SUGARCREEK, Ohio — The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum is excited to announce the acquisition of former Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O) 2-6-6-2 steam locomotive #1308 from the Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society (CPH) in Huntington, West Virginia.
“The #1308 has been displayed unprotected outdoors in a Huntington city park since October 9, 1962,” said Nathan Vance, Executive Director of Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum (AoSRM). “While CPH members regularly repainted their steamer, paint protected only #1308’s exterior surfaces, and rusting of the locomotive’s boiler and all the other steel parts has continued unabated from the inside out for 63 years. The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum can end all of that.” Added Vance.
The AoSRM, which is a heated and dry environment that was constructed by our founder, Jerry Joe Jacobson, to restore, operate, maintain, and exhibit his personal collection of steam locomotives, the 18-stall AoSRM is a great home for any railroad relic to keep it from the elements of rain, snow, and ice.
“The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum always wanted an articulated locomotive having dual sets of driving wheels underneath one long boiler, with the forward set of drivers having the ability to swing from side to side as needed to navigate curved tracks.” Added Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum, Chief Mechanical Officer, Tim Sposato. “Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum management inquired with CPH officials if they would consider relinquishing ownership of the #1308, and we were pleasantly surprised to learn that the CPH Board of Directors liked the idea of possible new ownership for their locomotive,” Sposato added.
The AoSRM’s ability to transport, rebuild, restore, and display locomotives inside the Roundhouse helped the CPH board unanimously voted to release #1308 to the AoSRM.
The #1308 is one of ten such 2-6-6-2 articulated locomotives built in November 1949 to pull C&O coal trains from several privately-owned coal loading tipples to the railroad’s large assembly yard in the unincorporated community of Peach Creek, located in Logan County, West Virginia. There are fewer than 30 such articulated steam locomotives remaining today, and the AoSRM is fortunate to acquire one of these rarities, especially because it is Baldwin Locomotive Works ‘ next-to-last locomotive constructed for use in the United States. #1308 is the AoSRM’s 25th steam locomotive in the collection.
“Now begins the gargantuan task of moving the 99-foot long, 500-ton #1308 from Huntington, West Virginia, to Sugarcreek, Ohio.” Said Vance. “The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum has accomplished such feats in the past, and we are well prepared to do so once again.” Commented Vance.
For more information about the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum and to stay updated on #1308, visit ageofsteamroundhouse.org, and also keep up to date with the latest news on Facebook.