BALTIMORE — The B&O Railroad Museum has announced plans to begin cosmetic restoration of Reading Co. 4-8-4 No. 2101 — maintained in the museum’s collection as American Freedom Train No. 1 for the role the locomotive played during the Freedom Train’s 1975-76 tour — and will begin that process by moving the locomotive from its long-time display location this Saturday, Oct. 21.
The locomotive, which has been displayed in the museum’s front parking lot, will be moved to the museum’s restoration shop beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Visitors are invited to view the move and learn more about the history of the locomotive and the train.
“Our goal is to cosmetically restore this iconic piece of American history in time for the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 200th anniversary of American railroading in 2027,” Kris Hoellen, executive director of the museum, said in a press release. The museum will welcome donations and contributions from individuals and organizations interested in supporting the restoration; those interested should contact JoAnne Woolley, chief development officer, at jwoolley@borail.org.
The Class T-1 locomotive was built by Baldwin as a 2-8-0 in 1923 and rebuilt as a 4-8-4 in September 1945. In addition to its service with Reading and its role with the American Freedom Train, it also spent two years wearing Chessie System yellow, blue, and vermilion paint while pulling a series of Chessie Steam Specials. The locomotive was damaged in a 1979 fire at the Silver Grove, Ky., roundhouse where it was stored, and was donated to the B&O Railroad Museum following cosmetic repairs.
In July 1948, No. 2101 suffered a catastrophic derailment, supposedly while pulling a freight train. The specific location is unknown, and it is unknown if the engineer, fireman, or leading brakeman were injured or killed.
In March 1979, a roundhouse at Stevens Yard in Silver Grove, Kentucky caught fire with the No. 2101 locomotive stored inside, causing it to be damaged. The status of mechanical soundness was unknown due to the burning fire, and it was traded to the B&O Railroad Museum in exchange for Chesapeake and Ohio 614, and it was cosmetically restored back to its American Freedom Train livery.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
One small correction to this article – the predecessor 2-8-0 to T1 #2101 was built in 1925, not 1923. The 2-8-0 number was #2037. The Reading had two lots of Class I-10sa 2-8-0’s, numbers 2020 – 2024 built in 1923, and numbers 2025 – 2049 built in 1925. All of the second lot and the last 5 of the first lot were used to make the T-1 locos
The first lot of I-10sa 2-8-0’s were 2000-2024. All 50 were built by Baldwin. 2000-2019 were upgraded by Reading Shops as 2-8-0’s with no change of class during WWII and were not on the list to be rebuilt into 4-8-4’s.
The first lot of T-1’s were 2100-2119, rebuilt from 2030-2049. then the second lot was 2120-2129 from 2020-2029. I-10’s were dismantled as they needed shopping; T-1’s were numbered in the order they were built. The only T-1 to share last two digits with the donor engine is 2024, now 2124.
That’s correct.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Railroads were recycling long before it was hip.
If only it could be restored to operation…
It could be but there’s one already running and another on the way.