MILWAUKEE — A new diesel-engine train will make its debut at the Milwaukee County Zoo on September 13.
Engine No. 2025 — a 15” Tier 4 diesel hydraulic locomotive — arrived at the Zoo on August 8. The inaugural ride for the train will take place at 10:00 a.m. during the Trains & Tracks event.
It’s been over three decades since the Milwaukee County Zoo welcomed a new train engine. In 2024, the Zoo’s two steam engine trains were transferred to the Riverside & Great Northern Preservation Society in the Wisconsin Dells. Zoo officials said the sale of the steam engines “supports the Zoo’s mission of conservation and sustainability and aligns with Milwaukee County’s vision of becoming the healthiest county in Wisconsin”.
Engine No. 2025 is designed to reduce criteria pollutant emissions by 70 percent and meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s cleanest diesel emission standards. It also marks the first locomotive for the Zoo built outside of Wisconsin, and is modeled after an F40-PHL style with capacity for two people to ride inside, which is crucial for engineer training and operation. The cab features dash-mounted air conditioning, a camera system, digital engine readouts and controls for the air bell, horn and sanders.
The train was built by Swanee River Railroad Company in Lufkin, Texas and measures 20-feet long and 45” wide.
