Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield Village (Weiser Railroad)

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Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield Village History

  • The museum and village originally began as the collection of its namesake founder, Henry Ford.
  • Together the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village is the largest indoor-outdoor museum complex in the United States. Both opened to the public in 1933.
  • The Henry Ford Museum features a collection of historic artifacts important to American innovation and history.
  • Greenfield Village is the outdoor living history museum section of the Henry Ford complex. The village features numerous historical buildings (moved in from various places) and is almost a recreation of historic early 1900's America.
  • Greenfield Village features the 2 mile "Weiser Railroad" which loops the property and is powered exclusively by steam locomotives.
  • https://www.thehenryford.org/

Weiser Railroad History

  • Originally a simple straight stretch of track along the northern edge of the museum, which was dedicated in 1929.
  • The railroad has since expanded to a two mile loop around the village, and has four stations.
  • The "Railroad Juncton" station is the former GTR Smiths Creek depot, which was relocated to the property.
  • The four stations are: "Firestone," "Susquehanna," "Walnut Grove" (used for special events only), and "Railroad Junction."
  • Locomotives are operated for 30 days and then switched out.
  • Locomotives are restored and repaired in a replica roundhouse which was based on the Detroit, Toledo & Milwaukee Railroad roundhouse in Marshall, Michigan. (Pieces of the former roundhouse were used in construction of the replica). The replica roundhouse was opened to the public in 2000.
  • The turntable came from Petoskey, Michigan. It was built in 1901 for the Pere Marquette Railroad and has no motor (turned by hand).
  • After the roundhouse was completed, the former engine shed was re-purposed as a garage for the Village's many vehicles.
  • The railroad has a direct connection to the national railway network, via the Amtrak/MDOT Michigan Line. The railroad once received hoppers of coal from Norfolk Southern. Coal for the steam locomotives is now trucked into the Village.

Greenfield Village/Weiser Railroad Locomotives

Number Model Year(s) Built History Notes
Mistersky Power Plant Plymouth #1 JLC 12T 1927 A Plymouth JLC. From Mistersky Power Plant. Acquired in 1979. Operational. Used as a shop switcher.
"Edison" #1 4-4-0 1875 (1932) Originally built as an 0-4-0 for Edison Portland Cement by Manchester Locomotive Works. Rebuilt into a 4-4-0 by Ford in 1932. Main locomotive. In active service.
Naval Ammunitions Depot Charleston #1 50-ton 1942 Built by GE for the Naval Ammunitions Depot of Charleston, SC. Ex-USN 65-00002. Acquired in 1993 from Luria Brothers Scrapyard in Ecorse, MI. Operational. Used as a switcher and backup power for the steam locomotives.
Hecla & Torch Lake #3 "Torch Lake" 0-6-4T 1873 Built by Mason Machine Works. Donated to Henry Ford in 1969. Known as a "Mason Bogie" locomotive. Main locomotive. In active service. Oldest regularly operating steam locomotive in the US.
Detroit & Lima Northern #7 4-4-0 1897 Built by Baldwin. Donated to Henry Ford in 1930. Main locomotive. In active service.
Detroit & Mackinac #8 0-6-0 1914 Originally built by Baldwin for Michigan Alkali. Donated by D&M to Henry Ford in 1979. In storage. May possibly be restored to operation in the near future.
Detroit, Toledo & Ironton #45 4-4-2 1902 Originally built by Alco as Michigan Central #254. Donated to Henry Ford in 1930. On display in the roundhouse. The tender is located by the vehicle garage, safely shrink wrapped.

