Milwaukee Zoo 1924: Last Days of Steam on the North Shore Bank Safari Train

Since the 1950s, the 15" gauge Safari Train has been one of the staple attractions of the Milwaukee County Zoo, particularly with its two steam locomotives, 4-4-2 Atlantic No. 1916 "Harry J. Grant" and 4-6-2 Pacific No. 1924 "Irwin Maier" (both named after former executives at the Milwaukee Journal, which donated the Zoo railroad including the original engine, 4-4-0 No. 82).

In 2024, the Zoo decided that continuing to operate the steam locomotives was contrary to its mission of "conservation and sustainability" and sold them to the Riverside & Great Northern Railway in Wisconsin Dells (a homecoming of sorts for them, as both the Zoo railway and the RGN share close ties to the Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works, founded in Janesville around 1950 and relocated to the Dells along with the RGN; No. 82 was also built by Sandley and was returned to service at the RGN in 1990).

The 1916 was shipped to the RGN in the spring, and I rode behind it there on Father's Day. The 1924 will remain at the Zoo through the 2024 operating season, and in mid-July the Zoo finally announced the dates it is planned to operate. I got out to see it on Saturday the 20th.

After the 1924 is gone, all Zoo trains will be powered by diesel locomotives such as the No. 1958 which we see a couple of times in the video, No. 1992 (built to resemble a Soo Line F-unit) and two more they plan to have built.

At 4:06 we see their storage barn spur, which goes underneath I-94.