Pere Marquette No. 1225 to power March 2014 excursion

Published: June 21, 2013

Pere Marquette No. 1225 on an excursion near Cadillac, Mich., in 2009.

Photo by Ken Firlik

OWOSSO, Mich. – Pere Marquette No. 1225, operated by the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, will power a "Return to Rail" excursion March 15, 2014. The locomotive is currently undergoing a federally mandated 1,472-day inspection.

The train will depart Owosso at 9 a.m. and arrive at Clare at 11:30 a.m. Riders will have a 3-hour layover in Clare to partake in the Clare Irish Festival, which will coincide with our excursion. The train will depart Clare at 2:30 p.m., running backwards to Alma, where it will be turned for a 6 p.m. arrival in Owosso.

Lima Locomotive Works built No. 1225 in October 1941 for the Pere Marquette. In 1957, officials at Michigan State University, seeking an outdoor monument to commemorate the steam-era, saved the locomotive from a scrap yard. In 1969, university students set out to restore the locomotive, but were unable to complete the project. In 1983, No. 1225 was moved to Owosso and restoration resumed. The locomotive returned to excursion duty in 1988.

Tickets are $124.00 per person for coach seats and will include two photo run-bys. For more information on the 2014 trip, go to railyardproductions.com. For more information on No. 1225, visit