I was in the Pittsburgh area in late June and ventured over to try and find 643. It didn't take me long to find her. I took these photos with my phone through the fence and across the CSX on the engineer side.

There's an auto repair shop across the street that seemed to be parking cars behind the fence. I considered asking if i could get up close and take better pics but couldn't really find anyone to ask. I decided to move on but definitely wanted to share these recent pics.

Thank you for posting these. Finally, some recent and relevant information!

Sold American! 643 is going to Age of Steam.

AOSRM Acquires Bessemer & Lake Erie No.643!
The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum in Sugarcreek, Ohio, is excited and pleased to announce that it is has successfully acquired B&LE 643, which is the only remaining 2-10-4 Texas Type steam locomotive of the 47 built for the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad.

B&LE 643 is a heavy-haul steam locomotive that was designed and built to move iron ore, coal, and other high-density commodities to and from the Great Lakes region. Built in 1944, the 643 saw an early retirement in 1952 due to the increased introduction of diesels to the Bessemer & Lake Erie’s locomotive roster. Fortunately, the 643 and two other smaller steamers were preserved by the B&LE in its roundhouse in Greenville, Pa.

B&LE 643 will become the largest locomotive in the AoSRM collection. This behemoth is just over 108’ long, stands over 16’ high, and weighs 308.32 tons without coal and water. Add 26 tons of coal, and 23,000 gallons of water, and B&LE 643 tops the scales at 908,720 lbs, or more than 454 tons!

AoSRM founder, Jerry Jacobson, nicknamed B&LE 643, “The King,“ as it is believed to be one of the largest non-articulated steam locomotives in the world. It had been Jerry’s life-long desire to acquire this historic iron giant to restore and display with the other 21 steam locomotives in his collection. The Board of Directors and dedicated Staff at the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum, are deeply grateful to Glenn Campbell and The Steel City Railway Historical Society for saving B&LE 643 in McKees Rocks, Pa., and for their selflessness, by assuring the locomotive’s long-lived future at the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum.

Future official reports and updates about the movement of B&LE 643 from McKees Rocks to Sugarcreek will be posted on our website at www.ageofsteamroundhouse.org.

Bill Strawn
Board Chairman

Excellent news! A very fitting place to be preserved and displayed.

Wonderful news!!

Alan

Shame it couldn't have happened when JJJ was around to see it.

A winning formula every time.

(Professionals / Experts + money = success)

And soon all of the banter about how it will get moved, who will own it, will it be restored, etc etc will FINALLY die down, for good. Thank goodness.

It is good news indeed. Sure hope for AOS's sake they didn't pay much for it as they were his only hope of finding someone willing to go to the huge costs of getting it out of where it is.

It will be interesting to watch how they get it moved to Sugarcreek. My WAG is in pieces that can be trucked ???

Glad it won't end up being 2021 Toyotas. Ross Rowland

Very glad to see this artifact going to safe haven at Sugarcreek. Other posters have detailed how this transaction had been attempted before with no success. It shows that, given the right circumstances and the right people involved in the process, a positive outcome is possible. As for what AOS paid, anything is worth what the buyer and seller agree it is worth. All other opinions as to value are irrelevant. Money talks, bullshit walks.

So very excited about this.. you could say I am "Stoked" wonder if AOS got all the equipment, (the big emma aux water tender, and the little alco s-1? )
I know, it will all be in the report from AOS. Very excited about this awesome news.

TTX has heavy duty flatcars with capacity ranging from 100 to 370 tons: About TTX Equipment
I think the GE diesels (shown riding atop TTX flats) are 16 ft tall, the same height as #643.... but I don't know anything about the vertical clearances on the routes to Sugarcreek.

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What great news! AOS is the ideal outcome for this engine. They have the resources to cosmetically restore 643 to her former glory (and, should we dare dream, make it operational). I took the roundhouse tour on Saturday and was pleasantly surprised to see former US Army 612 (originally US Army 2630) beautifully restored. I remember seeing it several years ago in the Cass WV dead line in dreadful shape. The guide on Saturday didn't mention anything about 643, but I imagine everything was hush-hush until the official announcement was made today.

I wonder how many spaces are still open at the roundhouse.....