Posted by sweible July 07, 2008 09:00AM
Locomotive No. 5030 represents Jackson's vibrant railroad history.
The steam engine sits off Lansing Avenue in R.A. Greene Park. Fifty years ago, the iron-horse was a gift to the city from Grand Trunk Western Railroad.
It was dedicated Sept. 20, 1958, with a marker that proclaimed that "the lonesome wail of her steam whistle is gone but not forgotten."
The town of Durand, located southwest of Flint, also remembers the locomotive. Engine No. 5030 pulled the Knights Templar Special, a train that wrecked June 5, 1923. Five men were killed and 32 people were injured.
Courtesy of Don French Grand Trunk Western Locomotive 5030 worked out of the Durand yards for many years.
The train was headed to Flint for the 67th annual conclave of the Grand Commandery of Michigan Knights Templar. The special run was commissioned to carry members to the Masonic convention.
It was contracted by the DeMolai Commandery No. 5 of Grand Rapids. Specifications required the crew to be members of the Order of Knighthood.
The train left Grand Rapids early in the morning, carrying delegates from that city and Muskegon. It picked up more passengers at Ionia and St. Johns.
About 9:30 a.m. that fateful day, it came to a split rail at Clark's Crossing near Durand. The engine and tender left the track and turned over. The derailment caused the second passenger coach to ram into the first car. The rear cars remained upright on the rails.
Courtesy of Don French A State of Michigan historic marker in Durand commemorates the June 5, 1923, fatal crash of Locomotive 5030.
Killed were Engineer Frank P. Persall, 40, and fireman Joseph Parker, 35, both of Durand. They were members of Corunna Commandery No. 21 and were buried in a double funeral.
The other Knights killed were Herber D. Waldron of Ionia, a secretary for the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Co., and John Erickson, 35, also of Ionia.
News vendor Jay Fanning, 45, of Grand Rapids was the fifth victim.
Thirty-two were injured.
Official investigations showed poor ballast conditions caused the crash. The gravel had been laid 25 years prior and had disintegrated.
The engine was later put back in service. It made runs from Durand to Bay City in its heyday and was known as the "mixed train." The locomotive also made frequent trips in and out of Jackson.
It was retired from service Sept. 11, 1955, and was stored in the Battle Creek yards before moving to Jackson.
It was captured on film by Jerry Carson and can be seen in the Green Frog video "Steam in the 1950s."
Categories: 1900s, Railroads
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