Steamtown, U.S.A., was a
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 ...
museum that ran
steam excursions out of
North Walpole, New Hampshire
North Walpole is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Walpole in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. It had a population of 785 at the 2020 census, making it the largest village in the town of Walpole.
It is located along Ne ...
, and
Bellows Falls, Vermont
Bellows Falls is an incorporated village located in the town of Rockingham in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,747 at the 2020 census. Bellows Falls is home to the Green Mountain Railroad, a heritage railroad; the ...
, from the 1960s to 1983. The museum was founded by millionaire seafood industrialist
F. Nelson Blount
Francis Nelson Blount (May 21, 1918 – August 31, 1967) was president and founder of Blount Seafood Corporation and the founder of Steamtown, USA, the Monadnock, Steamtown & Northern Railroad, and the Green Mountain Railroad. A millionaire and ...
. The non-profit Steamtown Foundation took over operations following his death in 1967. Because of
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
's air quality regulations restricting steam excursions, declining visitor attendance, and disputes over the use of track, some pieces of the collection were relocated to
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Lackawanna County. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U ...
in the mid-1980s and the rest were auctioned off. After the move, Steamtown continued to operate in Scranton but failed to attract the expected 200,000–400,000 visitors. Within two years the tourist attraction was facing bankruptcy, and more pieces of the collection were sold to pay off debt.
In 1986, the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
, under the urging of
Pennsylvania Representative Joseph M. McDade, voted to approve $8 million to study the collection and to begin the process of making it a
National Historic Site. As a result, the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
(NPS) conducted historical research on the equipment that remained in the Foundation's possession. This research was used as a ''Scope of Collections Statement'' for the
Steamtown National Historic Site
Steamtown National Historic Site (NHS) is a railroad museum and heritage railroad located on in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the site of the former Scranton yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W). The museum is buil ...
. The scope was published in 1991 under the title ''Steamtown Special History Study''. The report provided concise histories of each piece of equipment and made recommendations as to whether or not each piece belonged in the soon-to-be government-funded collection.
By 1995, Steamtown had been acquired and developed by the NPS with a $66 million allocation. Several more pieces have been removed from the collection as a result of the government acquisition. Part of the Blount collection is still on display at the Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton.
History
Formation of the collection
F. Nelson Blount
Francis Nelson Blount (May 21, 1918 – August 31, 1967) was president and founder of Blount Seafood Corporation and the founder of Steamtown, USA, the Monadnock, Steamtown & Northern Railroad, and the Green Mountain Railroad. A millionaire and ...
, the heir to the largest seafood processor in the United States, was an avid railroad enthusiast. When he was just seventeen years old he wrote a book on steam power. Acquiring the narrow-gauge
Edaville Railroad
Edaville Railroad (also branded Edaville USA and Edaville Family Theme Park) is a heritage railroad and amusement park in South Carver, Massachusetts, opened in 1947, and temporally closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The park was only ...
in
Carver, Massachusetts
Carver is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,645 at the 2020 census. It is named for John Carver, the first governor of the Plymouth Colony. The town features two popular tourist attractions: Edavil ...
in 1955, he began amassing one of the largest collections of antique steam locomotives in the United States. In addition to the Edaville Railroad, Blount also ran excursions at
Pleasure Island in
Wakefield, Massachusetts
Wakefield is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, incorporated in 1812 and located about north-northwest of Downtown Boston. Wakefield's population was 27,090 at the 2020 census. Wakefield offers ...
and
Freedomland U.S.A.
Freedomland U.S.A. (usually called Freedomland) was a theme park dedicated to American history in the Baychester section of the northeastern Bronx in New York City. Operating from 1960 to 1964, Freedomland was built on marshland owned by the W ...
in New York City. By 1964, another part of his collection housed at an engine facility purchased from the
Boston & Maine
The Boston and Maine Railroad was a U.S. Class I railroad in northern New England. Originally chartered in 1835, it became part of what was the Pan Am Railways network in 1983 (most of which was purchased by CSX in 2022).
At the end of 1970, B ...
at
North Walpole, New Hampshire
North Walpole is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Walpole in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. It had a population of 785 at the 2020 census, making it the largest village in the town of Walpole.
It is located along Ne ...
consisted of 25 steam locomotives from the United States and Canada, 10 other locomotives, and 25 pieces of rolling stock.
On April 26, 1961, Blount and his associates founded the Monadnock, Steamtown & Northern Railroad Amusement Corporation to be the separate tourist railroad operator for his planned museum, Steamtown U.S.A. Blount hoped to open Steamtown at his facility in North Walpole and run excursions with the MS&N over the Boston & Maine's Cheshire Branch to Keene. When B&M labor issues intervened, Blount negotiated with shortline railroad owner Sam Pinsly to operate on 18 miles of the Claremont & Concord Railway between
Bradford, New Hampshire
Bradford is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,662 at the 2020 census. The main village of the town, where 372 people resided at the 2020 census, is defined as the Bradford census-designated place (CDP) ...
and
Sunapee, New Hampshire
Sunapee is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,342 at the 2020 census. The town is home to part of Lake Sunapee and includes the village of Georges Mills.
History
Like many other towns, this one went ...
. Starting on July 22, 1961, the MS&N operation at Lake Sunapee utilized a former
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States.
CN i ...
4-6-4T steam locomotive, #47, and several former
Boston & Maine
The Boston and Maine Railroad was a U.S. Class I railroad in northern New England. Originally chartered in 1835, it became part of what was the Pan Am Railways network in 1983 (most of which was purchased by CSX in 2022).
At the end of 1970, B ...
wooden coaches. The steam operation came to an early end on August 25 when the locomotive was removed from service on account of missing maintenance paperwork, which had been disposed of by the Canadian National when they retired #47 in 1958. Copies were ultimately found in Canada, but revealed that the locomotive was due for re-tubing (the paperwork is commonly misinterpreted as having been lost in a fire). A diesel replacement was used for an additional seven days until September 17, but was not popular. Despite common belief, the 1961 season was not the first operation of Steamtown U.S.A., but rather the separate excursion operator, Monadnock, Steamtown & Northern.
In 1962 the MS&N ran excursions between
Keene and
Gilboa on the Boston & Maine's Cheshire Branch. Blount came close to entering into an agreement with the state of New Hampshire in which he would donate 20 locomotives in return for a state-funded Steamtown USA, to be located in Keene. This plan was well-received locally in Keene, where support was fostered by Mayor Robert L. Mallat, Jr. The plan was initially approved by New Hampshire governor
Wesley Powell
Wesley Powell (October 13, 1915January 6, 1981) was an American lawyer and Republican politician from Hampton Falls, New Hampshire.
