Steam Locomotives

The founding members, having individually watched the demise of the steam engine, collectively established for the Chapter the goal of obtaining, restoring and operating as many steam locomotives as possible. At the same time they realized that, with passenger trains vanishing at an alarming rate, they could ill afford to overlook the acquisition of rolling stock and other memorabilia to accompany their steam engines. Thus, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum was incorporated.

Jerald T. Moyers — National Railway Historical Society — 1971

In 1967, the Southern Railway traded a diesel locomotive to the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad to reacquire [Consolidation] #630 for use in the expanding Southern Railway Steam Excursion Program. The 630 continued working as a mainline excursion star until 1978, when train length really began to exceed the capacity of the small 630. The Southern Railway was in favor of using only larger and more powerful locomotives for the heavier trains, such as the Southern Railway 4501 (also in TVRM’s collection) and Southern 610, originally the Texas & Pacific 610.

It was at this time in 1978 that the 630 came to TVRM, and operated here under a lease from the Southern (later Norfolk Southern) Railway. The locomotive would operate at TVRM until November 1989, when it was retired seemingly for good, in need of a major overhaul. In 1999, Norfolk Southern donated ownership of the 630 to TVRM, and restoration began in 2001. The locomotive returned to service in 2011 after a 10 year restoration, and approximately $750,000 of work. TVRM was awarded for the restoration work on 630. The restoration of 630 is often referred to as one of the most extensive overhauls on a steam locomotive since the end of the steam era. Today, the Southern Railway 630 can be found at TVRM, as motive power for the Missionary Ridge Local, and occasionally on the Summerville Steam Special.

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

During the following 16 years [on the Kentucky & Tennessee Railway], this rather inauspicious locomotive remained in obscurity in the mountains of east/central Kentucky, until it was discovered by Robert Soule and Paul Merriman, two gentlemen on a mission to see and photograph the remaining holdouts for steam power in the east. The two men would later form the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in 1961. They immediately took a liking to the 12, which is different in appearance from stablemates 10 & 11. It was obviously of Southern Railway pedigree. When Soule and Merriman learned that the K&T was converting to diesel, they raised the $5,000 asking price that Mr. Bruce wanted for the 12 through TVRM, and off to Stearns they went to acquire ownership of the locomotive. After a meeting with Mr. Bruce, Merriman came back outside exclaiming “Fellas, I did it!,” to which Soule replied with, “You did what Paul?” “I bought the 4501!,” he exclaimed. Indeed, Paul Merriman had purchased with his own funds, this locomotive, instead of with TVRM funds as planned. Left standing with a $5,000 check, the members of TVRM later went back to Mr. Bruce to purchase stablemate K&T 10 for their museum.

After that eventful day in 1964, this rather unremarkable locomotive was thrust into the spotlight, where it quickly became one of the most traveled, photographed, and inarguably one of the most famous steam locomotives in the world. Since the mid-1960s, Southern Railway 4501 has pulled countless mainline passenger excursions for the Southern (later Norfolk Southern) Railway Steam Excursion Program, and museum excursions for TVRM as well.

The 4501 ended its service in 1999 due to rising maintenance costs, but was later selected for service in the “21st Century Steam” program, being restored to service between 2011 and 2014. The “21st Century Steam” Program has since ended, but the 4501 can still be found operating over TVRM tracks today, to the delight of many happy passengers. Over the last 57 years in preservation, Southern Railway 4501 has carried hundreds of thousands of passengers on excursions all over the east and the midwestern United States, and it has been through those ticket sales, along with countless donations, that this locomotive is still operating today. So here’s to the first 110 years, and to the next 110!

The 4501 is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (#79002440).

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

The 610 is a 2-8-0, also known as a consolidation, built by the Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Corporation in March 1952 for the U.S. Army. The locomotive was the final steam locomotive manufactured for domestic use by a commercial builder in the United States.

The U.S. Army would use the 610 at Fort Eustis Military Railroad in Virginia, where it was used as a training locomotive, preparing soldiers to operate on foreign railroads if the need arose. The 610 was the prototype locomotive for a class of steam locomotives meant to succeed the very successful S-160 class. The class was known as the S-160A, or more simply, Class A. The “Second Generation S-160” class locomotives were to be built for the Korean Conflict. With the rapid continuation of dieselization, the 610 would be the only locomotive in this class to be built. The most notable difference that could be found on the 610 compared to the S-160 class was a boiler of larger diamter, but shorter length.

The locomotive would operate at the Fort Eustis Military Railroad into the late 1960s until it was retired. Once retired, it was donated to Wiregrass Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in Dothan, Alabama. The Wiregrass Chapter donated the 610 to TVRM in 1978. Once at TVRM, the 610 remained in storage until 1987 when restoration began, lasting until 1990.

When the 610 emerged from its restoration in 1990, it had little resemblance to its original appearance. The locomotive was cosmetically altered with a larger cab, taller smoke stack, a below center headlight, and the bell mounted on top of the boiler. The locomotive operated for 20 years at TVRM, pulling both museum and mainline excursions. The 610 was taken out of service and stored in December 2010, in need of a major overhaul.

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

The 5288 was built in March of 1918 by the Montreal Locomotive Works for the Canadian Government Railway as number 516, and later as number 1516. The locomotive is classified as a J-7-b, having an open cab, unlike the J-7 class that had enclosed all-weather cabs.

The Canadian Government Railway sent the locomotive for use on the Grand Trunk Railway, where it was relettered and numbered Grand Trunk 1516. The locomotive was taken over by the Canadian National Railway in September 1919, being renumbered to Canadian National 5288. The locomotive principally handled passenger trains in eastern Canada. The 5288 also operated in the United States when it also pulled international trains into White River Junction, Vermont. By 1956, the locomotive was assigned to pull commuter trains in the Montreal area.

When retired in 1960, the locomotive was stored servicable in the Canadian National Railway’s Turcot roundhouse. F. Nelson Blount, the founder of Steamtown, USA, acquired the 5288 in September 1961. He had it moved to Steamtown, USA in Bellows Falls, Vermont.

It remained with the Steamtown, USA collection even into its transition as a National Park after moving to Scranton, Pennsylvania. In 2001, after being deemed as surplus, the locomotive was donated to TVRM, where it resides on display today. The locomotive was essential in the restoration of the Southern Railway 4501, when its mechanical stoker was removed in 2012 to be reconditioned for use in the 4501.

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum