US Veteran's Admin Hosp Perry Point, MD 2-6-0 "Mogul" Locomotives in the USA

Class 1000 (Locobase 14694)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 78, p. 9+. See also Richard E Hall, "The Odyssey of a 2-6-0", Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society's Transfer Table (December 2004), archived at [] . Works number was 58797 in October 1925.

Baldwin sometimes built locomotives for its stock and produced this engine for the Havana, Cuba contingent. The engine was shipped to Havana, but never operated in Cuba. It returned to Eddystone. Hall notes that the locomotive had been completed as an oil burner, but was converted to coal firing by Baldwin's Extra Work Department. The specs show that among the changes required were an extension to the smokebox and a hand-operated fire door. Cost of the engine was $8,390.

The 1000 entered service in February 1932 supporting the VA hospital at the mouth of the Susquehanna in the Chesapeake Bay.

Later the US Army's Quartermaster Corps bought the 1000 and renumbered it 5631. During World War II, the Army Transportation Corps renumbered the locomotive 6932.

The 6932's sale to the Mobile & Gulf as their 97 extended its career by 22 years as the 97 pulled the last steam train on the M&G in 1970. Richard Hall confirms that it was the last steam locomotive in the US to haul a train on regular service on a common carrier when it ended its run on 25 August 1970.

At that point, the engine gained a second life as a tourist-railway locomotive as it was acquired by Historic Railroads Inc of Delmar, Del on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Historic Railroads sold the 97 to Ocean City Western in June 1974.

Finally, the 97 was sold to Indiana's, French Lick, West Baden & Southern. Although described as "serviceable", the 97 was photographed in 2009 with a missing smokestack.