http://www.delawareonline.com/article/2 ... g-facelift

"A historic locomotive that has seen more change in the Red Clay Valley than most residents is being restored to its prime through the next year.

Wilmington & Western Railroad's Engine No. 8408 has been operating in the valley for nearly 70 years. It has seen numerous owners as newer, larger trains fly by faster and faster each day. But now it is being restored to take its place leading historical treks through the valley.

The locomotive operated on the Wilsmere Yard on Centerville Road in Elsmere, which is now operated by CSX. Its latest journey will be on the back of another train that will take it to McHugh Locomotive and Crane in Fairless Hills, Pa.

The 100-ton locomotive first came to the valley in the 1940s as a switcher engine. It has smaller axels compared with the behemoth pack mules used to tug chains of boxcars that Engine 8408 would link and configure around the rail yard, said David Ludlow, executive director of Wilmington & Western, which owns the locomotive.

"If you stand beside her, you would be amazed by the massive amount of metal and weight staring back at you. But in the industry today it's a baby in comparison," Ludlow said.

The rails the locomotive worked on have historic significance and importance in the path the engine took to its current restoration.

The Wilmington & Western Railroad first opened in 1872, when trains would move Kaolin Clay, vulcanized fiber materials, snuff, iron and coal to and from industry that lined the route that ran to downtown Wilmington and the Christina River.

In the 1880s, the line was purchased by Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and became known as the Landenberg Branch.

The locomotive was built by the Elector-Motive division of General Motors in the 1940s, before the line was shortened in the '50s to its present 10-mile stretch that ends in Hockessin.

After being tipped for demolition, the Landenberg Branch was purchased by Historic Red Clay Valley, Inc., a non-profit organization tasked with historic preservation in the area, in the '80s.

"It has been here all its life. That is why it's significant," Ludlow said. "It's part of our heritage of the line."

Though the locomotive is aged, Ludlow said it still has life.

"Amazingly enough it is still very dependable and still very sound," Ludlow said. "But it's requiring more troubleshooting, and things are starting to just wear out with the electrical systems."

The $300,000 restoration will see the locomotive get a new powerhouse, but stay true to the antique nature of the engine.

The restoration will take about a year. When restored, the locomotive will lead Wilmington & Western's weekend historic excursions to Hockessin.

Ludlow said the company, which operates with three paid employees under Historic Red Clay Valley, Inc., has been running tours of the area since 1966.

"We have preserved the line itself and preserved the historic features," Ludlow said of the excursions the group runs from April to December each year. "The reason is to interpret the railroad history of New Castle and northern Delaware and the significance of what railroads did for this area."

For more information, visit: http://www.wwrr.com"

Slight flaw in the article: It should have mentioned that HRCV had been running excursions by leasing the branch for weekends beginning around 1965-66. The purchase was concluded in September 1982, and 8408 was technically part of that purchase.

The SW1 is historically important, for officially only two types of diesels were permitted on the branch by the B&O/Chessie:SW1's and Alco S2's. This was primarily because of the wooden trestles and sharp curves.

In addition to steamers 58 and 98, the W&W still retains a second SW1, ex-Ocean City Western, nee-LV 114, and now also has an SW900, 915, a former steel and short line switcher acquired from the Everett RR. The line had an Alco S2, former B&O 9115 and later a Rohm & Haas plant switcher, which was seldom used; it was traded to two HRCV members for the 114 at one point, and has left the property and is supposedly on the nearby West Chester RR.

What all are they planning on doing to this locomotive for $300,000.

Work continues on W&W's former B&O SW-1 #8408. The fine people at McHugh have her torn down about as far as she will go. They have also embraced social media and have updates posted on their Facebook page. If you scroll down you will see a photo of the newly rebuilt prime mover to be installed in her. It's interesting to me that the money spent on her is approaching that which is often spent to rebuild a steam locomotive of similar size.

The original article states she has spent her entire life on the line. It is safe to say she spent a large portion of her life on the line but not the whole time. The B&O and later Chessie moved locomotives around, I have personally seen 8406, 8407, 8408, and 8417 on the line.

https://www.facebook.com/mchughlocomotiveandcrane

The awesome folks at McHugh have posted some new photos of the work on Wilmington and Western's former B&O SW-1 #8408. After being torn all the way down to the frame she is being reassembled. Special kudos go out to McHugh because while this is a paying job for them, they have donated a number of extras to round out the project saving the W&W a good deal of money and making the old girl better and more reliable.

https://www.facebook.com/mchughlocomotiveandcrane

Their work looks fantastic. It would be awesome to see what they could do with a true basket case!

Joe

That Facebook link doesn't seem to work. It keeps redirecting to my news feed.

Worked fine for me. Awesome work guys