Kentucky Steam Equipment
Diesel Locomotives
KSHX 6162
Type:
SD40-2
Manufacturer:
Electro-Motive Division, General Motors Corp.
Built:
1978 as Norfolk and Western 6162
Acquired From:
Donated by Norfolk Southern, June 2020
Status:
Operational
History:
NS 6162 is an excellent example of one of the most successful diesel locomotive designs of the 20th century. Originally built for the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1978, N&W 6162 was a workhorse for over forty years, eventually becoming NS 6162 when the Southern and N&W merged in 1982. The SD40-2 was an improved design from its predecessor, the SD-40. Nearly 4000 of these locomotives were produced for American railroads between 1972 and 1983. To this day, many still remain in service, a testament to their build quality and versatility. 6162 was in revenue service for Norfolk Southern until late May, 2020 when it was put in storage in Illinois, and labeled as surplus for the railroad. Two weeks later, it was donated to Kentucky Steam.
KSHC has not yet determined a preservation plan for this locomotive, but it is hoped that eventually it can be re-painted in a style similar to its counterparts on either the L&N or C&O railroads. As for now, the engine is in excellent mechanical condition and has been test run several times on KSHC track. Its addition to our collection is a credit to the generosity of the Norfolk Southern Corp and the men and women who work for them.
KSHX 1100
Type:
SW-1500 Road Switcher
Manufacturer:
Electro-Motive Division, General Motors Corp.
Built:
1970 as L&N 5000
Acquired From:
Donated as CSXT 1100 by CSX, July 2019
Status:
Operational
History:
1100 is an EMD SW1500 "road switcher" capable of producing 1,500 horsepower. These Diesel-electric locomotives were built by GM between 1966-1974 generally for switching duties. The SW1500 was the replacement for the SW1200 and the Louisville and Nashville Railroad ordered 30 beginning in 1970. KSHX 1100 was the class leader for the L&N (the first SW1500 built for them) and was numbered 5000 when it was delivered to the railroad. It kept that number until the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad merged with the L&N and Clinchfield Railroad in 1982, when the locomotive was re-numbered Seaboard System 1100. Later that decade, when the Seaboard because CSX Transportation, the engine became CSXT 1100 which was its road number until it was donated by CSX to Kentucky Steam in the summer of 2019. Today, KSHX 1100 is being utilized as a switcher at the Kentucky Steam shop in Irvine, where it's on the active roster and is blue-carded. Kentucky Steam intends to keep the locomotive in as-delivered condition with the exception of KSHC lettering. Eventually, we hope to re-paint it in original as-built L&N paint, as seen in the photos below.
Notes:
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1100's sister locomotive, CSXT 1103 was donated to the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven, KY and currently in operation.
Steam Locomotives
C&O 2716
Type:
2-8-4 Kanawha, Class K-4
Manufacturer:
American Locomotive Company (ALCO)
Built:
December 1943, Schenectady, NY
Acquired From:
Leased from Kentucky Railway Museum
Status:
Under Restoration
History:
Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) 2716 was one of ninety 2-8-4 locomotives built for the railroad between 1943 and 1947. They operated regularly in both freight and passenger service until 1956, but by January 1957, the C&O abandoned all steam operations in favor of diesel-electrics. The C&O was, however, very philanthropic with their retired steam fleet, eventually donated 2716 and twelve of its sisters to rail preservation groups in the east. Twelve of the thirteen engines still exist today. 2716 was donated to the Kentucky Railway Museum (KRM) in May of 1959 and was delivered to their museum grounds in Louisville where it was on static display for ten years. It eventually operated for ten months between 1981 and 1982 after a brief restoration by the Southern Railroad. It also was operated by the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society in 1996 for a brief time after their own locomotive, Nickel Plate 765 was taken out of service.
The engine has been inoperable since late-summer 1996, but in February 2016, Kentucky Steam reached an agreement with KRM to lease the engine for eventual operation. For a full history on the engine, visit our 2716 page HERE
RJ Corman 2008
Type:
2-10-2 QJ
Manufacturer:
Datong Locomotive Works
Built:
1986, Chinese Railway 7040
Acquired From:
Donated by RJ Corman, March 2020
Status:
Under evaluation for potential operation
History:
Built new in 1986 at the Datong Locomotive Works in China, as one of 4714 Qian Jin “QJ” Class locomotives constructed for the Chinese Railway System between 1964 and 1988. Originally numbered 7040 with the Chinese Railway, the locomotive number was changed to 2008 by R.J. Corman to coincide with its year of delivery to the United States. 2008 made its inaugural run for the R.J. Corman Company on May 24, 2008 and was operated until July 26, 2013 when it made its final excursion under steam. 2008 has been displayed and stored in Lexington, KY since last operated. Its donation to the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. was announced on March 11, 2020. 2008 is currently still stored awaiting preparation for its move to the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp. campus in Irvine, KY where it will then be displayed and evaluated for a possible return to service.
