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ENGINE NUMBER 201
Engine number 201 is the oldest locomotive operated on the line. This engine was built in 1901 by the A. L. Cooke Locomotive Works for the Texas & Pacific Railway, and is the only operating T. & P. steam locomotive in existence. The engine was built for freight service and proudly wore the number 316 during its' career with the Texas & Pacific. Engine 201 is classified as a 4-6-0. This means that it has four wheels in the front, six drivers in the middle and no wheels in the rear of the engine. This type of locomotive is commonly referred to as a "ten wheeler". In 1949, after years of hard service, the Texas & Pacific sold number 316 to the Paris & Mt. Pleasant Railroad, a T. & P. subsidiary. In 1951 the locomotive was saved from the scrappers torch by a remarkable Lady (who wished to remain anonymous). She purchased the engine and, with help from the T. & P., donated it to the city of Abilene in honor of its' seventy -fifth anniversary as a city. The venerable ten wheeler remained on display in Abilene at the Oscar Rose Park for many years, wearing the number 75 to symbolize the seventy - fifth Jubilee Celebration of the city of Abilene. In 1974 the citizens of Abilene graciously donated the locomotive to the newly formed Texas State Railroad State Historical Park. After extensive repair and refurbishing the engine was again rolling down the rails to thrill a new generation of train passengers, deep in the heart of the East Texas piney woods. [BACK] ENGINE NUMBER 300
Engine 300 has a unique history. It is one of two surviving United States Army "Pershing" engines. This type of engine was named after General "Blackjack" Pershing and built for service in Europe during World War One. Fortunately this locomotive remained in the United States, primarily serving the Camp Polk Army Base in Leesville, Louisiana. The engine is a 2-8-0 type, meaning that it has two wheels in the front, eight drivers in the middle and no wheels at the rear of the engine. This wheel arrangement is commonly referred to as a "Consolidation". At the end of World War Two the locomotive was acquired by the Tremont and Gulf Railroad, a Louisiana Short line. The T. & G. completely rebuilt the engine and renumbered it 28. Interestingly the T. & G.'s engine number 30, also built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1917, was destined to become the Texas State Railroad's engine number 400. The T. & G. sold number 28 to the Southern Pine Lumber Company, an East Texas short line operated by the Temple Lumber Company. After years of dedicated service the company owner, Mr. Arthur Temple, donated the engine to the Texas State Railroad in 1973. Moved to state property in 1976, boiler problems and budget restraints delayed restoration efforts until the late eighties when work began on obtaining a new boiler for the old war-horse. All running gear and appliances were completely reworked or replaced. After years of effort, engine 300 was put into active ser vice April 13, 1996 to commemorate the Texas State Railroad's Centennial celebration. From her humble origins of hauling freight, lumber and munitions to her present occupation of transporting tourists and railfans of all ages, Engine 300 has done it all with style and grace. [BACK]
This locomotive began its' career on the Tremont & Gulf Railway, a Louisiana short line. Wearing number 30, it was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1917. The engine is a 2-8-2 type, which means it has two small wheels at the front of the engine, eight drivers (the large wheels), and two small wheels at the rear of the engine. This type of locomotive is commonly referred to as a "Mikado" because the first engines of this wheel arrangement were ordered by the government of Japan. The Tremont and Gulf operated this locomotive until 1954, when it was sold to the Magma Copper Mine in Magma, Arizona. During its tenure at the mine the locomotive was utilized in the 1962 epic M. G. M. movie "How the West was Won". Viewers of this movie will recall the spectacular train crash scene the engine was featured in. The mine replaced its' steam engines with diesel power in the late sixties, seemingly ending the long career of the lanky mikado. However, in 1974, it came out of its' brief retirement. Park staff members, scouring the country in search of viable steam locomotives, located and purchased the engine. It was shipped by rail to Texas and underwent extensive repair and refurbishing. After several years of hard work the mikado was once again ready to go to work in 1978, rolling down the iron rails with style and grace to thrill a new generation of rail enthusiasts. [BACK]
Built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1911, our engine 500 began its' career with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway wearing number 1316. It was originally built as a compound steam engine. This design proved to be mechanically unreliable and the locomotive was converted to a standard steam engine in 1923. With a 4-6-2 wheel arrangement (that is four small wheels in front, six large wheels in the middle and two small wheels at the rear) engine 500 is what's known as a "Pacific" type locomotive. The 1316 was primarily utilized on fast passenger trains and saw service over most of West Texas, often through the city of San Angelo. As the golden age of steam railroading drew to an end in the late 40's, this powerful steam locomotive was reduced to pulling local freight trains as the newcomer diesels began taking over its' job of fast freight and passenger service. By the early 50's the Santa Fe had completely dieselized its' operation and donated the once proud 1316 to the Fort Concho Museum in San Angelo, Texas, for utilization as a static display. This seemingly brought to an end the distinguished 1,347,383 mile career of this engine. n the summer of 1980 a crew from the Texas State railroad showed up at the Fort Concho Museum and, laboring in the West Texas heat, began preparing the engine for a rebirth. The TSR had arranged to purchase the engine and transport it by rail to the pineywoods of East Texas. After a year of dedicated hard work by park employees, the former Santa Fe number 1316 was once again on the rails under it's own steam, proudly wearing the Texas State Railroads' arrowhead insignia and its' new number, 500. This prime example of mainline steam power remains in service to this day, thrilling young and old alike with its powerful exhaust, clouds of smoke and steam and mournful whistle. [BACK]
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