Elgin, Joliet & Eastern #765 - Gary, IN - Locomotives on Waymarking.com

In the 1920s, 30s and 40s, the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway operated about 80 of these imposing 2-8-2 locomotives in freight service around the suburbs of Chicago. The EJ & E, colloquially known as “Chicago’s Outer Belt” or more simply, the “J,” ran about 130 miles from Waukegan, IL to Gary, IN in a large semicircle.

The EJ & E was one of the first railroads to switch to diesel locomotives and most of their steam locomotives were scrapped. But #765 got a second life with the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway, which, like the EJ & E, was a subsidiary of the US Steel Corporation. The locomotive was renumbered as DM & IR #1330.

In 1962, the locomotive was preserved in a small park in Gary, IN as EJ & E #765. During the 1970s, when the city of Gary was in decline, old #765 became neglected. When I visited in May of 2023, the engine was being prepped for a new coat of paint.

Locomotive Type: (required): Steam Do you need to pay an entrance fee to view this locomotive? (required): No How accessible is this locomotive display? (Required): Only touching is allowed. If "other" what is the engine type? (optional): Not listed If a fee is required what is the approximate cost for admittance? (optional): Not listed

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