Old Two Spot Logging Train – Flagstaff, Arizona - Atlas Obscura

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Old Two Spot Logging Train

Crafted in 1911, this steam locomotive spent its entire working life in Flagstaff.  

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This old Baldwin locomotive once served the local lumber industry, hauling huge tree trunks from the forest to the mills.

Constructed in Pennsylvania in 1911, the train came to Arizona in 1917 when it was purchased by the Arizona Lumber and Timber Company. It passed through various owners until it reached The Stone Forest Company, which folded in 1993.

A group of residents, led by Malcomb Mackay, maintained fond memories of the locomotive and raised funds to purchase and restore the relic. It now stands restored next to the Flagstaff AMTRAK station. The locomotive is also attached to a log flatcar. In 1995, the City of Flagstaff purchased Old Two Spot and dedicated it as a monument in 1999.

The name of the train has an unusual origin. The train crew once hung water bags from the cab windows, which wore down the numbers on the side of the train. According to stories, the number 25 on the train became a two, with a worn spot where the five was embossed, hence the name Old Two Spot.  

Know Before You Go

Driving through Flagstaff on the old Route 66 you cannot miss this magnificent machine.

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March 23, 2021

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