Pioneer (locomotive)

Infobox Locomotive
name="Pioneer"
powertype=Steam

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caption="Pioneer" circa 1898
railroad=Utica and Schenectady Railroad (U&S),
Michigan Central Railroad (MC),
Galena and Chicago Union Railroad (G&CU),
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q)
builddate=1837
builder=Baldwin Locomotive Works
officialname="Alert" (U&S),
"Pioneer" (G&CU)
disposition=locomotive on static display at the Chicago History Museum, tender stored in Villa Park, Illinois
whytetype=4-2-0

"Pioneer" is the name of the first railroad locomotive to operate in Chicago, Illinois. It was built in 1837 by Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Utica and Schenectady Railroad (U&S) in New York, then purchased used by William B. Ogden for the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad (G&CU, the oldest predecessor of Chicago and North Western Railway) and pulled the first train westbound out of Chicago on October 25, 1848.

History

When the locomotive was built in 1837, the Utica and Schenectady Railroad gave it the name "Alert". It worked on the U&S for nine years before it was sold to the Michigan Central Railroad. Michigan Central added a cab and tender to the locomotive and used it for two years before selling it again in 1848 to the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad. The G&CU renamed the locomotive "Pioneer" and used it in the construction of the G&CU until 1850, at which time the locomotive was loaned to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad for work in and around Chicago.The locomotive has been preserved and is on display at the Chicago History Museum. The tender that was used behind the locomotive is located in Villa Park, Illinois.

In 2008, the History Channel aired an episode of "Deep Sea Detectives" titled "Underwater Train Wreck" in which they claim to have found two Pioneer locomotives on the sea bottom off the coast of New Jersey.

References

* Chicago Historical Society, " [http://www.chicagohistory.org/historylab/artifact/hl_artifact_0105.asp History Lab Collections - Riding the Rails] ". Retrieved October 25 2005.
* Rivanna Chapter, National Railway Historical Society (2005), " [http://avenue.org/nrhs/histoct.htm This Month in Railroad History - October] ". Retrieved October 25 2005.
* SteamLocomotive.com (November 1 2004), " [http://www.steamlocomotive.com/union/ Chicago Area Steam] ". Retrieved October 25 2005.
* History Channel, " [http://www.history.com/shows.do?episodeId=276882&action=detail Deep Sea Detectives] ". Retrieved July 3 2008.