Powell was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He attended schools in Portsmouth before graduating from the Unive ...
. It was determined that ownership of the Cheshire Branch by either Blount or the state of New Hampshire was essential, yet the B&M delayed a sale agreement while statewide pressure mounted. The Keene plans were later rejected in early 1963 by the new governor,
John W. King.
An advisory committee had said of the proposed plan, that it "does not take advantage of anything that is singularly and peculiarly New Hampshire."
In 1963, incorporation papers were filed for the "Steamtown Foundation for the Preservation of Steam and Railroad Americana". The non-profit charitable, educational organization was to have nine non-salaried directors, including the five incorporators of which Blount was one. The other incorporators were former New Hampshire governor,
Lane Dwinell
Seymour Lane Dwinell (November 14, 1906 – March 27, 1997) was an American manufacturer and Republican politician from Lebanon, New Hampshire. Born in 1906 in Newport, Vermont, he served in and led both houses of the New Hampshire legislature be ...
; Emile Bussiere; Robert L. Mallat, Jr., mayor of Keene; and Bellows Falls Municipal Judge,
Thomas P. Salmon
Thomas Paul Salmon (born August 19, 1932) is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 75th governor of Vermont from 1973 to 1977.
Biography
Salmon was born in Cleveland, Ohio, raised in Stow, Massachusetts, and attended Hudson ...
, who later became governor of Vermont. The president of the
Campbell Soup Company
Campbell Soup Company, trade name, doing business as Campbell's, is an American processed food and snack company. The company is most closely associated with its flagship canned soup products; however, through mergers and acquisitions, it has gro ...
,
William B. Murphy, who had also served as National Chairman of
Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a United States government funded organization that broadcasts and reports news, information, and analysis to countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Caucasus, and the Middle East where it says tha ...
, and Fredrick Richardson, then vice president of Blount Seafood, were among the other directors. Steamtown U.S.A. opened for the first time as a museum, and the MS&N ran excursions again over the Cheshire Branch — this time from North Walpole to Westmoreland. Meanwhile, Blount entered into talks with the state of Vermont to operate on the former
Rutland Railroad
The Rutland Railroad was a railroad in the northeastern United States, located primarily in the state of Vermont but extending into the state of New York at both its northernmost and southernmost ends. After its closure in 1961, parts of the ...
, which had just been approved for total abandonment. The first order of business for the Steamtown Foundation was to acquire the Blount collection at North Walpole, and relocate it to a new property, "Riverside", once owned by the Rutland Railroad across the
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island ...
near Bellows Falls, Vermont.
The next year in 1964 Blount founded the
Green Mountain Railroad
The Green Mountain Railroad is a class III railroad operating in Vermont. GMRC operates on tracks that had been owned by the Rutland Railroad and Boston and Maine Railroad. The railroad operates on a rail line between North Walpole, New Hampsh ...
to assume freight duties on the former Rutland line between Bellows Falls and
Rutland
Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire.
Its greatest len ...
. The MS&N began operating excursions over that trackage in 1964, and Green Mountain freight service began on April 3, 1965. Meanwhile, pieces of the Steamtown collection began to make their way from North Walpole to Riverside.
Steamtown in Vermont
F. Nelson Blount was killed when his private airplane collided with a tree during an emergency landing, in Marlboro, New Hampshire, on August 31, 1967.
By that time a good deal of Blount's collection was controlled by the Steamtown Foundation and had been relocated to Riverside. The Green Mountain Railroad controlled the tracks that lay between Walpole, Bellows Falls and
Chester, Vermont
Chester is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,005 at the 2020 census.
History
The town was originally chartered by New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth as Flamstead in 1754. The terms of the charter were n ...
, which Steamtown was to use for its excursions.
When Blount died most of the controlling stock of the GMRC was transferred to the president of the railroad, Robert W. Adams.
The Green Mountain temporarily assumed passenger excursion operations from the MS&N. Now redundant, the Monadnock, Steamtown & Amusement Corporation ceased operations in December 1967 and was later dissolved in August 1971.
![Bartonsville Covered Bridge](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Bartonsville_Covered_Bridge.jpg)
Throughout its tenure in Vermont, Steamtown provided several types of excursions, primarily in the summer and during the peak foliage season of the autumn. Occasionally, these trips would be lengthy, like one that ran from
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
to
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
, or those that ran between Bellows Falls and
Rutland, Vermont Rutland, Vermont may refer to:
*Rutland (city), Vermont
* Rutland (town), Vermont
*Rutland County, Vermont
*West Rutland, Vermont
West Rutland is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,214 at the 2020 census. The t ...
. On a daily basis the excursions ran from Riverside station in Bellows Falls to Chester depot. The cost of the trip, which in 1977 was $5.75 for an adult and $2.95 for a child, was combined with entrance into the museum, which was the grounds of Riverside station.
The station was located about outside of town and was situated on the bank of the
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island ...
. One newspaper travel writer, Bill Rice, described the trip from Riverside to Chester: "The trip to Chester affords a beautiful view of unspoiled Vermont countryside-covered bridges, vintage farms with grazing livestock and cornfield and a winding river with a deep gorge and picturesque waterfall."
The river that Rice referred to was the
Williams River, which crossed the route of the train seven times. The waterfall was at Brockway Mills Gorge and was seen from a bridge above the gorge. Rice also said that at the time he was writing, 1977, Steamtown had the largest collection of steam locomotives in the world.
In 1971, the Board of Health of Vermont issued a waiver to the GMRC for Vermont's air pollution regulations. The waiver permitted the operation of steam locomotive excursions between Steamtown's Riverside station at Bellows Falls, and Chester depot.
In 1974, as the state of Vermont prepared for its celebration of the country's bicentenary, in which the Steamtown excursion featured prominently, the subject of the air pollution regulations came up again. The tourist attraction was operating on temporary permits that allowed it to operate excursions in Vermont.
By 1976, the relationship between Steamtown and GMRC deteriorated as the two organizations fought over maintenance of the tracks, which were owned by the state of Vermont.
![Worrall Covered Bridge East](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Worrall_Covered_Bridge_East.jpg)
By 1978, the Steamtown Foundation had begun scouting for a new location for Steamtown, U.S.A.
