Description: This against-all-odds story of a World War II-era steam locomotive captures the determination of two generations of volunteers to keep it running. The narrative traces the train's regular freight service in Michigan, its unlikely salvation from the scrapyard, and the subsequent work to bring it back to steam. This is the tale of the revival of a significant steam locomotive and a triumph of historic preservation.
Brief description:
Kevin P. Keefe has been a journalist and editor in the fields of news, entertainment, and railroads. A former editor and publisher of Trains magazine, he is a director of the Center for Railroad Photography & Art.
Review Quotes: "Kevin P. Keefe's Twelve Twenty-Five is not only the masterfully told tale of a landmark locomotive, but it is also the story of a mid-twentieth-century industrial revolution--the pinnacle of steam on rails toppled by crafty new internal combustion engines. It's a tale of loss, mourning, and rebirth that is an inspiration for everyone who longs for the sound of a train whistle or the beat of a steam engine at work. If you like trains, steam locomotives, or a mission impossible tale of preservationists at work to save their beloved engine and see it steam again, you'll love this book."
--Jim Wrinn, editor of Trains magazine and author of Steam's Camelot