The Houghton County Historical Society’s 1915 steam locomotive as seen while operating, before the boiler rusted through. (Houghton County Historical Society photo)

LAKE LINDEN — For many years, the Houghton County Historical Society has offered rides around its museum complex on the Lake Linden & Torch Lake Railroad’s four-tenths of a mile loop. But three years ago, the engine used for that purpose broke down.

While volunteers at the museum were filling the boiler with water, said HCHS President George West, water began pouring it out of it “like crazy.” In addition to needing the boiler repaired, the major issue now is the cost of having that done.

The problem is not in finding a company that can make the repairs, said West. The Jamar Company rebuilt it. The problem is finding the funding.

“We had it up on our website, and I think it was there at $32 or 34,000 to have it rebuilt,” said West. “Well, I just got a new quote and it’s up at $53,000.”

Jamar is a diversified company headquartered in Duluth, with facilities in Escanaba and Green Bay, Wisconsin. A specialty contractor, Jamar specializes in boiler repair and retrofitting, among other categories such as industrial construction, plant maintenance services and specialty fabrication.

The engine is a small 0-4-0 steam locomotive, built in 1915 by the H.K. Porter Company of Pittsburgh for Calumet and Hecla Mining Company’s Calumet and Torch Lake Railroad. The engine, classified as a “switcher,” with the serial number 5649, the small industrial locomotive, assigned the number 3 by C&H, was used by C&H around the stamp mills and smelters between Lake Linden and Hubbell to move copper concentrate, ingots and other materials. After the C&TLRR converted to diesel power, in 1950, the engine was put on display at the Arcadian Mine as a tourist attraction, until 1969 when Universal Oil Products, which purchase the C&H company, donated the engine to the historical society.

The HCHS website states:

“For several years the old #3 has served the Society and our visitors well. However, any steam engine will require periodic maintenance to the boiler and boiler flues. We are now at the point were #3 is in need of boiler repairs, and has had to be withdrawn from service, and we need your help to make the needed repairs.

“Your train ride or train pass fee helps pay for the maintenance of the tracks and passenger cars, but we’d welcome your generous donation toward the repair of the steam engine.”

The steam engine, No. 3, is the last one to have operated in the western Upper Peninsula since Clint Jones’ Keweenaw Central Railroad made its last excursion on Oct. 10, 1971. The LL&TL RR, even at less than a half-mile in length, is the last remaining operating railroad in Houghton or Keweenaw counties.