Formerly displayed at the B&O Railroad Museum as B&O 117, Thatcher Perkins, this ten-wheeler, built in 1863 by the railroad at the adjacent Mt. Claire shops, was damaged by the 2003 roundhouse roof collapse. It has been restored by Museum staff at their new restoration facility, located about a mile away. It was moved on its own wheels back to the roundhouse over the first mile of common-carrier railroad in the United States, as shown below in this photo courtesy of Bill Janyska.

Three more early steam locomtives damaged in the collapse remain to be restored. Work has already begun on the 4-6-0 Davis Camel (B&O,1869).

Peter Schmidt

The reason for the change in engine number?

As I understand it, because a substantial cosmetic restoration was called for, it was decided to restore her to her actual original B&O number, not the locomotive it had been masquerading as since the Fair of the Iron Horse in 1927.

UPDATE: From their press release:

Makes sense. Thanks for the info.

Les

A new restoration facility? Do tell. Any photos of said building?

Howard P.
C.S.F.
(certified shop foamer)

Hoping to see a image documentation of her restoration.

Joshua

Howard,

At the time of the roof collapse, the damage to the rolling stock was in excess of $15 million. It was insured for $5 million. So rather than restore just a third of the damaged pieces and try to raise funds for the rest, the decision was taken to build a state of the art restoration facility about half a mile west of the main museum complex. It has been open for about 3-4 years, and is open for tours on special occasions.

Kevin

Wonderful to see this classy steamer back together again. Just saw a old picture of what B&O 147 as 117 use to look like, didn't look as beautiful as she does now.

Attended the unveiling event this morning. They were selling CD's with complete documentation of the restoration in the gift shop for $10. If not available online, you might be able to call to get one if desired. The executive director worked through a pretty long list of foundations who donated, but didn't forget members either.

It was restored to it's 1863 as shopped out look. According to the display information, at one point it was also numbered 282 before becoming 117.

Interesting to note the first two driver sets are blind, which I take to be a statement on the track conditions of the day (at least on the western end of the line). Only the rear tender truck has brakes.

Only two busted up engines left in the house.

Bob

Here, have a photo by yours truly, all rights reserved, etc.

Yes, I have friends in high places.

In other news, I discretely broached with Mr. Wilson the issue of the proposed repaint of AFT 1. I got the impression that two parties were each awaiting the other one to call........ Mr. Rowland, I would give them another call.........

Absolutely gorgeous! My complements to all involved with her restoration. Glad you gave her original identity back.

Very nice locomotive! Are the brakes on the tender steam operated? I don't see an air compressor, especially given 1863 technology.

Hand wheel on the tender. Although, just read through the restoration report which says staff believes the tender isn't original and was likely cobbled together in 1927 from parts, including freight car trucks.

Bob

My thoughts exactly.

During the 19th Century a 4-6-0 with the front two drivers blind was not unusual. There were many built like that as the prevailing theory of the time held that this was better on curves. At the Museum of Transportation we have Boston & Albany 4-4-0 #39, with a blind driver on its first drive axle. Jim Boyd noticed it and wrote to John White at the Smithsonian to ask him about this. The result was White's article in the R&LHS journal Railroad History with the great title "Look Mom, No Flanges! Blind Tires were Once Commonplace," which was in the Spring 1995 issue, #172. MOT also had the other B&O Camel 4-6-0, also with only the rear driver having flanges. The Master Mechanics studied this issue in 1899 and 1900 and decided that having all drivers with flanges was the preferred practice, and the use of several blind drivers faded away on the main lines in the 20th Century. It survived on center drivers on logging lines or elsewhere where very sharp curves were common. It was also the case with ten or 12-coupled engines, but again on the center driver. See the topic about the B&LE 2-10-4.