Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 No. 2707 is moved to Brookside Park in Cleveland in the mid-1950s.
C&O
Q In the 1960s and ’70s, I saw a steam locomotive in Brookside Park near the Cleveland Zoo. A group removed it later. Was it restored or scrapped?
— Larry Matus, North Ridgeville, Ohio
— Larry Matus, North Ridgeville, Ohio
A The locomotive in question is Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 No. 2707. C&O donated it to the city of Cincinnati for display in the mid-1950s. An Illinois Railway Museum member bought it in 1981 and sold it to IRM in 1991. In May 1993, the museum moved the big freight engine to its Union, Ill., grounds. Today, 2707 is stored outside in an unrestored state. Since two other 2-8-4s (Nickel Plate Road No. 765 and Pere Marquette No. 1225) have been restored, operational restoration is not likely a high priority.
— Kathi Kube
Actually, Kathi is wrong. #2707 was donated to Cleveland, not Cincinnati. Not sure why she’d type that when the caption on the pic literally says “moved to Cleveland…” And as someone who grew up in that area, I played on and in the locomotive may times as a child.
While the locomotive has not been restored, and is really rough shape, just watched a video on YouTube where they moved her into a building to shelter her from the elements. Even if they don’t restore her to operational condition, I home they at least repair her body.