Rahway Valley 15

Rahway Valley Railroad No. 15 is a steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works as Oneida and Western Railroad No. 20 in 1916. As of 2023, the locomotive is on display at Steamtown National Historic Site.

Rahway Valley 15
Rahway Valley Railroad No. 15 on display in 2003
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderBaldwin Locomotive Works
Serial number43529
Model10-34 E
Build dateJune 1916
Specifications
Configuration:
  Whyte2-8-0
  UIC1′D n2G
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.50 in (1,270 mm)
Adhesive weight127,700 lb (57.9 tonnes)
Loco weight146,000 lb (66.2 tonnes)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity6 short tons (5.4 tonnes)
Water cap.3,500 US gal (13,000 L; 2,900 imp gal)
Boiler pressure200 psi (1.38 MPa)
CylindersTwo, outside
Cylinder size20 in × 26 in (508 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Valve typeBuilt: Slide valves
Rebuilt: Outside-admission piston valves
Performance figures
Tractive effort33,350 lbf (148.3 kN)
Factor of adh.4.16
Career
OperatorsOneida and Western Railroad (O&W), Rahway Valley Railroad (RVRR), Green Mountain Railroad (GMRC), Steamtown
NumbersO&W 20, RVRR 15
NicknamesFaithful Fifteen
LocaleTennessee, New Jersey
RetiredNovember 28, 1953 (revenue service)
August 12, 1973 (excursion service)
PreservedMay 1959
Restored1962 (1st restoration)
1987 (cosmetically)
Current ownerSteamtown National Historic Site
DispositionOn static display

History

In 1926, 20 suffered freeze damage to its bridges when a hostler accidentally left it outside overnight, necessitating its return to Baldwin for repairs. While at Baldwin, 20's slide valve cylinders were replaced with piston valve cylinders.

20 was sold to the Rahway Valley Railroad in 1937 and renumbered to 15. It last ran in revenue service in November 28, 1953 before being replaced by #17 a GE 70-ton switcher. The President of the Railroad, George Clark, did not wish to see No. 15 scrapped however. It was placed in heated undercover storage pending further development for the next six years; at one point it was hoped the engine would be put on public display in Kenilworth, New Jersey, but space surrounding the railroad was limited.[1]

It was donated to F. Nelson Blount in May 1959 and was received at Wakefield, Massachusetts on June 5 that year. Blount chose to restore the locomotive and operate it at Steamtown, U.S.A. in 1962.[1] It also travelled to Boston to be filmed in The Cardinal. The locomotive later became Green Mountain Railroad #15 following the formation of that railroad. It remained under the Green Mountain name until 1973 and was later reverted to Rahway Valley #15.

Rahway Valley 15 at Steamtown, U.S.A in Bellows Falls, Vermont in August 1970. Note that it has Green Mountain lettering on the tender.

No. 15's last run was on August 12, 1973, when a boiler tube blew out, scalding Andy Barbera, who was operating as the locomotive engineer at the time.[1] Since the services of the locomotive were not needed at the time, the repairs were not done and remained undone by the time the Steamtown Special History was written.

The Steamtown Special History Study recommended that the engine be cosmetically and operationally restored, as it had served in the northeastern quarter of the United States and had been serviced, at least once, at the Lackawanna's Scranton shop.[2]

As of 2023, the locomotive is still displayed and inoperable at Steamtown National Historic Site. There aren’t any plans to restore 15 to operation anytime soon.[3]

References

  1. "Rahway Valley Railroad #15". Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  2. Chapell, Gordon. Steam Over Scranton: The Locomotives of Steamtown. Special History Study, American Steam Locomotives: Rahway Vally Railroad No. 15. National Park Service. 1991. Accessed July 14, 2010
  3. "Steamtown's Locomotives and Cars". Steamtown National Historic Site. National Park Service. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
External images
image icon Builder's photo
image icon 1937, Kenilworth, New Jersey
image icon 1963-01-07, Steamtown USA
image icon Current view.
image icon Current.
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