohio Allegheny 1601. 1501 was built by Lima in 1941 for the C&O. The Alleghenys were designed as medium to high speed superpower steam locomotives. The 3-axle rear truck was employed to support its massive firebox. However, the C&O used them in a manner that didn't really fit perfectly with the locomotive's design. They primarily used them in "coal-drag" service where they were unable to realize their full potential as high-speed locomotives. 1601 was retired in June, 1956.

After retirement the 1601 was immediately sent to the Henry Ford Museum and was put on display, outside, in Greenfield Village along with the De Witt Clinton. When 1601 was moved inside the museum, it took three attempts to get it into the museum building. During the first attempt, 1601 derailed outside the building. Its main rods were removed. On the second attempt the swing of the cab, as the locomotive encountered a turnout inside the display hall, was greater than anticipated. Even though the doors had been widened, 1604 still wouldn't clear the doorway. Parts of 1601 were temporarily removed. The third attempt succeeded.

More Photos

• Left side of locomotive (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Front shot of locomotive (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Front shot of locomotive showing air pumps (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Close-up of Baker Valve Gear (left rear) (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Close-up of Baker Valve Gear (left front) (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Close-up of Baker Valve Gear (right front) (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Close-up of Baker Valve Gear (right rear) (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Close-up of Baker Valve Gear and crosshead (right rear) (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Close-up of front driver (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Close-up of rear driver (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Left side close-up of wear liner supporting front of boiler (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Right side close-up of wear liner supporting front of boiler (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Close-up of right front exhaust manifold (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Right side close-up of rear 6-wheel truck (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Cab interior backhead (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Cab interior, engineer's side (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Cab interior, fireman's side (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Cab interior, top (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Stoker with steam jets to control placement (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Firebox view showing arch bar and rear tube sheet (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Firebox view showing crown sheet (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• Coal auger in bottom of tender (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• 8-wheel tender truck (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• The door that was widened to allow 1601 in (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)
• The wye turnout inside the museum (Oct 2018 photo by Wes Barris)

This locomotive, the De Witt Clinton, is a replica. The original De Witt Clinton was designed by John B. Jervis and built in West Point, NY by David Matthew.

This locomotive was built in 1893 by the New York Central railroad using both the specifications and pieces of the original De Witt Clinton. It was re-created for exhibition at the Chicago World's Fair and used for promotional purposes by the New York Central until 1935, when it was donated to the Henry Ford Museum.

More Photos

• Left side of locomotive (2018 photo by Wes Barris)

This is a replica of the Stephenson "Rocket". The original "Rocket" was built in 1829 by Robert Stephenson for the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. Today, that locomotive is displayed in the Science Museum in London.

This locomotive was built in 1929, also by Robert Stephenson & Co. specifically for Henry Ford.

The Sam Hill was built in 1858 by Rogers Locomotive Works of Patterson, NJ. It was first used on the Atlantic & Gulf Railroad and was named "Satilla" after a river in southern Georgia. Henry Ford purchased the locomotive in 1924. Ford had the locomotive rebuilt and renamed it "Sam Hill" in honor of a Michigan Central engineer whom Ford admired as a boy. It has the prestige of carrying former passengers Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, President Herbert Hoover, and actor Mickey Rooney after which it was renamed "President".

More Photos

• View from floor (2018 Wes Barris photo)
• Shiny stephenson valve-gear (2018 Wes Barris photo)

This Bessemer & Lake Erie 2-8-0 was built in 1909 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. It was built as a low-speed freight locomotive hauling both coal and iron ore. It was retired in 1953 and held by the B&LE for potential donation to a museum. First, it went to the Illinois Railway Museum in 1984. In 1989, it was traded to the Henry Ford Museum for DT&I 16.

More Photos

• View from right-rear (2018 Wes Barris photo)
• Smokebox view (2018 Wes Barris photo)

Greenfield Village is located just outside and within walking distance of the Henry Ford Museum. Included in the village are historic buildings, an operating railroad, and an operating roundhouse.

This locomotive is the only surviving (and operational) Mason Bogie steam locomotive in the world. A Mason Bogie locomotive has the boiler, cab, and tender mounted on a rigid frame and both the driving wheels and rear truck can rotate under that frame. One characteristic that plagued the Mason Bogie type was steam leakage in the jointed steam pipes between the boiler and the cylinders.

#3 was built in 1873 by the Mason Machine Works in Taunton, MA. It was used on the Calumet & Hecla Mining Co. in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. In 1933 it was retired and placed in storage at the C&H facility in Ahmeek, MI and remained there until 1966! It was then cosmetically restored and put on display in Calumet, MI as part of the Calumet & Hecla Centennial. In 1969, after the Centennial, it was donated to the Henry Ford Museum.

The museum contracted to have the boiler replaced. After the restoration, #3 was placed in service in 1971.

Photos

• Torch Lake 3 (2018 Wes Barris video)
• Torch Lake 3 (2018 Wes Barris photo)
• Torch Lake 3 (2018 Wes Barris photo)

Detroit & Mackinac 0-6-0 8 was built in 1914 by Baldwin for Michigan Alkali. It was sold to Huron Portland Cement and then to A. Fivenson Iron & Metal. By 1954 it was thought to have been scrapped. However, it was saved by Cap Pinkerton II of the Detroit & Mackinac railroad. It was restored and operated on the D&M in the 1970s. It was donated to the museum in 1979. It is currently stored.

This locomotive was built in 1897 for the Detroit & Lima Northern Railway. It was used for passenger service. Henry Ford acquired the locomotive in 1921 and donated it to the museum in 1930.

This locomotive was built around 1870 as an 0-4-0 by the Manchester Locomotive Company. It operated for the Edison Portland Cement Company. Henry Ford purchased it in 1931 and had it rebuilt into a 4-4-0 at the Ford Motor Company's Rouge locomotive shops. It served for some time on the Greenfield Village railroad.

Photos

• Edison 1 (2018 Wes Barris photo)

45 was built in 1902 by ALCO. It operated on the Michigan Central (NYC) pulling high-speed passenger trains. In 1926 is was sold to the DT&I. Henry Ford acquired the DT&I (and this locomotive) in 1926. It was donated to the museum in 1930. It is currently displayed above a pit which allows you to go under the locomotive and see its Stephenson's valve gear. Although the locomotive is in very good shape, its large driving wheels make it unsuitable for the Greenfield Village loop.

Photos

• Cab interior (2018 Wes Barris photo)
• Stephenson valve gear (2018 Wes Barris photo)
• Stephenson valve gear (2018 Wes Barris photo)
• Stephenson valve gear eccentrics (2018 Wes Barris photo)
• Stephenson valve gear eccentrics (2018 Wes Barris photo)

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