Kevin Keefe 152 hardcover
The against all odds story of a powerful World War II era steam locomotive and the determination of two generations to keep it running comes alive in this book. The book focuses on Pere Marquette Railway 1225 built in 1941 by the famous Lima Locomotive Works as a stunning example of the pinnacle of superpower steam locomotive development. The narrative traces 1225's regular freight service in Michigan, its unlikely salvation from the scrapyard for preservation at Michigan State University and the subsequent work to bring it back to steam, first by a student club and later by a railroad museum. Milestones along the way include its retirement in 1951, its donation to MSU in 1957, its return to steam in 1988, a successful career hauling tens of thousands of excursion riders andits starring role in the 2004 movie The Polar Express.
