THOMASTON, Conn. — The Railroad Museum of New England is launching a fundraising campaign to restore Sumter & Choctaw Railway 2-6-2 No. 103 to service. No. 103 has been part of the RMNE collection since 1986 and was one of the first heritage steam locomotives to operate in the Northeast, from 1962 to 1975.
No. 103 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in November 1925 for the Sumter & Choctaw Railway, a small logging railroad in western Alabama. The engine worked there for more 30 years, and was sold in 1962 to the Empire State Railway Museum in Middletown, N.Y. It operated at Middletown until late 1966. In early 1971, No. 103 was moved to the newly formed Valley Railroad at Essex, Conn. It pulled the first Valley Railroad train on July 29, 1971.
As growing passenger loads resulted in longer trains, the Valley acquired larger steam locomotives to replace No. 103, which last operated in 1975. In 1986, Empire State transferred ownership of the 2-6-2 to the Railroad Museum of New England. It was moved from static display at the Valley Railroad to the RMNE’s headquarters in Thomaston, Conn., in 2009.
In February 2020, No. 103 was evaluated by an experienced steam locomotive restoration crew at RMNE’s Thomaston Shop. During its 50-year service life, No. 103 had never received a complete overhaul. The locomotive is in good condition overall, and the planned return to service will be the most extensive work it has had since 1925. The locomotive will need repairs to its boiler and firebox, cylinders, driving gear, wheels, and axles. The tender will be completely rebuilt, and the locomotive will burn liquid fuel instead of coal.
The preliminary restoration plan calls for work to start on the smaller parts of No. 103 at the Thomaston Shop; major work will start once significant goals are reached in the fundraising campaign. Boiler repairs will be done off-site by Maine Locomotive & Machine, an experienced locomotive boiler contractor, with RMNE volunteers assisting. Frame, cylinders, and wheels will be rebuilt at Thomaston and at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad shops, with contractor and volunteer participation. The tender work will be done at Thomaston.
Financial goals are $375,000 for the entire project. The major disassembly of the locomotive will not be done until the $175,000 mark is reached, when boiler work would start.
If you would like additional information on the project or to support the restoration, please click here.
The 2-6-2 Prairie type was a relatively rare wheel arrangement. Worked well on Lionel track, though. I remember my disappointment when my Belpaire-boilered #224, intended to replicate a K-4 Pacific, turned out to be a 2-6-2.
A very good decision, folks! + More power & Best of good luck to you!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün