Retired from service in 1951, 1225 was sent to scrap, in New Buffalo, Michigan.
In 1955, Michigan State University Trustee, Forest Akers, the former VP of Dodge Motors, was asked by C&O Chairman Cyrus Eaton if the University would be interested in having a steam locomotive (Eaton did not want to scrap the engines but was having a hard time finding places that would accept them) so that engineering students would have a piece of real equipment to study.
Forest Akers thought it was a good idea and proposed the idea to University President John Hannah.
John Hannah accepted the gift of the locomotive.
When he told the Dean of the College of Engineering about the gift, the Dean said that Engineering was not interested in an obsolete locomotive.
John Hannah then called up Dr. Rollin Baker, director of the MSU Museum and told him that he was getting a locomotive.
 The C&O then instructed the yardmaster at New Buffalo to send an engine to the Wyoming Shops for a cosmetic restoration and repainting with the name Chesapeake and Ohio on the side.
 Lighted number boards were added as was the standard for C&O engines, though the Pere Marquette Railway never used them.
 Eventually, the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation, operating at the Steam Railway Institute, decided to remove these.
 No.
1225 was the last engine in the line, i.e. easiest to get out.
It had nothing to do with the number representing Christmas Day.
 The Christmas Day myth seems to have arisen after the publication of the book, "Polar Express".
 Chris Van Allsburg took notice of the number.

Baker received the gift of the locomotive in 1957 when it was brought to campus.
The locomotive remained on static display near Spartan Stadium on the Michigan State campus in East Lansing, Michigan for more than a decade.
While on display, a child by the name of Chris Van Allsburg used to stop by the locomotive on football weekends, on his way to the game with his father.
 He later stated that the engine was the inspiration for the story, Polar Express.

During the time that Akers was alive, til 1966, money was allocated to paint and display the engine.
In 1969, a group of MSU students formed the Michigan State University Railroad Club as a railfan group.
Steve Reeves, a student and part-time employee of the Museum, whose responsibility was to display the engine on football weekends, sent out a notice in the State News that the Railroad Club would be meeting.
Those early meetings did not discuss the restoration of the engine.
 Instead, they were slide shows of engines various members had seen on trips across the US, most of which were diesels.
In 1970, at the suggestion of Randy Paquette, the club investigated the possibility of restoring the locomotive to running condition and started on that goal in 1971, with Baker's permission.
Baker later stated that he thought having students be occupied with restoring a locomotive was far more in keeping with his idea of the image the university should be presenting than campus protests.
 Dr. Breslin, the university vice president, was not so sure.
 After the club started removing the sheet metal and exposing a rusty boiler, Breslin sent Baker to the engine with two messages.
The first was the instruction to paint the engine. (
The university needs to look good, even when it is being worked on).
The second message was the day the students stop working on the engine is the day the torches come out.
 The locomotive was safe as long as the students kept working on it.
To emphasize, he had the hopper car next to the engine cut up the next week.

The students fired up the boiler in 1975 and blew the 1225's whistle for the first time in two decades.
The MSU Railroad Club had looked to engine 1223 at the State Fairgrounds for parts.
The Michigan Railroad Club, then custodians of that engine, objected, so needed parts were fabricated.
As of 2016, 1223 is preserved in a lakeside park in Grand Haven, Michigan.

In 1977, Dr. Edgar Harden became the University Interim President.
Chuck Julian, as President of the MSU Railroad Club, went to his r
Retired from service in 1951, 1225 was sent to scrap, in New Buffalo, Michigan. In 1955, Michigan State University Trustee, Forest Akers, the former VP of Dodge Motors, was asked by C&O Chairman Cyrus Eaton if the University would be interested in having a steam locomotive (Eaton did not want to scrap the engines but was having a hard time finding places that would accept them) so that engineering students would have a piece of real equipment to study. Forest Akers thought it was a good idea and proposed the idea to University President John Hannah. John Hannah accepted the gift of the locomotive. When he told the Dean of the College of Engineering about the gift, the Dean said that Engineering was not interested in an obsolete locomotive. John Hannah then called up Dr. Rollin Baker, director of the MSU Museum and told him that he was getting a locomotive.  The C&O then instructed the yardmaster at New Buffalo to send an engine to the Wyoming Shops for a cosmetic restoration and repainting with the name Chesapeake and Ohio on the side.  Lighted number boards were added as was the standard for C&O engines, though the Pere Marquette Railway never used them.  Eventually, the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation, operating at the Steam Railway Institute, decided to remove these.  No. 1225 was the last engine in the line, i.e. easiest to get out. It had nothing to do with the number representing Christmas Day.  The Christmas Day myth seems to have arisen after the publication of the book, "Polar Express".  Chris Van Allsburg took notice of the number.
Baker received the gift of the locomotive in 1957 when it was brought to campus. The locomotive remained on static display near Spartan Stadium on the Michigan State campus in East Lansing, Michigan for more than a decade. While on display, a child by the name of Chris Van Allsburg used to stop by the locomotive on football weekends, on his way to the game with his father.  He later stated that the engine was the inspiration for the story, Polar Express.
During the time that Akers was alive, til 1966, money was allocated to paint and display the engine. In 1969, a group of MSU students formed the Michigan State University Railroad Club as a railfan group. Steve Reeves, a student and part-time employee of the Museum, whose responsibility was to display the engine on football weekends, sent out a notice in the State News that the Railroad Club would be meeting. Those early meetings did not discuss the restoration of the engine.  Instead, they were slide shows of engines various members had seen on trips across the US, most of which were diesels. In 1970, at the suggestion of Randy Paquette, the club investigated the possibility of restoring the locomotive to running condition and started on that goal in 1971, with Baker's permission. Baker later stated that he thought having students be occupied with restoring a locomotive was far more in keeping with his idea of the image the university should be presenting than campus protests.  Dr. Breslin, the university vice president, was not so sure.  After the club started removing the sheet metal and exposing a rusty boiler, Breslin sent Baker to the engine with two messages. The first was the instruction to paint the engine. (The university needs to look good, even when it is being worked on). The second message was the day the students stop working on the engine is the day the torches come out.  The locomotive was safe as long as the students kept working on it. To emphasize, he had the hopper car next to the engine cut up the next week.
The students fired up the boiler in 1975 and blew the 1225's whistle for the first time in two decades. The MSU Railroad Club had looked to engine 1223 at the State Fairgrounds for parts. The Michigan Railroad Club, then custodians of that engine, objected, so needed parts were fabricated. As of 2016, 1223 is preserved in a lakeside park in Grand Haven, Michigan.
In 1977, Dr. Edgar Harden became the University Interim President. Chuck Julian, as President of the MSU Railroad Club, went to his r
Pere Marquette 1225