"The 3 Spot"
— 1883 —
Central American Connection
The 3 Spot was built in 1883, by Philadelphia-based Baldwin Locomotive Works. The 3 Spot was originally built for the Tehuantepec Interoceanic Railway in Mexico. The Tehuantepec Interoceanic never took delivery, leaving the locomotive available to the D&IR who was in need of motive power at the time.
Along the Minnesota Frontier
The John S. Wolf and Company of Ottumwa, Iowa, was awarded the contract to build a 68-mile railroad line. The company was charged with laying track from a place on Lake Superior called Agate Bay to an iron ore mine near a town later known as Soudan. The first locomotive purchased by the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad was the No. 3, nicknamed the Three Spot. They paid cash for it in the amount of $9,750.
Perilous Lake Journey
Bringing the Three Spot from Philadelphia to Duluth was relatively easy. The locomotive came to the Lake Superior port on existing railroad lines under its own power. The thirty mile trip from Duluth to Agate Bay, later known as Two Harbors, was a different story. In Duluth, the Three Spot was carefully lashed down to a scow under the direction of the D&IR civil engineer William McGonagle. Towed on a barge by the D&IR's steam tugboat Ella G. Stone, the vessels left Duluth for the short trip up the shore. Captaining the tugboat was Cornelius O. Flynn.
All was well until a northeaster blew up and threatened to sink the scow and locomotive into the lake. Many a Lake Superior captain in similar conditions would order the tow lines cut so that both boats would not be capsized. In his memoirs, McGonagle attributed their safe arrival in Agate Bay to Flynn's seamanship and providence. The 3 Spot arrived in Agate Bay on August 29, 1883.
Duluth and Iron Range Railroad Service
The Three Spot was pressed into service shipping men, supplies, rails, and all the necessary equipment from Agate Bay up to the track laying site and served as a construction locomotive for the railroad. The Three Spot was a perfect locomotive for this mission. She was a wood burning engine, able to gather wood and water along the wilderness route. Contrary to popular myth the 3 Spot did not haul the first load of iron ore down from the Vermilion Range. The 3 Spot was simply too light to pull heavy loads of raw ore.
Later Years
In 1899, the Three Spot was sold to the Alger-Smith Logging Company's Duluth and Northern Minnesota Railroad, headquartered in Knife River for $3000. The renumbered D&NM No. 2 would be used in hauling logs, a task she was suited perfectly for being light enough to negotiate the often lightly built track beds of the logging railroad.
A Homecoming
After being sold several times and nearly lost to scrap the little 2-6-0 was brought home. The Thirty Year Veteran's Association of the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad Company was allowed to display the Three Spot by the D&IR Depot where it has remained since 1923.
Comments 0 comments