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
and perhaps other locations in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
were under consideration.
In 1980, Ray Holland, the Chairman of the Board of Steamtown Foundation, resigned after accusing the board of incompetence. His resignation was followed by that of Robert Barbera, a long-time director of the board.
In the year that followed, Steamtown did not run excursions. Don Ball, Jr., had taken over direction of Steamtown by this time and discovered that the excursion train did not meet federal safety guidelines. In 1981, despite its vast holdings of vintage railroad stock, Steamtown, U.S.A. had only 17,000 visitors, while Connecticut's
Essex Valley Railroad, which ran two small engines, had 139,000 visitors.
Even in its best year, 1973, the Vermont location had attracted only 65,000 visitors.
Self-syndicated newspaper columnist Michael McManus once said that his goal in writing his weekly column was "to suggest answers to problems of the old industrial states."
In March 1982 a substantial article by McManus appeared in the ''
Bangor Daily News
The ''Bangor Daily News'' is an American newspaper covering a large portion of central and eastern Maine, published six days per week in Bangor, Maine.
The ''Bangor Daily News'' was founded on June 18, 1889; it merged with the ''Bangor Whig and ...
''. In the article, McManus proposed several reasons why a city, like
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
,
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, or
Scranton
Scranton is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Lackawanna County. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U ...
might find the addition of a tourist attraction like Steamtown beneficial. McManus went on to explain why the business was failing in Vermont. Among the reasons the article gave for poor attendance at the Vermont site were: past failed management, an isolated location and the lack of signs, owing to opposition by the state, on
Interstate 91
Interstate 91 (I-91) is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of the region. The Interstate generally follows the course of the Connecti ...
.
In addition to these problems, the roof of the largest storage shed on the site collapsed under heavy snow the previous winter, damaging several pieces of equipment.
Among the injured were the Canadian Pacific Railway No. 1293
and the
Meadow River Lumber Company No. 1 Shay (shown in the infobox).
![Steamtown CP 1246 BrkwyMllsVT 10-24-81](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Steamtown_CP_1246_BrkwyMllsVT_10-24-81.JPG)
When asked by McManus to describe the value of the Steamtown collection, Jim Boyd, editor of ''
Railfan
A railfan, rail buff or train buff (American English), railway enthusiast, railway buff or trainspotter (Australian/British English), or ferroequinologist is a person who is recreationally interested in trains and rail transport systems.
Rail ...
'' magazine said, "Everything there is no longer obtainable anywhere, whether it is the "Big Boy" Union Pacific No. 4012 or the Rahway Valley No. 15, a nice-sized locomotive any museum would give a right arm for. Most of the other large collections do not have any serviceable equipment."
McManus closed his argument for the relocation of Steamtown by pointing out, "What is at stake is more than tourism and jobs. It is a significant part of America's past before the welder's torch is turned on the likes of the 1877 'Prince of Liege', the rare Union Pacific diamond stack, etc. The steel alone is worth $3 million."
In June 1983, McManus wrote about Steamtown again, this time announcing that Scranton had taken his suggestion. He said that other cities in contention for the relocation were
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...
, and
Willimantic, Connecticut
Willimantic is a city located in the town of Windham, Connecticut, Windham in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. It is a former Census-designated place and Borough (Connecticut), borough, and is currently organized as one of two Local gov ...
. "But on May 24, Scranton signed a contract to get it, pledging to raise $2 million to cover the cost of moving 40 ancient steam engines and 60 cars, few of which are operable, and to create a museum."
Steamtown sponsored its last Vermont excursion on October 23, 1983, using Canadian Pacific 1246 to pull a "dozen or so cars" on a round trip from Riverside station to
Ludlow, Vermont.
Steamtown in Scranton and nationalization
When Scranton agreed to take on Steamtown, U.S.A., it was estimated that the museum and excursion business would attract 200,000 to 400,000 visitors to the city every year.
In anticipation of this economic boon, the city and a private developer spent $13 million to renovate the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (also known as the DL&W or Lackawanna Railroad) was a U.S. Class 1 railroad that connected Buffalo, New York, and Hoboken, New Jersey (and by ferry with New York City), a distance of . Incorporated in ...
(DL&W) station and transform it into a
Hilton
Hilton or Hylton may refer to:
Companies
* Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc., a global hospitality company based in the United States that owns several hotel chains and subsidiary companies containing the Hilton name
** Hilton Hotels & Resorts, fla ...
hotel, at a time when the unemployment rate in the city was 13 percent.
Only 60,000 visitors showed up at Steamtown in 1987, and the 1988 excursions were canceled. After only three years, it was $2.2 million in debt
and facing bankruptcy.
Part of the problem was the cost of restoration of the new property and the deteriorating equipment. In addition, while the tourists in Vermont had enjoyed the sights of cornfields, farms, covered bridges, a waterfall and a gorge on a Steamtown excursion,
the Scranton trip to
Moscow, Pennsylvania
Moscow is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,039 at the 2020 census. It is located southeast of Scranton and southwest of Honesdale.
Name
Moscow was settled in the 1830s and is said to be named fo ...
, cut through one of the nation's largest junkyards, an eyesore described by
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader (; born February 27, 1934) is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes.
The son of Lebanese immigrants to the Un ...
as "the eighth wonder of the world".
In 1986, the
U.S. House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
, under the urging of Scranton native Representative
Joseph M. McDade
Joseph Michael McDade (September 29, 1931 – September 24, 2017) was an American politician who was a member of the United States House of Representatives, having represented Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district.
Early life and care ...
,
voted to approve the spending of $8 million to study the collection and to begin the process of making it a
National Historic Site.
By 1995, Steamtown was acquired and developed by the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
(NPS) at a total cost of $66 million,
and opened as
Steamtown National Historic Site
Steamtown National Historic Site (NHS) is a railroad museum and heritage railroad located on in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the site of the former Scranton yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W). The museum is buil ...
the same year. In preparation for its acquisition of the collection, the NPS had conducted historical research during 1987 and 1988 on the equipment that still remained in the foundation's possession. This research was used for a ''Scope of Collections Statement'' for Steamtown National Historic Site and was published in 1991 under the title ''Steamtown Special History Study''. Aside from providing concise histories of the equipment, the report also made recommendations as to whether or not each piece belonged in the now government-funded collection.
[Chapell, Gordon. ''Steam Over Scranton: The Locomotives of Steamtown.'' ]
Special History Study, American Steam Locomotives: Introduction
''National Park Service. 1991. Accessed July 14, 2010 Historical significance to the United States was a criterion of the recommendations.
