The two Reading engines preserved in Philadelphia were mentioned in the post about surviving Reading steam below. Does anyone know how these two engines came to be preserved? I know the "Reading Rocket" 0-4-0 was at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, but what about the odd 4-4-0?

Jeff Terry

Jeff,

Not be snarky but typing "Reading Franklin-Institute" into Google will lead you to answers.

http://readingrailroad.org/profiles/rdg_profile_steam_shamokin.html

"
Background & History
The "Shamokin" is the second oldest extant Reading steam locomotive. Built in 1842 by Eastwick & Harrison for the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Co. Sold to the Peoples Railway Company of Pottstown, PA. Came back under RDG ownership through the purchase of the Peoples Railway by the Reading in 1923. Donated to the Franklin Institute in 1933.
Archival Photos"




Might as well do the Rocket, too.

http://readingrailroad.org/profiles/rdg_profile_steam_rocket.html


Background & History
The "Rocket" was one of eight locomotives (Firefly, Spitfire, Comet, Dragon, Helca, Planet and Gem) ordered from and built by the Braithwaite, Milner and Company of London, England in 1838 for passenger service on the P&R. It was delivered to the Port of Philadelphia, transported by canal boats on the Schuylkill Canal to the foot of Penn Street, Reading Pennsylvania and hauled by horses up Penn Street to the railroad at Seventh Street. It was a typical wood burner, had four 41.75" drivers, 10.5" x 16" cylinders and weighed just slightly over 17,000 pounds. Its boiler was capable of developing 25 horsepower. *[1]
Converted in 1863 to 0-4-0 tank type. Renumbered to #1 in 1872. Retired from service in 1879 after traveling 310,164 miles. Restored to original as-built configuration for the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Donated to the Franklin Institute in 1933.




Rob

Is that what the John Bull looked like before the Americans got ahold if it??

The Peoples Railway was in PottsVILLE, not PottsTOWN. It operated between Pottsville and Minersville, and at various times parts of it hosted trains of the P&R, the PRR and the LVRR as well as East Penn Railways Co. trolleys. A short segment of track serving an industry at York Farm Jct. is the last bit of the Peoples Railway to have rail. A bridge abutment still stands along Route 901 at Mar-Lin, a portion of the grade is now a walking path, and the trolley station still stands in Minersville.

Sorry Rob, I should have been more specific. I was asking how the engines came to be preserved...there's usually a pretty good backstory when engines as old as the "Reading Rocket" are saved. Just look at how the General, William Crooks, and Minnetonka came to be preserved. I'm guessing the same is true for the Reading 4-4-0. I wonder what condition it was in when the Reading acquired the Peoples Railway in 1923, or had the Peoples Railway already preserved it themselves?

Jeff Terry