Great Northern Locomotive Returns to Waite Park [VIDEO]

WAITE PARK -- The final piece of Waite Park's large train set is now in its new home.

A 70-year-old locomotive used at the Waite Park Great Northern Car Shops, returned to where it all began Saturday, to go on display as part of the St. Cloud Area Rail Legacy Museum (STARail).

Barry Schreiber says the SW 1 diesel locomotive recently was used by Xcel Energy for moving coal cars at the Becker power plant.

"The locomotive that is coming here was used to push coal cars around at the Xcel Energy Becker coal-fired power generating plant. It served them well for dozens of years."

The train is identical to the locomotives used in the car shops that moved thousands of boxcars built in Waite Park over several decades.

Schreiber says they plan to restore and repaint the 44-foot-locomotive in Great Northern colors, and make it available for tours by the end of summer.

"This locomotive represents the last car we will bring here. We expect to have tours through the caboose to the engine and one of the boxcars will become exhibit space."

Back in 2016, STARail received a boxcar built in Waite Park in 1941, to go along with the tool car and caboose.

The STARail Museum sits along 3rd Street North in Waite Park.