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Now Arriving in Owosso!
The Steam Railroading Institute of Owosso, Michigan is a museum dedicated to educating the public about steam-era railroading. The Institute is the home of the largest steam locomotive ever used in Michigan, Pere Marquette 1225.
Now the Institute is starting on the restoration of its second locomotive, Chicago and North Western 175. The Institute will return this more than a century-year-old locomotive, and you will be able to ride behind it on excursion trains around Michigan.
Join the Revival!
The Steam Railroading Institute depends on the hard work and dedication of our amazing volunteers and donors. Under the guidance of a paid staff, everyone you see operating our trains and working at SRI is a volunteer. These wonderful individuals contribute their time and skill to give you a memorable experience, and they keep the wheels turning.
Latest Updates
Keeping Steam Alive: John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust Donates to Revive 175 Campaign
Keeping Steam Alive: John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust Donates to Revive 175 Campaign SRI would like to thank the John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust for their donation to the [...]
CNW 175 Frame & Running Gear Lifted for Rebuild
CNW 175 Frame & Running Gear Lifted for Rebuild On February 28th, 2022, we lifted PM 1225 up in the air to free it of its driving wheels... one year later, [...]
CNW 175 Frame & Running Gear Departs for Indiana!
CNW 175 Frame & Running Gear Departs for Indiana! The next phase in the restoration of Chicago & North Western steam locomotive #175 occurred August 29, 2022, when the frame & running [...]
Revive 175 Capital Campaign
Steam Railroading Institute Announces “Revive 175” Capital Campaign The Steam Railroading Institute (SRI) of Owosso, Michigan, has initiated a fundraising campaign to support the restoration of Chicago & North Western (C&NW) steam [...]
A North Western Workhorse
175 was built by the American Locomotive Company for the Chicago and North Western Railway. It is a 4-6-0, or ten-wheeler, and was considered a large, modern locomotive when it was built in 1908. The railroad called its class R-1. The 175 was one of 325 similar locomotives on the North Western, one of the most numerous of any one class of locomotives on any railroad. Today three R-1s exist in museums, and the 175 is the only CNW steam locomotive in Michigan.