Equipment Information

Commonwealth Edison 5 is a heavy switcher built to haul trains of coal cars at low speed around power plants. It likely spent its entire career working at the Calumet Generating Station, located on 100th Street at the Calumet River in South Chicago. It operated at IRM during the 1970s but its short wheelbase and heavy weight made it punishing on the museum’s tracks and it was retired.

Commonwealth Edison 5 Details

Builder: Baldwin Locomotive Works
Year Built: 1922
Builder Number: 55626
Wheel Arrangement: 0-6-0
Length: 58ft
Width: 10ft 6in
Height: 14ft 8in
Weight: 160000 lbs
Brakes: 6ET
Tractive Effort: 37200 lbs
Cylinders: 22×26
Boiler Pressure: 160 psi
Drivers: 46in
Description: Switcher
Arrived: 1972
Condition: Complete / restored / not operational

Read more about the history of this engine in Rail & Wire #261

Commonwealth Edison 5 Ownership History

1922-1964 – Commonwealth Edison #5
1964-1967 – Privately owned, Summit, IL
1967-1972 – Privately owned, Elgin, IL
1972-present – Illinois Railway Museum, Union, IL

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