For many years Purdue operated the Schenectady No. 1 and No. 2, on a dynamometer in an engineering laboratory on the West Lafayette campus.  These were 4-4-0 type steam locomotives manufactured by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia. At the time, Purdue did not have a mascot. After much debate, it was decided to build a locomotive on an automobile chassis.   The choice allowed the mascot to build on Purdue’s engineering and railroading heritage, as well as represent the school’s nickname Boilermakers in a meaningful way. The Boilermaker nickname came about during the early years of Purdue football when rumors of the university enrolling burly boilermakers from the Monon Railroad shops in Lafayette as football players.  The current mascot, Boilermaker Special V, was introduced in 1993.  Submitted by Chris Dees.