| Interesting history is attached to this massive and powerful loco. Built by Alco-Schenectady in January of 1912 as B&O 0-8-8-0 #2040 (class O-1), it was first renumbered and reclassified in 1916 as B&O #7039 (class LL-1). Sometime between 1919-23, it was rebuilt by the B&O Shops to the 2-8-8-0 wheel configuration seen in the photo below and reclassed as an EL-4 loco. The loco was finally retired and scrapped in November of 1950 after nearly 34 years of dedicated service. New rebuilt specs - 56" drivers, 210 psi boiler pressure, compound 26x41" high pressure cylinders with 32x56" low pressure cylinders, engine weight of 471,300 lb, totally impressive tractive effort of 105,000 lb. The photo is from the Howard W. Ameling collection.. |