As built at Alco’s Schenectady, NY, works in 1908, Ten Wheeler type (4-6-0) #175 was unsuperheated and had Stephenson valve gear. In 1926, the Chicago & North Western superheated and rebuilt the engine with Walschaert valve gear. Engine weight increased from 179,500 lbs to 186,000 lbs, 135,500 lbs on the 63” drivers to 139,000 lbs. The grate increased from 46.27 sq ft to 47.18 sq ft, and the firebox from 150.8 sq ft to 216.7 sq ft including 12.7 sq ft of arch tubes and 48.5 sq ft of thermic syphons. Total heating surface dropped from 2,959 sq ft to 2,439 sq ft, including 476 sq ft superheating. The boiler pressure of 200 psi and tractive effort remained unchanged at 30,940 lbs.
#175 has a 14’ 10” driver wheelbase and engine wheelbase of 25’ 10” with 21” x 26” cylinders. The original tender weighed 144,000 lbs light and had a capacity of 7,500 gallons of water and 10 tons of coal. The current tender, lettered for the Northern Pacific, was a replacement for the original CNW tender which was apparently beyond repair.
In 1957, #175 saw some service on railfan excursion trips in Wisconsin under the Chicago & North Western and was the last steam engine to travel through Antigo, WI, hauling a return fan trip from Green Bay to Three Lakes, WI, on 24th September that year. In 1961, #175 was sold to the Winona County Historical Society at Winona, MN.
In 1964, #175 was sold to Clint Jones for use on the Keweenaw Central tourist line. The engine was abandoned in 1972 when the Cooper Range ceased operations on its track north of Hancock. It is now stored in a fenced off area on the Hancock-Lake Linden Trail near the northern bank of the Keweenaw Waterway.
#175 is one of only three surviving CNW 4-6-0s. You can see photos and find out more about the other two on this website. #1385 is on the Mid-Continent Railroad Museum page and #444 is on the Forney Transportation Museum page.
