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The L-1 class were used for powering time freights system wide on both the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie, and Wisconsin Central. They were assisted in that role by the 1920 arrival of the 25 L-2 and L-20 class Mikados in 1920, but were bumped into lesser roles with the arrival of the 21 N-20 class4-8-2 Mountains in 1926–1930. The 1938 delivery of four O-20 class4-8-4 Northern made little difference to the L-1 class since the former were restricted to the Chicago–Twin Cities route.
They were a long-lived class, with only one, the 1004, being retired prior to May 1953. By December 1954, however, the Soo Line was effectively dieselized. One locomotive, the 1003, was placed in the strategic reserve, and stored serviceable in the Gladstone, Michiganroundhouse. The other eight remaining L-1s were sold for scrap.
The reserve was never called into action, and the 1003 was donated to the City of Superior, Wisconsin, in December 1959. It was later restored to steam in 1996. No. 1003 has run steam excursions in Duluth, Minnesota, on The Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railroad with cousin Soo Line 2719 and Northern Pacific 328 in 1998, the Wisconsin Central before merging with the Canadian National in 2001, also making an excursions in the early 2000s on the Wisconsin Southern Railroad. On August 11 to 13th, 2017, No. 1003 made a rare, first-time trek to Chicago, Illinois, via the Canadian National, Wisconsin Southern, Metra, and Canadian Pacific lines, making a special appearance at Galewood Metra station to benefit the Shriners Hospital for Children.
References
^ Gjevre, John A. (1990). Saga of the Soo, West from Shoreham (Second ed.). Moorhead, Minnesota: Gjevre Books.
Soo Line 1003, a restored L-1 class 2-8-2, operating in Slinger, Wisconsin, on November 2, 2019