Shay Locomotive

In October 2021 the 36 ton Shay Locomotive C/N 2005 located outside the Forestry Building of Stephen F. Austin State University made its way to Harbor Springs. The Historical Society and train enthusiasts are raising funds in real time to restore this major new historical asset. The iconic log-hauling engine is undergoing a major overhaul by students at the Industrial Arts Institute in Onaway, the same organization that performed restoration work on the all-steel Aha boat, now on display in Shay Park.

As of July 2024, the grounds of Shay Park are being prepared for the arrival of the locomotive as the Historical Society puts the finishing touches on its resotration. We hope to have the locomotive at the park by November 2024 but an exact date is still pending.

Built in 1907 by the Lima Locomotive and Machine Works of Lima, Ohio, C/N 2005 is a two-truck Shay which ferried countless loads of timber from East Texas forests to sawmills until the early 1920s. Originally owned by W. T. Carter and Brother Lumber Company, the locomotive was donated to the University in 1970.