Many of the pieces of equipment that did not meet the report's recommendations were sold or traded
for pieces that had historical significance to the DL&W grounds on which the site is located.
The collection
Before its move to Scranton, Steamtown, U.S.A. sold several pieces of the collection. After the facility was nationalized, several other pieces were sold or traded for pieces that were significant to the Scranton area.
Some examples of the original collection are profiled below. In some cases, the pieces of equipment discussed here are still in the collection in Scranton, but several others are not. When possible the most recent information on the location of the equipment is provided.
In operation at Bellows Falls
Rahway Valley No. 15 was built by
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) was an American manufacturer of railroad locomotives from 1825 to 1951. Originally located in Philadelphia, it moved to nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania, in the early 20th century. The company was for decades t ...
, June 1916. It is a 2-8-0
Consolidation type locomotive. It was built for the
Oneida & Western Railroad and wore the number 20 for that company. The railroad's initial purpose was to develop
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
's coal and lumber industry, but it became a short line that connected the Cincinnati, New Orleans and the Texas Pacific Railways between
Oneida
Oneida may refer to:
Native American/First Nations
* Oneida people, a Native American/First Nations people and one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy
* Oneida language
* Oneida Indian Nation, based in New York
* Oneida Na ...
and
Jamestown, Tennessee
Jamestown is a city in, and the county seat of, Fentress County, Tennessee, United States. The population of the city was 1,959 at the 2010 census.
History
Jamestown was established in 1823 as a county seat for Fentress County. It was incorporat ...
.
In the mid-1930s the engine was purchased by
Rahway Valley Railroad
The Rahway Valley Railroad (RVRR) was a short-line railroad in the Northeastern United States which connected the Lehigh Valley Railroad in Roselle Park and the Central Railroad of New Jersey in Cranford, New Jersey, Cranford with the Delaware, La ...
in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. Renumbered 15, the locomotive served primarily while the company's other locomotives were being serviced. The locomotive was the favorite of master mechanic Charles Nees. "Perhaps not the most efficient engine, Rahway Valley No. 15 qualified as the line's most attractive."
When it was retired in 1953, having been replaced with diesel power, No. 15 was put into well-protected storage until it was purchased by F. Nelson Blount in 1959.
Blount used No. 15 first for a static display at Pleasure Island, and then for excursions in New Hampshire and Vermont from 1962 to 1967. It was used again at Steamtown, in 1973, when it blew a
flue
A flue is a duct, pipe, or opening in a chimney for conveying exhaust gases from a fireplace, furnace, water heater, boiler, or generator to the outdoors. Historically the term flue meant the chimney itself. In the United States, they are al ...
while heading a triple header excursion from Riverside. The incident left veteran engineer Andy Barbera scalded and No. 15 in need of repair. Since the services of the locomotive were not needed at the time, the repairs were not done and remained undone by the time the ''Steamtown Special History'' was written. While in Blount's possession, the locomotive appeared in the movie ''
The Cardinal
''The Cardinal'' is a 1963 American drama film produced independently, directed by Otto Preminger and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The screenplay was written by Robert Dozier, based on the novel of the same name (1950) by Henry Morton Robi ...
'' (1963). ''The Steamtown Special History Study'' recommended that the engine be cosmetically and operationally restored, as it had served in the northeastern quarter of the United States and had been serviced, at least once, at the Lackawanna's Scranton shop.
As of March 2012, the locomotive is still displayed at Steamtown National Historic Site.
Canadian Pacific Railway No. 1293 was built in 1948 by
Canadian Locomotive Company
The Canadian Locomotive Company, commonly referred to as CLC, was a Canadian manufacturer of railway locomotives located in Kingston, Ontario. Its works were located on the south side of Ontario Street between William and Gore streets on Kingston' ...
. It was retired after only eight years of service when diesel power made it obsolete.
This was one of three type 4-6-2,
class
Class or The Class may refer to:
Common uses not otherwise categorized
* Class (biology), a taxonomic rank
* Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects
* Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...
G5d light-weight "Pacific" model locomotives that were operational at the time that Steamtown was in Bellows Falls. The ''Steamtown Special History Study'' gave no details of the operational career of 1293, but said that Blount purchased it under the name of Green Mountain Railroad, in January 1964. The Steamtown Foundation purchased the locomotive from Green Mountain Railroad in 1973 and rebuilt it in 1976. Making its debut as an excursion train in June of that year and sporting a green and black color scheme, 1293 served the state of Vermont as its "
Bicentennial __NOTOC__
A bicentennial or bicentenary is the two-hundredth anniversary of a part, or the celebrations thereof. It may refer to:
Europe
*French Revolution bicentennial, commemorating the 200th anniversary of 14 July 1789 uprising, celebrated ...
Train", logging .
Leased by the state of Vermont for excursions that were scheduled for the entire year, the engine was dubbed "The Spirit of
Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen ( – February 12, 1789) was an American farmer, businessman, land speculator, philosopher, writer, lay theologian, American Revolutionary War patriot, and politician. He is best known as one of the founders of Vermont and for ...
".
In 1979, the locomotive was renumbered "1881", painted black with silver stripes, and leased to a
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
company for use in the filming of the horror movie ''
Terror Train
''Terror Train'' is a 1980 slasher film directed by Roger Spottiswoode in his directorial debut and starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Ben Johnson, and Hart Bochner. Set aboard a moving train on New Year's Eve, the film follows a group of pre-medical sc ...
'' (1979), starring
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress, producer, children's author, and activist. She came to prominence with her portrayal of Lt. Barbara Duran on the ABC sitcom '' Operation Petticoat'' (1977–78). In 1978, she m ...
. In 1980, the locomotive was repainted with a color scheme used by Canadian Pacific in the 1930s. The black, gold, and
Tuscan red
Tuscan red is a shade of red that was used on some railroad cars, particularly passenger cars.
The color is most closely associated with the Pennsylvania Railroad, which used it on passenger cars and on its TrucTrain flatcars. It also was used ...
paint job was popular with railroad enthusiasts and photographers. The number 1293 was also restored to the engine. In February 1982, the headlights, handrails, and cab roof of 1293 were damaged when the roof of a Steamtown storage building gave way to heavy snow.
Although the ''Steamtown Special History Study'' reasoned that, since this type of locomotive had historically operated in
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
, perhaps as far south as Boston, it qualified to be part of the federal government's collection,
the Canadian native sat unused for 12 years following the move to Scranton.
