Photos and video: 1906 Duluth, Missabe & Northern steam engine nears return

Smoke coming out of a smokestack on a steam locomotive — The smokestack of Duluth, Missabe & Northern steam locomotive No. 332 ejects smoke during tests of mechanical systems at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth on Friday, June 3, 2022.

By Dan Williamson

June 03, 2022 at 7:32 PM

DULUTH — Duluth, Missabe & Northern steam locomotive No. 332 was fired up on Friday afternoon for a test of its mechanical systems.

Built in 1906 by the American Locomotive Works for the Duluth Missabe & Northern Railroad, DM&N steam locomotive No. 332 was mostly used for pulling ore trains and long freights. In 1955, the engine was sold to the Duluth & Northeastern Railroad in Cloquet, where it switched to the Potlatch paper mill until 1964. When retired, it was the last working steam locomotive on a common carrier in the state of Minnesota. The engine was donated to the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in 1974 and was restored to working order in 2019.

Smoke ejects from a steam locomotive — The smokestack of Duluth, Missabe & Northern steam locomotive No. 332 ejects smoke during tests of mechanical systems on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth.

The engine has been sidelined for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, it passed several mandated inspections by the Federal Railroad Administration that allowed the engine to be fired up and operated.

The firebox inside a steam locomotive — The firebox inside of Duluth, Missabe & Northern steam locomotive No. 332 as seen on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth. The firebox is a furnace chamber built into the boiler, which produces steam in surrounding water. Coal is the most common combustible material used as fuel.

The North Shore Scenic Railroad plans to run several weekends of steam excursions to Two Harbors and back later in the season. A schedule will be announced at a later date on www.duluthtrains.com.

Smoke ejects from the smokestack of a steam locomotive — The smokestack of Duluth, Missabe & Northern steam locomotive No. 332 ejects smoke during tests of mechanical systems on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth.

Steam locomotive firemen working on a steam locomotive — Steam locomotive firemen Dave Palmquist, right, and Terry Johnson work on Duluth, Missabe & Northern steam locomotive No. 332 during tests of mechanical systems on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth.

1/7: Volunteer Phil Jaski, second from right, and steam locomotive fireman Terry Johnson chat on top of Duluth, Missabe and Northern steam locomotive #332 during tests of mechanical systems on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth. Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune

2/7: Phil Jaski, left, of Duluth, stands while Al Estrada sits in the cab of Duluth, Missabe and Northern steam locomotive #332 during tests of mechanical systems on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth. Jaski and Estrada are volunteers. Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune

Man shovels coal into a firebox on a steam locomotive

3/7: Steam locomotive fireman Ryan Johnson scoops up coal with a shovel to place in the firebox inside the cab of Duluth, Missabe and Northern steam locomotive #332 during tests of mechanical systems on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth. Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune

Steam locomotive fireman checks controls

4/7: Steam locomotive fireman Ryan Johnson, right, looks at the controls inside the cab of Duluth, Missabe and Northern steam locomotive #332 while volunteer Al Estrada looks on during tests of mechanical systems on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth. Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune

5/7: Al Estrada, of Duluth, sits inside the cab of Duluth, Missabe and Northern steam locomotive #332 during tests of mechanical systems on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth. Estrada is a volunteer. Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune

Volunteers working on a steam locomotive

6/7: Phil Jaski, left, of Duluth, helps on Duluth, Missabe and Northern steam locomotive #332 during tests of mechanical systems on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth. Jaski is a volunteer. Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune

7/7: Phil Jaski, left, of Duluth, helps on Duluth, Missabe and Northern steam locomotive #332 during tests of mechanical systems on Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Lenard Draper Maintenance Facility at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth. Jaski is a volunteer. Dan Williamson / Duluth News Tribune

By Dan Williamson

Dan Williamson joined the Duluth News Tribune in June 2021 where he's involved in digital content such as video, photos and podcasts as well as covering breaking news. Previously, he worked in television broadcasting as a Sports Director/Anchor at WDIO-TV in Duluth, Sports Director/Anchor in Bismarck, N.D., News and Sports Anchor at KSAX-TV in Alexandria, and Reporter/Photographer/Editor with the syndicated show "Life to the Max" in Eden Prairie. He was also the Development Director for the Duluth Salvation Army. Williamson grew up in Alexandria, graduated from St. Cloud State University and has lived in Duluth since 2012.