I had the opportunity to chase down this long forgotten locomotive over the Columbus Day weekend. The engine sat for years in a Newburyport Scrapyard, partially disassembled. In a tax settlement with the city of Peabody, Mass., the locomotive was acquired by public works department.
The locomotive parts are spread around the yard, and the little engine sits on panel track. The only major part I didn't see was the stack, otherwise everything was present. The Porter plates and headlight were gone. Most of her piping had been cut with a torch, but remained attached to both the removed part and the locomotive itself. A local businessman told me the city wants to renovate the locomotive for operation along a small segment of abandoned B&M trackage, and has the money avaialbe to do the job. Other parties report that her boiler was in good shape at the time she was moved from the old Steamtown collection. The steamdome was removed quite carefully with a cutting torch, and it remains intact on the ground. My non-boiler savvy eye tells me that for what it will cost to rebuild the tank loco, a bigger engine, in better shape, could be had. I am not as sharp as others on this particular aspect of railroad renovation. I saw no attempt to lubricate or otherwise free up her operative parts. Incidently, the center drivers are blind and very heavily worn.
Simons Wrecking #2 boiler sitting amongst public works parts.
Closeup of boiler interior through opened steam dome.
Stack hole.
Cabless controls.