Ohio Central Railroad System
The Ohio Central Railroad System is a network of ten short line railroads operating in Ohio and western Pennsylvania. It is owned by Genesee & Wyoming
Headquartered in Coshocton, Ohio, the system operates of track divided among 10 subsidiary r ...
purchased it in 1996, and it underwent a 13-month restoration. As of July 2010, Ohio Central Railroad has lost control of most of its holdings, but former owner, Jerry Joe Jacobson, maintained a collection of vintage equipment including CPR 1293 and her sister, CRP 1278, which is also a veteran of Steamtown, U.S.A. operational locomotives. No. 1293 is still operational as of October 2011.
Canadian Pacific Railway No. 1278, like her sister, CPR 1293, was also built by Canadian Locomotive Company in 1948, and is a type 4-6-2, class G5d light-weight "Pacific" locomotive. It was purchased by Blount in May 1965, and renumbered 127. Blount had planned to renumber all three of the series 1200 CRP locomotives in his collection from 1246, 1278, and 1293 to 124, 127 and 129 respectively, but 1278 was the only one of the three that underwent the change. The new number remained on the locomotive from 1966 until 1973, when its former number was restored. The locomotive was leased to the
Cadillac and Lake City Railroad
The Cadillac & Lake City Railway was a railroad which operated in the Midwestern United States. The operation was owned by Western States Properties, Inc. and several investors who operated lines in three states; Colorado, Kansas, and Michigan d ...
in
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
from 1970 to 1971. After some repair work, the locomotive was returned to Bellows Falls where it served on excursion runs. After moving to Scranton, CPR 1278 was traded to the
Gettysburg Steam Railroad in Pennsylvania.
Shortly after 7 p.m. Friday, June 16, 1995, an explosion in the
firebox
Firebox may refer to:
*Firebox (steam engine), the area where the fuel is burned in a steam engine
*Firebox (architecture), the part of a fireplace where fuel is combusted
*Firebox Records, a Finnish 8101705801record label
* Firebox.com, an electro ...
of CPR 1278 burned three members of its crew. One man, James Cornell, the son of the owner of the engine, was critically injured.
The train that the locomotive was pulling had 310 passengers on board.
None of the passengers, who were taking the "Summer Eve Dinner Excursion" to
Mount Holly Springs, were hurt.
An investigation done by the
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incid ...
determined that the accident was caused by poor maintenance and operator training. The board also pointed out that the Canadian design of the firebox may have prevented further injuries and perhaps deaths.
Jerry Jacobson, the owner of the Ohio Central Railroad (OCR), bought the engine at an auction in 1998. After Jacobson sold the OCR, in 2008, he maintained ownership of the locomotive. As of 2009, it is stored at Jacobson's facility, the
Age of Steam Roundhouse
The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum, Sugarcreek, Ohio, United States, is a museum roundhouse housing steam and diesel locomotives, passenger cars and other railroad equipment.
History
The roundhouse was built by Jerry Joe Jacobson, former CEO of ...
, in
Sugarcreek, Ohio
Sugarcreek is a village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. It includes the community formerly known as Shanesville. The population was 2,220 at the 2010 census. It is known as "The Little Switzerland of Ohio." In the center of town stands one of the ...
.
Canadian Pacific Railway No. 1246 was the third of the 1200 series Canadian Pacific locomotives in the collection. In the fall of 1983, Steamtown said "farewell to Vermont" by offering two excursions "through a landscape of covered bridges, rushing streams and scenic countryside".
The train, which had the capacity of 800–1000 passengers, was to be pulled by CPR 1246. Built in 1946, CPR 1246 is a 4-6-2 type locomotive.
After operating in Steamtown in Scranton between 1984 and 1986, it was determined that 1246 was inadequate for service as it was "too light for the heavy grades and sharp curves of the Steamtown line".
The National Park Service sold it to the
Connecticut Valley Railroad Museum, in 1988. This locomotive was on static display from 1996 to 2008, at the Valley Railroad in
Essex, Connecticut
Essex is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,733 at the 2020 census. It is made up of three villages: Essex Village, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton.
History
The Great Attack
Essex is one of the few Am ...
. In 2008, it was moved to the
Naugatuck Railroad
Founded in 1996, the Naugatuck Railroad is a common carrier railroad owned by the Railroad Museum of New England and operated by Naugatuck Railroad on tracks leased by Naugatuck Railroad from the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The orig ...
which is operated by the
Railroad Museum of New England,
Thomaston, Connecticut
Thomaston is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,442 at the 2020 census. The urban center of the town is the Thomaston census-designated place, with a population of 1,928 at the 2020 census.
History
The t ...
.
Other pieces of the Blount collection
Union Pacific 4012
![Jss6](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Jss6.jpg)
"Big Boy", a
4-8-8-4
A 4-8-8-4 in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, is a locomotive with a four-wheel leading truck, two sets of eight driving wheels, and a four-wheel trailing truck. Only one model of locomotives ha ...
type locomotive built by
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 ...
in November 1941, is among the world's largest steam locomotives and weighs . The Steamtown Special History Study recommended that it remain at Steamtown as it is the only
articulated
An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent pivot joint in its construction, allowing it to turn more sharply. There are many kinds, from heavy equipment to buses, trams and trains. Steam locomotives were someti ...
type in the collection. It also recommended that it remain on static display, as it was doubtful that the "track, switches,
culvert
A culvert is a structure that channels water past an obstacle or to a subterranean waterway. Typically embedded so as to be surrounded by soil, a culvert may be made from a pipe, reinforced concrete or other material. In the United Kingdom ...
s, trestles, bridges, wyes, turntables, and other facilities that would have to carry her
ould Ould is an English surname and an Arabic name ( ar, ولد). In some Arabic dialects, particularly Hassaniya Arabic, ولد (the patronymic, meaning "son of") is transliterated as Ould. Most Mauritanians have patronymic surnames.
Notable p ...
bear her great weight". In fact, since the Steamtown turntable and roundhouse were inadequate for its size,
Big Boy has remained out-of-doors since its arrival at Scranton, where it was still on display as of May 2015.
As of 2019, the locomotive is undergoing cosmetic restoration.
