Grand_Trunk_Western_5632

Grand Trunk Western 5632

Grand Trunk Western 5632

Preserved K-4b class 4-6-2 locomotive

Grand Trunk Western 5632 is a class K-4-b 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive built by the Baldwin in 1929 for the Grand Trunk Western Railroad (GTW). Despite suffering an accident in 1930, No. 5632 pulled passenger trains for the GTW for several years. It was retired from the railroad in 1958, and then it was put on static display at Durand, Michigan, three years later.

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History

Construction and revenue service

No. 5632 was one of three K-4-b class 4-6-2's (Nos. 5632-5634) constructed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Eddystone, Pennsylvania in November 1929, and it was delivered to the Grand Trunk Western Railroad (GTW) in 1930.[4][5] The K-4-b locomotives were copies of the United States Railroad Administration's (USRA) Light Pacific design, and they were follow-ups to the GTW's K-4-a class (Nos. 5627-5631).[6]

The only difference from the USRA design is that the K-4-b class was equipped with an all-weather vestibule cab and an enclosed coffin feedwater heater.[6] The GTW ordered the K-4-b's from Baldwin to use them for their sleeper trains—the Chicago Express and the Detroit Express—between Chicago, Illinois and Detroit, Michigan, in competition with the Michigan Central (MC), but both trains were quickly discontinued, due to challenges from the Great Depression.[6]

No. 5632 was subsequently reassigned to pull regular passenger trains in the GTW's Chicago Division between Chicago and Port Huron, Michigan alongside the K-4-a's.[6][7] In 1938, when the GTW received six streamlined U-4-b class 4-8-4 locomotives, No. 5632 was relegated to the GTW's Detroit Division, where it was reassigned again to pull commuter trains between Detroit and Muskegon.[6][7][8] The K-4-b last operated for the GTW on June 13, 1958, before it was retired from revenue service.[7][8]

Retirement

In August 1960, the GTW donated No. 5632 to the city of Durand, Michigan.[8][9][10] The following year, in 1961, the K-4-b was put on static display near the GTW mainline in Durand, and a dedication ceremony was held on May 20.[7][9][10] No. 5632 is the only surviving member of the K-4-b class, and it is the only surviving copy of the USRA Light Pacific locomotives after GTW K-4-a class No. 5629 was scrapped in July 1987.[6][11]

Accident

On May 28, 1930, No. 5632 pulled the eleven-car "Inter-City Limited" train from Port Huron to Chicago, but at the GTW's Belsay yards in Flint, while traveling at 60 to 65 miles per hour (97 to 105 km/h), the locomotive hit an open switch, leaped upward, and toppled onto its side, with nine of its passenger and mail cars derailing behind it.[7][12][13] Engineer Arthur Morden and fireman Clyde Pierce were both killed upon impact, while some of the crew in the derailed cars were severely injured—passengers only received minor injuries, since some of the derailed cars between them and the locomotive were empty.[12][13]

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Dorin (1977), p. 120.
  2. [2]
    Kean (1973), p. 96
  3. [3]
    Grand Trunk Western Railroad Company (1944), p. 57
  4. [4]
    Kean (1973), p. 96
  5. [5]
    Edwin (1976), p. 29
  6. [6]
    Pinkepank, Jerry (2003). Grand Trunk Western in Color - Vol 1: Steam & Green, 1941-1961. Scotch Plains, New Jersey: Morning Sun Books, Inc. pp. 64, 67. ISBN 1-58248-112-1.
  7. [7]
    "Locomotive Enshrined: Durand Marks End of Steam Era". Lansing State Journal. May 21, 1961. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. [8]
    Olds, Fred (May 18, 1961). "Old 5632 to Be Dedicated As Steam Era Memorial". Lansing State Journal. p. 36 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. [9]
    Meints (1987), p. 7
  10. [10]
    Hubbard (1965), p. 32
  11. [11]
    Mahoney, Michelle (July 6, 1987). "Railroad Buffs Steamed by Plan to Scrap Antique Engine (GTW 5629)". Associated Press News. Archived from the original on June 13, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  12. [12]
    "Wreck of Train Kills 2 at Flint". The State Journal. May 29, 1930. pp. 1, 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. [13]
    "Grand Trunk Flier Hits Open Switch; 2 Killed; 5 Injured". Journal and Courier. Vol. 11, no. 128. May 29, 1930. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.

Further reading
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