Greenfield Village/Weiser Railroad Rolling Stock

Number Model Year(s) Built Notes
Union Pacific #???? Automobile Boxcar 19?? Unknown reporting marks, came to the Village from Stickney, IL in the 1980s. Display only.
Detroit River Tunnel #1 Crane 1914 On display near the roundhouse. Conrail donated the crane in 1986. Operated annually during Railroad Days.
Weiser Railroad #1 Open Air Coach 1970 Used in excursion service. (Actually has no number). Built by Keystone Light Rwy. back in the early 1970’s, the backbone of the cars were either old caboose frames or old tank car frames.
Weiser Railroad #2 Open Air Coach 1970 Used in excursion service. (Actually has no number). Built by Keystone Light Rwy. back in the early 1970’s, the backbone of the cars were either old caboose frames or old tank car frames.
Weiser Railroad #3 Open Air Coach 1970 Used in excursion service. (Actually has no number). Built by Keystone Light Rwy. back in the early 1970’s, the backbone of the cars were either old caboose frames or old tank car frames.
Weiser Railroad #4 Open Air Coach 1970 Used in excursion service. (Actually has no number). Built by Keystone Light Rwy. back in the early 1970’s, the backbone of the cars were either old caboose frames or old tank car frames.
Weiser Railroad #5 Open Air Coach 1970 Used in excursion service. (Actually has no number). Built by Keystone Light Rwy. back in the early 1970’s, the backbone of the cars were either old caboose frames or old tank car frames.
Weiser Railroad #6 Open Air Coach 1970 Used in excursion service. (Actually has no number). Built by Keystone Light Rwy. back in the early 1970’s, the backbone of the cars were either old caboose frames or old tank car frames.
Weiser Railroad #7 Open Air Coach 1970 Used in excursion service. (Actually has no number). Built by Keystone Light Rwy. back in the early 1970’s, the backbone of the cars were either old caboose frames or old tank car frames.
Detroit & Mackinac W52 Caboose 1912 Display only. After sitting in a Tawas City park for five years, it was donated by D&M to Henry Ford in 1979. Recently restored.
Union Tank Car #1328 Tank Car 1937 Display only. Currently stored behind vehicle garage. Reporting mark: UTLX.
Detroit, Toledo & Ironton #10561 Boxcar 1915 Display only.
Chesapeake & Ohio #19462 Boxcar 1957 Display only.
Norfolk & Western #28502 Hopper 19?? Display only. Currently stored behind vehicle garage. Unknown build date.
New Haven #34054 Boxcar 1957 Display only. Faux paint. ex-C&O #19464.
St. Louis Southwestern Railway #35850 Boxcar 1957 Display only. Faux paint. ex-C&O #19385
Southern #50050 Flatcar 1956 Used for MOW storage. Currently stored behind vehicle garage.
Norfolk & Western #133215 Open-top Hopper 1969 Display only. Lettered for NS.
Chesapeake & Ohio #25038 Boxcar 1975? Display only.
Canadian Pacific #277111 Stock Car 1958 Display only.
Chesapeake & Ohio #491556 Boxcar 1985 Display only.
#????? Unknown Flatcar 19?? Used for MOW service. Possibly C&O?
????? Fake Passenger Car 19?? Fake bodies fabricated on flatcars of unknown origin. Used as a classroom for Henry Ford Academy.
????? Fake Passenger Car 19?? Fake bodies fabricated on flatcars of unknown origin. Used as a classroom for Henry Ford Academy.
????? Fake Passenger Car 19?? Fake bodies fabricated on flatcars of unknown origin. Used as a classroom for Henry Ford Academy.

Henry Ford Museum Locomotives

Number Model Year(s) Built History Notes
Brooklyn City Railroad #1 Horse-Drawn Streetcar 1875 Built by J.M. Jones of Troy, New York. Operated between Hunters Point, Long Island City and Erie Basin, Brooklyn. On display.
Atlantic & Gulf #3 4-4-0 1858 Built by Rogers. Originally nicknamed “Sam Hill.” Renamed the “President” by Henry Ford. On display.
Fort Collins Municipal Railway #26 Trolley 1924 Built by American Car Company. A Birney safety car. On display.
Ingersoll-Rand #90 Boxcab 1926 First successful diesel locomotive. On display.
Cleveland Railway Company #0140 Trolley 1892 Moved to the Henry Ford Museum in 1954. On display.
Bessemer & Lake Erie #154 2-8-0 1909 Built by Baldwin. Came to the museum after trading Detroit, Toledo & Ironton #16 to IRM. On display.
Chesapeake & Ohio #1601 2-6-6-6 1941 Built by Lima. Donated to the Henry Ford in 1956. On display.
"Rocket" Replica 0-2-2 1929 Replica of the famous "Rocket." On display.
NYC "Dewitt Clinton" Replica 0-4-0 1893 Replica of the "Dewitt Clinton." On display. Includes three passenger wagons.

Henry Ford Museum Rolling Stock

Number Model Year(s) Built History Notes
St. Louis Southwestern #5 "Fair Lane" Business Car 1921 Built for Henry Ford by Pullman. Later sold to SSW in 1942 for use as a business car. On display. Amtrak registration #800019.
Bangor & Aroostook #6 Replica Passenger Car 1928 Built by Ford Motor Company at the Rouge Plant. On display.
Detroit Toledo & Ironton #77 Caboose 1925 Built by Standard Steel Car Company. On display.
Detroit & Mackinac #100 Combine Passenger Car 1905 Built by Barney & Smith Car Company. Donated by D&M in 1979. On display.
Fruit Growers Express #55667 Reefer 1924 Reporting mark: FGEX. On display.
Canadian Pacific #400850 Snowplow 1923 Built in CP's Angus Shops in Montreal. Donated by CP. On display.

Henry Ford Museum Offsite Locomotives

Number Model Year(s) Built History Notes
Wayne County Board of Roads No. 7 0-4-0T 1897 Built by Davenport. Narrow gauge. Now on display next door at the Dearborn Amtrak Station (John D. Dingell Transit Center).
Pennsylvania 4909/Amtrak 4932 GG1 1941 Built by PRR in Altoona. Purchased by Henry Ford in 2008. As of 2021 it is still in Cooperstown Junction, NY.







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