WABASH #1189
Builder: GMDD
Build Date: April 1953
Type: F7A
Status: Operational
Wabash No. 1189 is an F7A type diesel locomotive built in April 1953 by the General Motors Diesel Division (GMDD) of London, Ontario. GMDD was General Motors’ Canadian locomotive builder; the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) was their builder in the United States. No. 1189 was built exactly like the F7As produced in America by EMD.
The 1189 was the last F7A built for the Wabash, and spent its career pulling freight trains between Buffalo, New York and St. Thomas, Ontario. Later on, the Wabash renumbered their F7A locomotives into the 600 and 700-series. The 1189 became the 725, respectively.
The Wabash was merged into the Norfolk & Western (N&W) Railway in 1964. The N&W renumbered the former Wabash locomotives by adding a “3” at the beginning of their Wabash numbers; the 725 became the 3725.
In 1979, No. 3725 was retired. In January 1980, it was moved to Decatur, Illinois to be stored and eventually scrapped. Thankfully, in 1982, the N&W generously donated and moved it to the Monticello Railway Museum. It was placed on static display until 1989, when it was moved into the museum’s shop and restored to full operating condition. It emerged from the shop in 1995 once again as Wabash No. 1189, and today is one of several vintage diesel locomotives that operate at the museum.
Scroll down to see photos of No. 1189 over the years.
Running as No. 725, the locomotive is pictured at Windsor, Ontario in 1966.
Towards the end of its career, Norfolk & Western 3725 is parked with another former Wabash F7A at Windsor.
After entering the museum's shop, volunteers quickly went to work.
The restoration was well underway at the time of this July 1990 photograph.
Additional work is done outdoors.
No. 1189 fires up for the first time at the museum on November 19, 1990.
After additional work was done, No. 1189 was ready for a test run. Here, the locomotive passes the Nelson Crossing depot in a heavy downpour on September 3, 1991.
Switching cars at the museum's Camp Creek Yard.
The restoration was almost complete when this picture was taken on June 29, 1992. Volunteers are shown here painting the locomotive into the classic blue, white and gray Wabash paint scheme that No. 1189 wore when it was first built.
Removing masking after the painting has been completed.
Another beautiful restoration completed by our volunteers. No. 1189 switches cabooses around in the yard on July 27, 1992.
No. 1189 idles outside of the Nelson Crossing Carbarn on a cold December night.