What saved No.
4960 from the scrapper's torch was being used for the Burlington Route's steam excursion program.
Its first fan trip run occurred on December 28, 1958, which was sponsored by the Illinois Railroad Club.
Back then, those fan trips would be sponsored by railfan clubs and groups from the National Railway Historical Society(NRHS).
After the fan trips, the Burlington Route's president, Harry C. Murphy, would officially start the steam excursion program, which would star No.
4960, as well as O-5b 4-8-4 Northern No.
5632, which was built by the Burlington Route's own shops in 1940.
The railroad has given No.
4960 a complete overhaul, in 1961, in order to keep the locomotive working for the program.
In 1963, during the 50th anniversary of the railroad's service to Casper, Wyoming, No.
4960 was painted gold all over as the 'Tensodo Mikado', as nicknamed by Trains Magazine.
Afterwards, No.
4960 was painted black once again, and resumed to pull excursions for the Burlington Route between Chicago and Ottowa, Illinois.
Around the same time, the Burlington Route acquired one of 4960's sister engines, 4963, which had retired from the Bevier and Southern railroad, but only as 4960's spare parts provider.
Between 1965 and 1966, No.
4960 was used to pull the Circus World Museum's train from Baraboo to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

However, the excursion program on the Burlington Route didn't last any longer.
In 1966, Harry C. Murphy retired from his position as railroad president of the Burlington Route, and Louis W. Menk took his place, who wasn't interested in running a steam program and let the railroad eventually merge into the Burlington Northern System.
No.
4960's last excursion run for the railroad occurred on July 17, 1966.
Shortly afterwards, it was sold to the Circus World Museum for static display, and later, it was sold to the Mid-Continent Railway Historical Society's Museum at North Freedom, Wisconsin, where it sat, facing an uncertain future.
What saved No. 4960 from the scrapper's torch was being used for the Burlington Route's steam excursion program. Its first fan trip run occurred on December 28, 1958, which was sponsored by the Illinois Railroad Club. Back then, those fan trips would be sponsored by railfan clubs and groups from the National Railway Historical Society(NRHS). After the fan trips, the Burlington Route's president, Harry C. Murphy, would officially start the steam excursion program, which would star No. 4960, as well as O-5b 4-8-4 Northern No. 5632, which was built by the Burlington Route's own shops in 1940. The railroad has given No. 4960 a complete overhaul, in 1961, in order to keep the locomotive working for the program. In 1963, during the 50th anniversary of the railroad's service to Casper, Wyoming, No. 4960 was painted gold all over as the 'Tensodo Mikado', as nicknamed by Trains Magazine. Afterwards, No. 4960 was painted black once again, and resumed to pull excursions for the Burlington Route between Chicago and Ottowa, Illinois. Around the same time, the Burlington Route acquired one of 4960's sister engines, 4963, which had retired from the Bevier and Southern railroad, but only as 4960's spare parts provider. Between 1965 and 1966, No. 4960 was used to pull the Circus World Museum's train from Baraboo to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
However, the excursion program on the Burlington Route didn't last any longer. In 1966, Harry C. Murphy retired from his position as railroad president of the Burlington Route, and Louis W. Menk took his place, who wasn't interested in running a steam program and let the railroad eventually merge into the Burlington Northern System. No. 4960's last excursion run for the railroad occurred on July 17, 1966. Shortly afterwards, it was sold to the Circus World Museum for static display, and later, it was sold to the Mid-Continent Railway Historical Society's Museum at North Freedom, Wisconsin, where it sat, facing an uncertain future.
Grand Canyon Railway 4960