Shay Locomotive (Cadillac, Michigan) facts for kids
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Shay Locomotive
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Cass St., Cadillac, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1898 |
| Built by | Lima Locomotive Works |
| Architect | Ephraim Shay |
| Architectural style | Shay locomotive #549 |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000321 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 26, 1981 |
The Shay Logging Locomotive is a special kind of steam engine. You can find it in City Park on Cass Street in Cadillac, Michigan. This amazing old train was named a Michigan State Historic Site in 1979. Later, in 1981, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historical landmark!
Contents
History of the Shay Locomotive
The Inventor, Ephraim Shay
Ephraim Shay was a logger who lived near Cadillac, in a place called Haring, Michigan. He worked in the logging business, which meant cutting down trees and moving them. Ephraim Shay noticed a big problem. It was very hard to move heavy logs when the ground was wet and muddy. He knew that if he could find a better way, his work would be much faster.
First, he tried using horse-drawn carts on special tracks. This helped a little, but it wasn't perfect. Then, he had a brilliant idea: what if he built temporary train tracks right into the forest? This would let him move logs more easily.
A New Kind of Steam Engine
In 1879, Ephraim Shay invented a new type of steam-powered train. This train was made just for the logging industry. It was small but very strong. It had special gears that let it climb steep hills. It also had a flexible design, so it could go around sharp turns on rough tracks. This was perfect for forests! Shay received a patent for his invention in 1881.
The Journey of This Specific Locomotive
The Shay Locomotive you see today was built in 1898. It was made by the Lima Locomotive Works company. Its first owner was the Boyne City Southeastern Railroad Company.
In 1918, the train was sold to Michigan Forest Products. This company was located in Strongs, Michigan. After that, it went to the Cadillac Lumber & Chemical Company in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan.
In 1924, the Cadillac and Soo Lumber Company bought it. They also used it in Sault Sainte Marie. The locomotive worked hard until 1954. That year, the Cadillac-Soo Lumber Company gave the train to the city of Cadillac.
Restoration and Today
The locomotive was partly fixed up in 1964. Then, it was restored even more in 1985. Today, this historic Shay Locomotive is a popular sight. It sits in Cadillac's City Park, where people can visit it. It helps us remember the history of logging and trains in Michigan.
What Does It Look Like?
The Shay Logging Locomotive is known as a Class B steam engine. Its special number is 549. It uses three powerful cylinders to move. Each cylinder is 10 inches wide and has a 12-inch stroke. The entire locomotive is about 35 feet long. That's roughly the length of a school bus! It weighs 45 tons, which is like 10 big elephants.
Images for kids
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Historic image of the locomotive in 1904
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Shay Locomotive with its historic marker