Meadow River Lumber Company No. 1
While at Steamtown, the
Shay locomotive
The Shay locomotive is a geared steam locomotive that originated and was primarily used in North America. The locomotives were built to the patents of Ephraim Shay, who has been credited with the popularization of the concept of a ''geared st ...
endured extensive damage when the building it was stored in collapsed under heavy snow in February 1982. The Shay's wooden cab was destroyed, but "its sand dome, its headlight, its front number plate, its bell and bell hanger, whistle, and other components" were missing before this incident. It was determined that it would remain at the National Historic Site as it was the only Shay and the only geared locomotive in the collection.
Bevier & Southern Railroad No. 109
Bevier & Southern Railroad No. 109 was built by Brooks in 1900. This 2-6-0 type locomotive served the
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad in the Central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois, with New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama. A line also co ...
under several numbers: 560, 3706 and 3719. As of July 2010 it is located at the
Illinois Railway Museum
The Illinois Railway Museum (IRM, reporting mark IRMX) is the largest railroad museum in the United States. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area at 7000 Olson Road in Union, Illinois, northwest of downtown Chicago.
Overview
Histo ...
in
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
and referred to as Illinois Central 3719.
[Illinois Railway Museum]
Accessed July 15, 2010
Illinois Central No. 790
![IllinoisCentral790](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/IllinoisCentral790.jpg)
This locomotive was built in 1903 by American Locomotive Company as a 2-8-0 Consolidation type. It was originally owned by Chicago Union Transfer Railway and numbered 100. It was sold to Illinois Central Railroad Company in 1904 and renumbered 641. The railroad, which dated back to 1851, operated of track between
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
and
. This locomotive pulled heavy freight in
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
and "must have seen hard service, for reportedly the Illinois Central rebuilt it in 1918, modernizing it with a
superheater
A superheater is a device used to convert saturated steam or wet steam into superheated steam or dry steam. Superheated steam is used in steam turbines for electricity generation, steam engines, and in processes such as steam reforming. There ar ...
, and possibly replacing the boiler and firebox".
In 1943 it was renumber 790 and remained in service until it was replaced by diesel-electric locomotives and put into storage, "the railroad nevertheless had to fire No. 790 up in the spring to assist Illinois Central trains through track inundated by flood waters near Cedar Rapids, because diesel-electric locomotives with their electric motors shorted out in any water, whereas even the bottom of the firebox in a steam locomotive was much higher above the rail, hence above flood waters."
It was sold to Louis S. Keller of
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids () is the second-largest city in Iowa, United States and is the county seat of Linn County, Iowa, Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River (Iowa River), Cedar River, north of Iowa City, Iowa, Iowa City and north ...
, in 1959 who had hoped to use it for excursions. It was used for "flood duty" in April 1965 at the Clinton Corn Processing Company "where it plowed through overflow from the Mississippi River."
Later that year it was sold to David de Camp who planned to use it in the area of
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,303.
The village of Lake Placid is near the center of the town of North Elba, southwest of Plattsburgh. ...
. The plans were not met and it was sold to F. Nelson Blount in January 1966.
The only surviving locomotive of the Chicago Union Transfer Railway, No. 790 is the only Illinois Central 2-8-0 Consolidation type of its class to survive. "About 146 standard gauge 2-8-0s survive in the United States, including Illinois Central No. 790".
The Steamtown National Historic Site retained this locomotive on the suggestion of the Steamtown Special History Study.
Brooks-Scanlon Corporation No. 1
![-1 Brook Scanlon at Bellowsfalls](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/-1_Brook_Scanlon_at_Bellowsfalls.jpg)
No. 1 was once part of the Steamtown, U.S.A. collection. This type of locomotive was originally developed for use on the flat terrain of the
prairie
Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...
, such as the
Great Plains
The Great Plains (french: Grandes Plaines), sometimes simply "the Plains", is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. It is located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, an ...
of
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
and surrounding states, and thus it was referred to as a Prairie-type locomotive. The Prairie locomotives were later used by lumber companies which operated on flat forest terrain. This locomotive was built specifically for the
lumber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
industry and served several lumber firms in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
.
The Carpenter-O'Brien Lumber Company was incorporated in
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
in 1913. The company, which operated in Florida, ordered this locomotive from Baldwin Locomotive Works, which completed it in 1914. Locomotive No. 1 was put into service at the company's Eastport sawmill in Florida. The locomotive, which could burn either coal or wood, was likely originally outfitted with a Rushton, or cabbage cinder catching stack. "If so, a later owner apparently replaced the Rushton stack with the 'shotgun' stack now on the locomotive."
After the United States entered World War I in 1917, the Carpenter-O'Brien Lumber Company was sold to
Brooks-Scanlon Corporation. By 1928, Brooks-Scanlon was operating in four Florida counties and producing of lumber. This locomotive was probably used to haul logs into the mill from the woods or to switch the yard around the Eastport plant, or both. In the following years the locomotive changed hands four of five times between several interconnected Florida lumber firms.
In 1959, locomotive No.1 was taken out of service by its then owner, Lee Tidewater Cypress, in
Perry, Florida
Perry is a city in Taylor County, Florida, Taylor County, Florida, United States. As of 2010, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 7,017.
It is the county seat. The city was named for Madison Perry, fourth Governors of Florida, Gov ...
. It was sold to
F. Nelson Blount
Francis Nelson Blount (May 21, 1918 – August 31, 1967) was president and founder of Blount Seafood Corporation and the founder of Steamtown, USA, the Monadnock, Steamtown & Northern Railroad, and the Green Mountain Railroad. A millionaire and ...
in 1962 by the Lee Tidewater Cypress parent company, J.C. Turner Company. It was moved to Walpole,
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
and then, across the
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island ...
, to Bellows Falls,
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
where it stayed until the Blount collection was relocated to Scranton,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
.
Simons Wrecking Company No. 2
![Simon Wrecking Company Locomotive2 0-6-0T](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Simon_Wrecking_Company_Locomotive2_0-6-0T.jpg)
Simons Wrecking Company No. 2 is an H.K. Porter, 0-6-0T steam engine built in 1941. The tank engine, which is oil fired, worked for the
US Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
during World War II in Virginia as #14. Later the engine was put into service with Simons Wrecking Co. as No. 2.
Once part of Blount's Steamtown collection, Locomotive #2 was sold before Steamtown moved to Scranton, and languished for many years in an auto salvage yard in
Newbury, Massachusetts
Newbury is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 6,716 at the 2020 census. Newbury includes the villages of Old Town (Newbury Center), Plum Island and Byfield. Each village is a precinct with its own voting district, ...
