| Built by Alco-Schenectady in 1923 for the Grand Trunk Western as their #8300, this little switcher has an interesting life. Reitred by GTW in 1959, it was sold to Northwestern Steel & Wire Co along with 15 of its sisters replacing the CBQ 0-6-0's working there. The loco worked the Northwestern scrapyard in Sterling, IL, until being retired again in 1980. The company donated #8300 and eleven other switchers to the Illinois Rwy Museum. The museum cosmetically restored #8300 but eventually traded it and 4 others to a Chicago scrapyard in exchange for CBQ 2-8-2 #4963. Poor #8300 lanquished on a siding in Galt, IL until being purchased in November, 2000, for dispaly at the Buchanan County Visitor Center. Here it was renumbered as IC #30. |