Bell's Gap 2-6-0 "Mogul" Locomotives in the USA

Class 4 (Locobase 11799)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 11, p. 46. Works number was 6015 in January 1882.

Bell's Gap Railway, headquartered in Bellwood in western Pennsylvania, was built on the 3-foot gauge and opened in July. In its narrow-gauge years, it attracted riders for its view. One of these commented: ".... very few know that its short route discloses some of the wildest and grandest scenery in America. It twists around short curves and runs over break-neck trestles, and climbs a grade sometimes of one hundred and sixty to two hundred feet to the mile." (Bell's Gap Railroad and Rhododendron Park, archived at [], last accessed on 7 August 2010.)

Conversion to standard-gauge occurred very soon after the 4 was delivered, so it headed off to support other skinny-gauge operations such as the Painesville & Youngstown Railroad, where it arrived in 1884 as the #6. Two years later, after the P&Y was reorganized as the Painesville, Youngstown & Fairport, 6 went on to the Clarksburg, Weston & Midland for 4 years. It returned to the Pittsburgh & Western section of this confusing railroad and remained there until it was sold to the locomotive rebuilder/reseller Birmingham Rail & Locomotive in 1901.

Unsold for 4 years, the little Mogul went off to W T Smith Lumber Company, and finally to West Lumber of Benford, Tex.

Class 5 (Locobase 11846)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines, 1888, as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 13, p 33. Works number was 7894 in April 1886.

Serving both Bells Gap and its successor Pennsylvania & Northwestern, this Mogul was sold in 1901 to the Winfield Railroad as its #1 The WR later sold it to Ball & Peters of New Park, Arkansas, who disposed of it in 1918 to locomotive rebuilder/reseller Southern Iron & Equipment. SI & E sold it in March 1919 to King Creek Lumber Company.

Class Ivorna (Locobase 11817)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 11, p 241. Works number was 6891 in August 1883.

After its conversion to standard gauge in 1881-1884, the BGRR bought new locomotives. beginning with this Mogul. It remained with the BG RR and its successor, the Pennsylvania & Northwestern until the P&NW was taken over by the Pennsylvania Railroad in February 1902.

The Pennsy sold this little 2-6-0 to the Gideon Anderson Lumber & Mercantile Company in New Madrid County, Missouri.