The Steam Engine That Has Watched Over Lakeside Park for 70 Years

If you've spent any time at Lakeside Park, you've probably walked right past the giant black steam locomotive sitting along the edge of the park. It's one of those landmarks that's always been there, but a lot of people don't know its story. The train, Locomotive No. 2714, has been part of Fond du Lac since 1955 and serves as a reminder of the days when steam engines connected communities across Wisconsin and beyond.

The locomotive was built in 1911 by the American Locomotive Company in New York and spent more than 40 years pulling passenger trains for the Wisconsin Central and Soo Line railroads. During its time in service, it traveled over 2 million miles, reaching speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. It carried thousands of passengers between cities like Fond du Lac, Stevens Point, Minneapolis, and Winnipeg before steam locomotives were eventually replaced by diesel engines.

Rather than being scrapped, Locomotive No. 2714 was donated to the City of Fond du Lac as a memorial to the steam railroad era. Steam service officially ended on February 15, 1955, and the locomotive was dedicated in Lakeside Park on July 4, 1955, where it has remained ever since. For more than 70 years, it has become a favorite photo spot and something generations of local families remember climbing on during visits to the park.

The next time you're walking through Lakeside Park, take a few minutes to stop and look at the train. It's more than just an old locomotive, it's a piece of Fond du Lac history that's now over 110 years old. While the whistles and steam have been silent for decades, Locomotive No. 2714 continues to remind us of a time when railroads played a huge role in building our community and connecting it to the rest of the country.