Throwback Thursday - PM 1225

Pere Marquette 1225 was under steam at Owosso, Michigan on September 05, 1993.

By Peter Mumby.

A quick quiz question for you - can you identify a North American railway that was named after a 17th century Jesuit missionary?  The railway, of course, was the Pere Marquette, and the missionary was Father (Pere) Jacques Marquette.  Much of his short life (1637-1675) was spent exploring what is now the northern part of the state of Michigan.  He was involved in the establishment of the Jesuit Mission of Sainte Marie du Sault along the St Mary's River in 1668, near the site of today's community of Sault Ste Marie.

Pere Marquette the railway endured on this earth only slightly longer than Pere Marquette the missionary.  Created in 1900, the PM was fully absorbed into the C&O in 1947.  For most of this time a large portion of its network was located in Southern Ontario.  In January 1903 the PM acquired the Lake Erie and Detroit River Railway which was comprised of two main routes, namely Windsor to St Thomas and Erieau to Sarnia.  In 1904 the PM secured running rights from St Thomas to Buffalo via the Canada Southern, thus completing the future network of the C&O Canadian Division which was referenced in my post from earlier in April.  1905 saw the construction of its shops in St Thomas, and in 1906 the PM entered London through its lease of the London and Port Stanley Railway.  This latter venture was short-lived, however, with the L&PS lease expiring in 1914.

Steam locomotive PM 1225 is probably one of the most visible reminders of the short history of this regional railway.  Any of you who are parents or grandparents no doubt recall that 1225 was the prototype for the "Polar Express" locomotive in the famous 2004 movie.  The engine's number, of course, is the date of Christmas (12/25).  I think Father Marquette would have been pleased.