Treasures of the Henry Ford: Bessemer & Lake Erie Consolidation #154 Tucked away near the back of the Henry Ford railroad collection is this massive Baldwin Consolidation, built for the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad in 1909. Weighing in at over 250,000 lbs and capable of producing 63,829 lbs of tractive effort, this coal-fired beast would have been one of the largest locomotives of its time when it was built. The Class C3B Consolidations hauled iron ore south on the BL&E and dragged coal on its northbound trips. The 154 ran for 44 years on the BL&E before being retired in 1953. It was held by the railroad for donation for more than 30 years before being donated to the Illinois Railway Museum in 1984. Five years later, it was traded to The Henry Ford in exchange for a DT&I Locomotive. Now on permanent exhibit inside the climate-controlled Henry Ford, this locomotive will be preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Photographer's Note: If you plan to visit The Henry Ford and photograph the railroad collection there, bring the widest lens you can get your hands on. My images, including this one, were shot with the Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G.