. In 2006, the engine was removed from the junkyard by
Peabody, Massachusetts
Peabody () is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 54,481 at the time of the 2020 United States Census. Peabody is located in the North Shore region of Massachusetts, and is known for its rich industrial histo ...
Public Works
Public works are a broad category of infrastructure projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community. They include public buildings ( municipal buildings, sc ...
Director Dick Carnevale, and restoration began in hopes for it to be displayed in a city park in Peabody.
[ The restoration of the engine was done by Carnevale personally, along with some volunteers. After he resigned in October 2008, the city gave him 60 days to remove the engine from city property. Local residents contacted the Friends of Valley Railroad in ]Essex, Connecticut
Essex is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,733 at the 2020 census. It is made up of three villages: Essex Village, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton.
History
The Great Attack
Essex is one of the few Am ...
, who purchased the engine from Carnevale and transported it to Connecticut where, as of July 2010, the locomotive is undergoing cosmetic restoration and will be displayed at Essex Steam Train and Riverboat.
Canadian National Railways No. 1551
No. 1551 is a 4-6-0
A 4-6-0 steam locomotive, under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement, has four leading wheels on two axles in a leading bogie and six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles with the abse ...
type locomotive, was built by Montreal Locomotive Works, March 1912, and originally was numbered 1354 for the Canadian Northern Railway
The Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) was a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its 1923 merger into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.
Mani ...
. Used primarily on Canadian commuter lines, the locomotive was renumbered 1551 in October 1956 and retired in 1958. Blount bought the engine in 1961 and restoration was begun, but never completed. In 1986, Jerry Joe Jacobson traded a 1929 Baldwin Locomotive Works built shop switcher, Iron and Steel Company No. 3, 0-6-0, for No. 1551. It was restored and ran excursions for the Ohio Central Railroad until Jacobson lost control of the railroad. Jacobson still owns the locomotive. It is stored at Jacobson's "Age of Steam Roundhouse" in Ohio and remains operational.
Canadian National Railways No. 96
Canadian National Railways No. 96, 2-6-0 Mogul
Mogul may refer to:
History
*Mughal Empire, or any member of its ruling dynasty
Persons
* Magnate
** Mogul, Secret Service codename for President Trump
** Business magnate, a prominent person in a particular industry
**Media mogul, a person who ...
type, is also owned by Jerry Joe Jacobson. It was built in 1910 by the Canadian Locomotive Company and originally numbered 1024 for the Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway (; french: Grand Tronc) was a railway system that operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario and in the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The rai ...
, then 926 when Canadian National obtained it in a merger in 1923, CN renumbered it 96 in 1951. It was sold to Blount in June 1959. While owned by Blount, the locomotive was used for its parts to keep sister Canadian National 89
Strasburg Rail Road (Canadian National) No. 89 is a 2-6-0 "Mogul" type steam locomotive originally built by the Canadian Locomotive Company in February 1910 for the Canadian National Railway. It is now owned and operated by the Strasburg Rail Road ...
(also part of Steamtown at the time) operational. It was sold in the 1980s and went to Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
. It was purchased by Jacobson in 1994 and as of 2009 is stored out of service.
Southern Railway No. 926; ''Repton''
No. 926 is a Schools class 4-4-0
4-4-0 is a locomotive type with a classification that uses the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement and represents the arrangement: four leading wheels on two axles (usually in a leading bogie), four po ...
type locomotive, one of 40 named after British public schools. It is one of three Schools class locomotives to survive the onset of diesel power. It was completed in May 1934 and entered service on the Bournemouth
Bournemouth () is a coastal resort town in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area of Dorset, England. At the 2011 census, the town had a population of 183,491, making it the largest town in Dorset. It is situated on the Southern ...
route, with some time operating between Waterloo and Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
before that line was electrified. It was one of the last of the class to be overhauled by British Rail
British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
ways in 1960, so was considered a good choice for preservation. In December 1962 the engine was withdrawn from service. In 1963, it was optioned for purchase by New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
businessman Edgar Mead, on behalf of the Empire State Railway Museum in Middletown, New York, and stored at Fratton
Fratton is a residential and formerly industrial area of Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. Victorian style terraced houses are dominant in the area, typical of most residential areas of Portsmouth. Fratton has many discount shops and "greasy spoo ...
.
Repton was ultimately acquired by Steamtown, along with LSWR M7 Class
The LSWR M7 class is a class of 0-4-4 passenger tank locomotive built between 1897 and 1911. The class was designed by Dugald Drummond for use on the intensive London network of the London and South Western Railway (LSWR), and performed well i ...
No. 53. It was cosmetically overhauled at Eastleigh Works
Eastleigh Works is a locomotive, carriage and wagon building and repair facility in the town of Eastleigh, in the county of Hampshire in England.
History
LSWR
The London and South Western Railway (LSWR) opened a carriage and wagon works at Eas ...
in 1966, before moving to America the following year. It was then formally handed over to Steamtown, who in the 1970s loaned the engine to the Cape Breton
Cape Breton Island (french: link=no, île du Cap-Breton, formerly '; gd, Ceap Breatainn or '; mic, Unamaꞌki) is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.
The island accounts for 18. ...
Steam Railway in Canada, where it operated a regular passenger service. It also operated at Scranton following Steamtown's relocation there. In 1989, it was sold again, and returned to the United Kingdom to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England, that runs through the North York Moors National Park. First opened in 1836 as the Whitby and Pickering Railway, the railway was planned in 1831 by Georg ...
(NYMR), where it was again overhauled and found to be in good condition. As of 2021 it remains in service on the NYMR.
Canadian Pacific Railway No. 2816
Canadian Pacific Railway No. 2816 was acquired by Blount in January 1964. It was built by Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883 to 1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive ...
in 1930.[Chapell, Gordon. Steam Over Scranton: The Locomotives of Steamtown. ]
Special History Study, American Steam Locomotives: Canadian Pacific Railway No.2816
', National Park Service, 1991. Accessed July 13, 2010 The 4-6-4 Hudson, H1b class locomotive had logged over in 30 years of service pulling passenger trains between Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
and Calgary
Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
, and Winnipeg and Fort William, Ontario
Fort William was a city in Ontario, Canada, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. It amalgamated with Port Arthur and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Since th ...
