Some more old locomotives.

"Berang" (berang) 03/06/2018 at 21:59 • Filed to: Trains

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This post will contain mostly early locomotives that still exist. I’ve chosen to ignore famous engines, and focus on the less well known examples. Most of which are stuffed away in small museums and relatively unknown even to train buffs. Every locomotive pictured below still exists!

The engine in the foreground was built in 1837 and is the oldest surviving Baldwin built locomotive. It was the first locomotive to operate in Chicago, and was still in operable condition in the 1940s. It shows several interesting features common on early Baldwin locomotives such as the location of the driving axle behind the firebox and the valve gear on the outside and drive rod on the inside of the wheels.

Sapukai, the oldest locomotive in Paraguay. This locomotive was in service in the 1860s and operated until the railway was regauged from 5'6" to standard gauge circa 1910. I can find very little information about this engine on the web.

The locomotive Albion which worked on the Albion Railway hauling coal to Pictou Harbor. Very little is known about the locomotive, exactly when it was built and by who remains a mystery, all the more mysterious because although it was delivered in 1854 its general design resembles a product of the 1840s more than something of the 1850s.

image credit

The Invicta undergoing restoration efforts in the 1970s. Invicta is an interesting locomotive, because it was the last Stephenson locomotive built with a single large flue in the boiler (quite clearly seen here). Invicta was completed right after the Stephensons finished the Rocket which was their first locomotive with a multi-tube boiler. Unfortunately like most of the early Stephenson locomotives, the Invicta steamed poorly and was unable to keep up steam even on flat sections of the line. Rocket had proven the superiority of many small tubes over a single large one, and the Invicta’s boiler was obsolete as soon as it was completed. On the other hand Invicta was the first Stephenson locomotive (perhaps even just the first ever) with the cylinders mounted at the front of the engine.

Very little is known about the Mississippi. It is believed to have been built in 1834, but by whom and where - nobody is certain. Some suggest it was built by Braithwaite, Milner & Company !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Another source states 1836, and H.R. Dunham and Co. However it is also likely that the locomotive was rebuilt extensively during its career having been in service from the 1830s up until the 1890s, and likely looked very different in the 1830s. It was last steamed in the 1890s for the Columbian Exposition, where, like the John Bull and the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! it operated under its own power.

The Rocket, no not the famous Rocket of 1829, but the Philadephia and Reading’s Rocket of 1838. Built by Braithwaite, Milner & Company of London this locomotive served the Reading until it was retired in 1879. It was restored to its original appearance in 1893 for the World’s Columbian Exposition (as it had been converted to a tank engine in the 1860s). Today it rests on an original section of 1838 track at the Franklin Institute.

The locomotive La Copiapó built by the Norris Brothers in 1850 became the first locomotive to operate in South America - pulling trains on the first railroad in Chile. The engine survives today in remarkably original condition and is an important part of American railroading history.

A stereoview of the Cumberland Valley Rail Road’s diminutive Pioneer locomotive. This light weight 2-2-2T locomotive was built in 1851 and tried on the CVRR as possible replacement for heavier locomotives which were uneconomical to run ahead of light passenger trains. Proving ideal for this role it served the railroad for a couple of decades until the increasing weight of passenger cars rendered it too light to pull trains. It was occasionally used to move work trains, but otherwise remained inactive until passing into preservation. The Pioneer !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for the Chicago rail fair.

The Lion was retired in the 1890s, and given to the University of Maine in 1905. It spent the next 70 years in a wooden shack, unlike many early American railway relics which went to big museums or were shown off at big expositions - which is probably why it remains so unknown today. It was cosmetically restored for the bicentennial, and donated in 1985 to the Maine State Museum, where it is seen in this photo. It is one of only three preserved American locomotives dating from the 1840s, including !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

La Portena, the first locomotive to operate in Argentina pictured in the 1870s. It made its first trip in Buenos Aires on August 29th 1857. The locomotive still exists today.

Will post even more weird, old locomotives at another time.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Berang 03/06/2018 at 22:27

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Don’t forget the Samson! :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_(locomotive)

Berang > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 03/06/2018 at 22:29

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The Samson is on display at the same museum as the Albion above, however the Albion is often in storage so I wanted to mention it here.

Stephenson Valve Gear > Berang 03/06/2018 at 22:40

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Excellent taste in early steam locomotives! I was fortunate to see the Mississippi at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago a few years ago. I believe that the locomotive has since been sold, although I don’t know its present location:

Berang > Stephenson Valve Gear 03/06/2018 at 22:49

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I wonder where it is. Whoever got it got a bargain at only $200,000, judging by the prices I’ve seen more modern steam locomotives go for in auctions.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Berang 03/06/2018 at 23:09

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Yup! The Museum of Industry that both are at is only a few hours from me in Stellarton, Nova Scotia - I’ve seen them both in person! :D

Dignified old workhorses! :)

Matt Nichelson > Berang 03/07/2018 at 08:59

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Since the Mississippi involves the state I live in, of course I will be obliged to add some info for ya!

It didn’t actually make to the state of Mississippi until 1844, having served in New York first. In that year it was taken out of storage and sold to the Grand Gulf & Port Gibson Railroad. In 1873 it was transferred to the Mississippi Valley & Ship Island Railroad.

It was involved in an accident some time later and eventually bought by a man by the name of James Hoskins in 1880. He had it repaired and put into service on his line, the Brookhaven, Natchez, and Meridian Railroad.

Hoskins donated the engine in 1891 to the Illinois Central Railroad to be used in the exposition you speak of, which was in 1893. The engine did indeed run under it’s own power, making the 800 mile trip to Chicago.

It is currently owned by the Three Rivers -Gulf & Ohio Railway in Knoxville, TN and is undergoing restoration.

Matt Nichelson > Stephenson Valve Gear 03/07/2018 at 09:00

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See my reply to Berang. It has where it is in it!

Stephenson Valve Gear > Matt Nichelson 03/07/2018 at 19:10

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Fantastic, thanks for all the information! I’ll have to go see it when they get it restored...

Berang > Matt Nichelson 03/07/2018 at 21:08

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Now that I know where it is, I’ve been able to find more info about. Interesting to see they’re going to try and put it into working condition - which would make it the oldest operable steam locomotive in the world by quite a few years. Also interesting that the steam dome is a later addition (I always thought it looked out of place, sort of like the John Bull’s later tacked on steam dome).

Matt Nichelson > Berang 03/08/2018 at 09:08

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It’s nice to see old engines put back into working order. So many are just stuck somewhere for display, never to be used again. I kinda figured with it being used for that many years that certain things would be added or taken off given the usage. I can’t wait to see it once they have completed everything.

Matt Nichelson > Stephenson Valve Gear 03/08/2018 at 09:10

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Quite welcome! Not many people are into old steam engines these days so I do get a bit excited when I come across a post mentioning them.

Berang > Matt Nichelson 03/08/2018 at 21:20

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Here’s the most recent photo I could find of it.

I think it bears a strong resemblance to the West Point Foundry locomotives of the early 1830's :

Raymond Leggs > Stephenson Valve Gear 08/25/2018 at 00:14

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It’s so tiny! That has to be the worlds smallest full sized loco boiler!