New Hope Railroad 40

New Hope Railroad 40
New Hope Railroad No. 40 at Deer Park, Pennsylvania
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Serial number 58824 Model 10-34-E Build date December 1925
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-0  • UIC 1′D n2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 50 in (1.270 m) Adhesive weight 142,000 lb (64.4 tonnes) Loco weight 160,000 lb (72.6 tonnes) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 16,000 lb (7.3 tonnes) Water cap. 6,000 US gallons (23,000 L; 5,000 imp gal) Boiler pressure 190 lbf/in2 (1.31 MPa) Feedwater heater none Superheater none Cylinders Two Cylinder size 20 in × 26 in (508 mm × 660 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts Valve type Piston valves Train heating Steam Train brakes 6ET
Performance figures Maximum speed 45 mph (72 km/h) Tractive effort 32,700 lbf (145 kN)
Career Operators Lancaster and Chester Railroad, Cliffside Railroad New Hope Railroad Numbers L&C 40 (1925-1947) CRRCO 40 (1947-1962) NHIR 40 (1966-1981, 1991-1993) NHOP 40 (1981-1986) NHRR 40 (1993-Present) Nicknames Old Number 40, Baldwin 40 Delivered 1925 Retired 1962 (revenue service) Restored 1975 (1st restoration) 1981 (2nd restoration) 1991 (3rd restoration) Current owner New Hope and Ivyland Railroad Disposition Operational, based in New Hope, Pennsylvania

New Hope Railroad 40 is a 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive built in 1925 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Lancaster and Chester Railroad in Lancaster, South Carolina. Today, No. 40 is the only operating and most iconic steam locomotive on the New Hope Railroad.

History

Lancaster & Chester Railroad

No. 40 was ordered by the Lancaster and Chester Railroad (L&C) of Lancaster, South Carolina from the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the price of $25,125.96. The locomotive was completed on December 2, 1925. The locomotive was constructed at Broad Street erecting hall of the Baldwin Locomotive Works in nearby Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with final assembly happening at the Eddystone Plant. No. 40 was one of the final steam locomotive's constructed at the Broad Street site. On December 3, the locomotive was brought by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., where the Southern Railway picked it up and hauled it to the L&C's interchange in Catawba, South Carolina. The locomotive arrived at L&C on December 5. Being one of the railroad's largest engines, it was immediately put on the main train from Kershaw to Catawba, via Lancaster.

On December 15, No. 40 was involved in a wreck near Pleasant Hill, South Carolina. The wreck was the fault of the engineer. L&C crews were instructed to use the independent breaks to slow down the train instead of the automatic. The pressure locked drivers at 45mph, causing the No. 3 driver tire on the fireman's side to pop off and derail the locomotive. Little is known about this wreck as no photos of the wreck have been surfaced, but it is reported that No. 40 took out approximately 500' of L&C's mainline. This wreck destroying the locomotive's original wooden pilot. The wreck resulted in the railroad not being able to haul product for 3 months. The Lancaster and Chester sued Baldwin Locomotive Works, resulting in an undisclosed settlement that in turn paid for the purchase of Lancaster & Chester No. 41 from the American Locomotive Company. No. 40 was repaired and rebuilt by the railroad and re-entered service in Spring 1926. After the wreck, No. 40 was designated as a switcher for the various yards across the railroads.

Cliffside Railroad

In 1947, after L&C dieselized their entire roster, No. 40 was sold to the 3.7 mile long Cliffside Railroad, a short line in North Carolina. During its entire tenure on the Cliffside, the relatively diminutive 80-ton 2-8-0 was the largest locomotive the railroad owned. However, the locomotive was not used much as it was often overpowered for the small switching jobs and sharp track.

New Hope Railroad

In 1962, the Cliffside Railroad sold the 40 to Steam Trains Inc., located in New Hope, Pennsylvania. No. 40 was the first piece of equipment purchased by the group, in hoping to find a branch line to run it on. No. 40 was initially moved Reading Company's yard in Wilmington, Delaware, before being moved to the Reading Company shops in St. Clair, PA with the rest of Steam Trains Inc.'s equipment. In 1966, Steam Trains Inc. was reorganized as the New Hope & Ivyland Railroad and moved all of its equipment, including 40, to the former Reading Company yard in New Hope, PA.

Even though 40 was operational at the time, it only saw limited service in the summer of 1967 as stablemate 1533 was reportedly easier to run and fire and was more popular with engine crews. The locomotive also reportedly swayed from side to side even on straight track. This was would later be discovered due to an improper repair by the L&C of the third driver (and also a potential reason why Cliffside did not use the locomotive often). This would be corrected upon in the 1975 rebuild. From 1974-1975, 40 was rebuilt by the New Hope & Ivyland's new owners, the McHugh Brothers and returned to service. In the late 1970s in addition to 40 being taken out of service for repairs, the New Hope and Ivyland's passenger operations were handed over to the newly formed New Hope Steam Railway. From 1981 to 1986, No. 40 shared excursion responsibilities with smaller steamer during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and would operate both on and off home rails. One of its offline adventures took place in 1985 when it ventured down to the Fairless Works of U.S. Steel in nearby Morrisville, PA. This journey was part of a weekend-long open house for plant employees and their families.pulling the majority of their trains until the group's leadership changed in late 1986.

In 1990, the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad, now New Hope Railroad, came under new ownership and 40 was rebuilt to operational condition by shop forces from the Strasburg Rail Road, returning to operation in June 1991.. No. 40 is dedicated to special excursions throughout the year such as The Buckingham Valley trains, Fall Foliage, and the Santa's Steam Train in December. The first opportunity since 1985 for an offline trip came on May 18, 2019, when No. 40 powered four excursions over the SEPTA mainline in Montgomery County between North Wales and Gwynedd Valley, PA as part of North Wales Borough’s Sesquicentennial celebrations.