. Later, 2816 served on the Windsor
Windsor may refer to:
Places Australia
* Windsor, New South Wales
** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area
* Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland
**Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
-to-Quebec City
Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...
corridor. The locomotive's final run was on May 26, 1960, pulling a Montreal– Rigaud commuter train. The ''Steamtown Special History Study'' recommended that the locomotive be kept in the collection, as it was the only 4-6-4 in the group, but the National Park Service sold it back to Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
, who restored it and put it back into service.
In 1998, the Steamtown National Historic Site, which is funded by the federal government, began divesting itself of foreign equipment, including CPR 2816. Canadian Pacific Railway acquired it and undertook a 3-year, $1 million restoration which included converting it from coal-burning to oil. In 2001, renamed the "Empress", 2816 was used for pricy excursions between Calgary and Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
, British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
. After taking a year off in 2009, the Empress went on tour in 2010 offering rides to the general public across Canada. CPR donated the ticket proceeds to the Children's Wish Foundation
The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada is a registered national Canadian charitable organization whose mission is to fulfill the wishes of children diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. Founded in 1983, the foundation
Foundation may refer ...
. It subsequently remained in service until 2012, when then-CEO E. Hunter Harrison discontinued the steam program. As of present, 2816 remains stored in operational limbo.
Bullard Company No. 2
Bullard Company No. 2 is a small tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of a more traditional tender. Most tank engines also have bunkers (or fuel tanks) to hold fuel; in a tender-tank locom ...
built by H.K. Porter Company for the Bullard Company, October 1937. It is on display at Steamtown National Historic Site
Steamtown National Historic Site (NHS) is a railroad museum and heritage railroad located on in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the site of the former Scranton yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W). The museum is buil ...
, as of September 2010. According to the ''Steamtown Special History Study'', this locomotive was used to switched cars around the Bullard tool plant in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the List of cities by population in New England, fifth-most populous ...
, for about 15 or 20 years before acquisition by Steamtown. The Bullard Company sold it to a used locomotive dealer, the American Machinery Corporation of Bridgeport, Connecticut, probably in the late 1950s or early 1960s. It was purchased by Blount in June 1963. The SSHS also said that a catalog, believed to be the one the Bullard Company used to order the locomotive, was in the possession of the SNHS at the time the report was written.
Union Pacific Railway No. 737
Union Pacific No. 737, a 4-4-0 "American", was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1887. The oldest locomotive in the collection to have operated in the United States, it is the "oldest genuine Union Pacific
The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
in existence and the only Union Pacific 4-4-0 in existence". At the time it was built it was the most common type of locomotive used for both passenger and freight trains in the United States and was therefore referred to as the "American Standard" or "American". In 1904 the locomotive was sold to the Southern Pacific Company
Southern may refer to:
Businesses
* China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China
* Southern Airways, defunct US airline
* Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US
* Southern Airways Express, M ...
where its number was changed to 246 and then to 216. It was retired from service on mainline railroads and put to use in industry in 1929. The locomotive operated as 216 for the Erath Sugar Company and the Vermillion Sugar Company. It was retired by the latter company in 1956 and acquired by Blount in 1957.
Originally the locomotive had a "diamond" smoke stack. It is unknown when that was changed to a straight "shotgun" stack. Sometime during the early 20th century the locomotive was converted from coal burning to oil burning and its wooden "cowcatcher
A cowcatcher, also known as a pilot, is the device mounted at the front of a locomotive to deflect obstacles on the track that might otherwise damage or derail it or the train.
In the UK small metal bars called ''life-guards'', ''rail guard ...
" pilot was replaced with a steel pipe pilot. The wooden cab was replaced with an all-steel cab, and its kerosene "box" headlamp was replaced with an electric one. When the engine was relocated from Louisiana to Vermont its steel cab roof was removed in preparation for the ride on a flat car. The roof was later mistaken for scrap metal as a worker at Steamtown cut out a piece for use as a stack cover for the locomotive. In 1970 the train underwent what the Steamtown Historical Study refers to as a "misguided" restoration, and given a diamond-shaped smoke stack and a kerosene "box" headlamp, both of which bearing very little resemblance to the stack and headlamp originally worn by the engine. The restoration thus gave the engine an appearance unlike any form it had assumed during its service life.
The engine was removed from the Steamtown collection in 1995 and was moved to the Nevada Southern Railroad Museum
The Nevada State Railroad Museum Boulder City is a railroad museum in Boulder City, Nevada which is an agency of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. The railway is located on the tracks that were installed to support constructio ...
at Boulder City
Boulder City is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States. It is approximately southeast of Las Vegas. As of the 2020 census, the population of Boulder City was 14,885. The city took its name from Boulder Canyon. Boulder City is one of on ...
, Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
. The NSRM then loaned (and later transferred ownership to) the Western Pacific Railroad Museum
The Western Pacific Railroad Museum (WPRM) in Portola, California, known as the Portola Railroad Museum until January 1, 2006, is a heritage railroad and archives that preserves and operates historic American railroad equipment and preserves docu ...
in Portola, California
Portola ( ) is the only incorporated city in Plumas County, California, United States. The population was 2,104 at the 2010 census, down from 2,227 at the 2000 census. Portola is located on the Middle Fork of the Feather River and was named afte ...
.
In 2004, the Western Pacific Railroad Museum traded the 737 to the Double T Ranch in Stevinson, California
Stevinson is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Merced County, California. It is located west of Merced at an elevation of . The population was 275 at the 2020 census, down from 313 at the 2010 census.
The Stevinson post ...
. The Double T has cosmetically restored the engine to its 1914 (SP #216) appearance, and placed it on display along with some antique passenger cars. This exhibit was dubbed as the "History Train", and offers "excursion rides". During these excursions, the train does not actually move, but sounds and motions that simulate a train ride are produced to create an illusion that the train is in motion.
References
External links
Northeast Rails photos from the Steamtown, U.S.A. collection from several photographers
Rail Fans Surviving Steam Locomotives
Steam Locomotive dot Com Surviving Steam Locomotives
Green Mountain Railroad
The Lost Engines of Roanoke: Other Lost Trains
Steamtown, Bellows Falls
Surviving Steam Locomotives
* ttp://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/photos/cpr_steam/G5.htm Old Time Trainsbr>Index of photographs taken by Don Ball, Jr.
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Heritage railroads in Vermont
Passenger railroads in the United States
Railroad museums in Vermont
Railroad museums in New Hampshire
Rail transportation preservation in the United States
Steam locomotives of Canada
Steam locomotives of the United States
Tourist attractions in Cheshire County, New Hampshire
Tourist attractions in Windham County, Vermont
1964 establishments in Vermont