Maine Central 470 is a

4-6-2 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles and two trailing wheels on one axle. The locomotiv ...

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

" type

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomot ...

built by the

American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company (often shortened to ALCO, ALCo or Alco) was an American manufacturer of locomotives, diesel generators, steel, and tanks that operated from 1901 to 1969. The company was formed by the merger of seven smaller locomo ...

(ALCO) in May 1924 for the

Maine Central Railroad The Maine Central Railroad Company was a U. S. Class I railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. By 1884, Maine Central was the longest railroad in New England. Maine Central had expanded to w ...

(MEC). Currently owned by the New England Steam Corporation, it is being restored to operating condition at Washington Junction in

Hancock, Maine Hancock is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,466 at the 2020 census. Located on the mainland at the head of Frenchman Bay, Hancock has commanding views of Mount Desert Island. History It was first settled in ...

History

Revenue service and retirement

In the early 1920s, passenger traffic was rising on the

(MEC), particularly for stops between Boston, Massachusetts, and Bangor, Maine, and so the railroad was buying larger and more powerful engines to boost capacity and speed. Among them was the American Locomotive Company's popular 4-6-2s, which ALCO vigorously promoted to the railroads, especially in the passenger-dense East Coast. In May 1924, ALCO's plant in

Schenectady, New York Schenectady () is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-largest city by population. The city is in eastern New Y ...

, produced the locomotive designated as builder's number 65555. MEC bought the locomotive for $62,296.90 (the equivalent of ±$839,000 in present-day U.S. dollars) and numbered it 470. Delivery was expected during the summer of 1924. During its 30 years of service, No. 470 pulled named passenger trains including ''

The Gull The ''Gull'' was an international passenger train service between Boston, United States and Halifax, Canada which operated from 1930 to 1960. Journey time was approximately 24 hours. Westbound trains left Halifax shortly after breakfast and cros ...

'', the '' Bar Harbor Express'', and the ''Kennebec Limited''. The engine was the last steam locomotive to be operated by Maine Central Railroad. Its final run on Sunday, June 13, 1954, was nationally publicized and attracted widespread spectators along the route. Passenger service had been in steady decline, and Maine Central discontinued all passenger service in Maine six years later. After its final run, Engine No. 470 was transferred to the Railroad's Maintenance Shops in Waterville where it was drained, winterized and towed to a display plinth near the public railroad station on June 17, 1954. On October 28, 1962, in celebrating Maine Central Railroad's centennial anniversary, the locomotive was presented as a gift to the City of Waterville.

Sale and restoration

In 2012, after being exposed to the elements and subsequent hazard to the public, the City of Waterville requested bids for the sale or restoration of the No. 470 locomotive. Of the six bids that were received, only one bidder planned to keep the locomotive in Maine. On December 3, 2013, the City Council of Waterville voted to sell the No. 470 locomotive to the Maine-based non-profit New England Steam Corporation (NESCo), which entered a delayed purchase and sale agreement with the city, vowing not to disturb the locomotive until it had raised the purchase price and the anticipated moving costs. On November 5, 2015, the NESCo purchased No. 470 for $25,000 and prepared to move it to the Downeast Scenic Railroad in

Ellsworth, Maine Ellsworth is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Maine, United States. The 2020 Census determined it had a population of 8,399. Named after United States Founding Father Oliver Ellsworth, it contains historic buildings and ...

. Between July and August 2016, NESCo moved No. 470 to Washington Junction in

. In cooperation with the Downeast Scenic Railroad, they plan a complete restoration, returning the No. 470 locomotive to operating service. That effort is now underway; a new tender cistern and coal bunker were placed on the tender frame on November 13, 2022. Volunteers hope to have the locomotive finished for its 100th anniversary in 2024.

References

External links

Downeast Scenic Railroad

New England Steam Corporation
{{Maine Central Buildings and structures in Waterville, Maine Maine Central Railroad locomotives Standard gauge locomotives of the United States 4-6-2 locomotives Individual locomotives of the United States ALCO locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1924 Transportation buildings and structures in Kennebec County, Maine Preserved steam locomotives of Maine

History

Revenue service and retirement

Sale and restoration

See also

References

External links