Nickel Plate Road Steam Locomotive 587 100th Anniversary T-Shirt Drive

A Century of Hoosiers and Memories. One Locomotive.

The common thread for more than 5 generations, steam locomotive No. 587.

In August of 1918, Hoosiers whom would later be known as part of the Greatest Generation were mere children, helping their parents by completing chores and enjoying the simple things of life such as a cold bottle of cola or an ice cream cone. This generation would go on to withstand the life-changing effects of the Great Depression and fight during World War II, selflessly rising to the call-of-duty as it was simply the right thing to do.

In August of 1918, a locomotive emerged from the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA. This locomotive, alongside the Greatest Generation and their children’s generations, would work to shape the life and society of American and Hoosier life, as we know it today.

That locomotive was Nickel Plate Road No. 587.

At first briefly serving as Lake Erie and Western Railroad’s No. 5541, No. 587 was a locomotive commonplace in everyday American and Hoosier life. 587 was the locomotive that moved goods during the Great Depression, and was the locomotive that moved people across the Midwest to conduct business as well as reconnect with family and friends. 587 was the locomotive that would leave an Indiana station in a cloud of steam as a solider gave his wife a parting kiss on his way to war, sometimes for the final time.

587 traversed the Midwest on the Nickel Plate railroad, moving fast-merchandise freight trains, people of everyday life and people of high social position, instilling memories to those like the young paperboy beside the tracks. Children such as the paperboy in a small Indiana town would aspire to one day become the engineer themselves. Nickel Plate conductor Bill Love, along with engineer T.V. Foster, would affectionately refer to the locomotive as “their baby doll”. For Love, “it was the engine that put food on the table, clothes on his family’s back, and put his kids through college.”

From soldiers, businessmen, families and friends to vice presidential candidates, 587 connected all types of people across American society. 587 even carried Vice Presidential Candidate Richard Nixon from Lafayette to Frankfort, Ind. in Oct. of 1952.

For many years, the 587 was based out of Frankfort, Ind., occasionally venturing on the line from Indianapolis to Michigan City, Ind. Unbeknownst to many, this would be the same railroad that 587 would enjoy a second life hauling thousands of Hoosiers to the Indiana State Fair almost half a century later.

587 not only touched those who saw it thunder by on the Nickel Plate, but also those who admired the locomotive as it sat on display in Broad Ripple Park for nearly thirty years as a donation to the City of Indianapolis. Many of these individuals would grow up playing on this displayed locomotive, imagining what could be. These individuals would include those growing up to see the 587 return to a second life, and many would recall fond memories of playing on the locomotive throughout their childhood.

In 1988, due to the blood, sweat and tears of dedicated volunteers and community support, 587 would roar back to life, and go on to touch those who had never seen nor heard of a steam locomotive, ultimately capturing their minds in ways that no technology could otherwise. The engine provided a sensory experience, one that engaged people of all ages and generations alike.

-Mesmerizing through sites of wheels spinning and rods whirling, sounds of steam hissing, the whistle blowing, the engine chugging, and smells of coal smoke as the engine thundered by, vibrating the ground beneath their feet.

When visited by the Smithsonian, representatives remarked 587 in amazement as the most original, classic all-American locomotive.

-And here we are today. Since 2003, the Indiana Transportation Museum has embarked on a second, federally required overhaul of 587 – a practice for all steam locomotives. The Museum believes the 587 project is essential to engage and inspire generations of young and old alike by continuing a near century’s worth of memories.

From the gentleman that went off to war, to the individual who grew up during the Great Depression, to the individual who rode behind 587 across the Midwest to see their grandmother, to the movement of goods necessary for commerce, to the noble assignment of transporting Vice Presidential Candidate Richard Nixon, to Nickel Plate conductor Bill Love and engineer T.V. Foster themselves, the Museum is looking ahead to link together once again more than a century of Hoosiers and memories.

Although one could delve into how 587 remains virtually unchanged since its original inception in Philadelphia in 1918, the overall reason for bringing the engine back to steam remains much greater.

In a time where one is always connected, always busy and oftentimes uncertain of what lies ahead, the Museum is striving to give Hoosiers a chance to pause and come together in order to experience the same sites, smells and visual experiences as those almost a century before them. The Museum looks to connect cities, towns, events, and people like those before us, through moving experiences behind 587.

- A living, breathing time machine.

The board, staff, volunteers and supporters of the Indiana Transportation Museum invite you to partake on this exciting journey as we work to return Nickel Plate Road No. 587 to operation in order to engage and inspire generations of Hoosiers, young and old alike.

All Aboard.

(c) 2017, Indiana Transportation Museum, Inc. All Rights Reserved.