A million-dollar grant and a partnership with a passionate non-profit means the Dennison Depot will be the site of the resurrection of a long extinct steam locomotive.
The Pennsylvania Railroad T1 Steam Locomotive Trust has spent years fundraising and putting the pieces together to rebuild a PRR T1 5550. It was among the fastest steam locomotives, reaching speeds over 120 miles per hour, but it was retired in 1953 and all models were scrapped a few years later.
The T1 Trust says it has raised over 2.8-million dollars and is ready to begin assembly. That will take place at the Dennison Depot inside a new car shop made possible by a 1.69-million-dollar state grant.
Depot Museum Director Wendy Zucal says this aligns perfectly with the depot’s history.
“Dennison was known across the country at one time as the best railroad car repair shop, so cars from all across the country came here in the railroad hay day. This way we’ll be able to work and maintain our Polar Express cars and put together the final parts of the T1 engine.”
She says they hope to have the building done by next year. The T1 engine will take a while to build. The T1 Trust are targeting 2030.
The T1 project is part of a bigger initiative at the Depot. Zucal says the depot will begin offering more train rides next year in addition to the regular holiday excursions on the Polar Express.
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