|
|
|
|
#12
stored on a siding in Kenilworth. October, 1938.
Photo by George
Votava. |
|
.jpg)
|
|
Caboose 102 and #12 sit stored on the
side track in Kenilworth on Independence Day,
1939.
Photo taken by George Votava, Dave Keller
archive. |
|
#12 was originally
Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad (B&LE) #96. The locomotive was
constructed for the B&LE by the American Locomotive Company
(ALCo) at their Pittsburgh, PA plant in August of 1902.
At the time of the locomotive's
purchase the Rahway Valley Railroad was being led by veteran
railroader, Roger A. Clark, who made the decision to purchase it in
September of 1927 (Source: Frye ). The following is mentioned by
noted railroad historian, Thomas T. Taber, III, "No. 12 was the
heaviest engine on the road, too heavy for the 60 [lbs.] rail.
Scrapped [in] 1943 after many years of little use." The locomotive
was removed from regular service and retired in 1929 (Bernhart,
Stanley).
After 1929, it is unclear if the
engine ever operated over the Rahway Valley Railroad again. The only
photos of the engine to have ever of surfaced are of it languishing
on the siding in the Kenilworth Yards throughout the 1930's. The
locomotive was scrapped in February of 1943 (Taber, Bernhart, Frye).
|
 |
| #12 sits
in retirement as one of her sisters (either #13 or 14) huffs and
chuffs aways just down the track. August 19, 1937.
Photo taken by C.A.
Schrade. |
|
|
|
#12 sits stored
at Kenilworth. June 1938. Courtesy of Don
Maxton. |
 |
|
#12 sits, unused, in Kenilworth with Caboose #102 latched onto its
tender. |
|
|
| A nice
angled shot of #12 in Kenilworth. Note the rag tied around the smoke
stack, in an attempt to keep rain water and snow out of the unused
engine's boiler. |
|
|
|
Collection of Richard J.
King |
|
|
| #12, a
big old Bessemer consolidation, received some attention from those
early railfans who visited the RVRR in the 1930's and 1940's to
"take a look around." |
 |
| Engine #12 slumbers in her retirement,
seen here on her accustomed sidetrack in Kenilworth on October 12,
1941, scrapping is little more than a year off for this old gal.
#12's headlight has been removed as well as her bell chord. The
weather has been unkind to this venerable Consolidation as her
"Bessemer" hertiage starts to show itself on the tender, a sign that
the paint is wearing away. |
|
|
|
#12 living out its
last days. #12's large headlight has been removed and it's bell
cord is missing. It's only a matter of time before #12 would head off to the scrap
heap. |
Sources:
-
Shortlines & Industrial Railroads
of New Jersey Vol. 2 by Benjamin L. Bernhart.
Roster Information provided by Allen Stanley of
Railroad Data
Exchange, courtesy of Michael
Kaplonski.
Roster information provided
byPatrick McKnight of the
Steamtown National Historic Site, roster
supplied byHarry
Frye. |
.jpg)