A complete history will be available soon here at KSHC
Nickel Plate Road 587
Type:
2-8-2 Mikado
Manufacturer:
Baldwin Locomotive Works
Built:
1918
Acquired From:
Stored for Private Owner
Status:
Stored, unserviceable
History:
NKP No. 587 was originally built for the Lake Erie & Western Railroad (LE&W) and originally numbered as 5541. When LE&W was bought by Nickel Plate Road in 1922 the NKP spent the next 2 years consolidating and standardizing the locomotive number system. In 1924, LE&W 5541 was renumbered as NKP 587. It continued to operate for the Nickel Plate until 1955, when it was donated to the city of Indianapolis, Indiana and was placed on display there in Broadripple park. In 1983, the Friends of the 587 was formed to restore the locomotive. It finally was operated in September of 1988 and ran in excursion service for the Indiana Transportation Museum (ITM) until 2003.
The locomotive was under restoration again when ITM was forced to vacate its museum space that was leased from the city of Noblesville, Indiana. Kentucky Steam agreed to spearhead the move of the locomotive to Ravenna and perform the restoration on the locomotive when funds were eventually raised by ITM. The locomotive is currently in storage at Ravenna. Read the press release from July, 2018 regarding 587 and Kentucky Steam HERE
Freight Cars
Box Cars
CSXT 123964
Type: 50-foot box car
Manufacturer: Pullman Standard
Built: 1970 as SCL 22655
Acquired From: Donated by CSX, May 2019
Status: Stored on site
History: 50-foot boxcars became the industry standard for general freight hauling for American Railroads starting in the late 1950s. Our collection of four "waffle-sided" cars are a good representation of what modern railroads used from the late-1960s until today. Many cars of this type are being retired as they're nearing the end of their useful life on the railroad. These cars will be used for on-site storage and eventually will be re-painted.
CSXT 136426
Type: 50-foot box car
Manufacturer: Pullman Standard
Built: 1974 as SCL 136426
Acquired From: Donated by CSX, May 2019
Status: Stored on site
History: 50-foot boxcars became the industry standard for general freight hauling for American Railroads starting in the late 1950s. Our collection of four "waffle-sided" cars are a good representation of what modern railroads used from the late-1960s until today. Many cars of this type are being retired as they're nearing the end of their useful life on the railroad. These cars will be used for on-site storage and eventually will be re-painted.
CSXT 136504
Type: 50-foot box car
Manufacturer: Pullman Standard
Built: 1974 as SCL 136504
Acquired From: Donated by CSX, May 2019
Status: Stored on site
History: 50-foot boxcars became the industry standard for general freight hauling for American Railroads starting in the late 1950s. Our collection of four "waffle-sided" cars are a good representation of what modern railroads used from the late-1960s until today. Many cars of this type are being retired as they're nearing the end of their useful life on the railroad. These cars will be used for on-site storage and eventually will be re-painted.
CSXT 137709
Type: 50-foot box car
Manufacturer: Pullman Standard
Built: 1974 as SCL 25091
Acquired From: Donated by CSX, May 2019
Status: Stored on site
History: 50-foot boxcars became the industry standard for general freight hauling for American Railroads starting in the late 1950s. Our collection of four "waffle-sided" cars are a good representation of what modern railroads used from the late-1960s until today. Many cars of this type are being retired as they're nearing the end of their useful life on the railroad. These cars will be used for on-site storage and eventually will be re-painted.
Gondola Cars
CSXT 485705
Type: Gondola Car
Manufacturer:
Built:
Acquired From: Donated by CSX, June 2020
Status: In Service
History: Coming Soon!
BO 356754
Type: Gondola Car
Manufacturer:
Built: 1974 as SCL 136426
Acquired From: Donated by CSX, May 2019
Status: In Service
History: Coming Soon!
CSXT 99201
Type: Gondola Car
Manufacturer:
Built:
Acquired From: Donated by CSX, June 2021
Status: In Service
History: Coming Soon!
CSXT 99253
Type: Gondola Car
Manufacturer:
Built:
Acquired From: Donated by CSX, June 2021
Status: In Service
History: Coming Soon!
Flat Cars
FTTX 123456
Type: 89-foot flat car
Manufacturer:
Built: 1974 as SCL 136426
Acquired From: Donated by TTX, September 2020
Status: In Service
History: 89-foot flat cars are today's industry standard when it comes to general-purpose hauling. This car is one of the many that has been in a fleet of hundreds for TTX, an American railcar pooling company that was founded in 1955. Flatcars can carry a variety of types of cargo, and can be customized for a variety of types of uses. This car is a standard 89-foot flat and will be utilized for hauling varying types of material for Kentucky Steam.
KSHX 6565
Type: BM70m RPO - Railway Post Office Car
Manufacturer: Pennsylvania Railroad
Built: 1910, Pennsylvania Railroad M70 #6520
Acquired From: Indiana Transportation Museum, July 2018
Status: Stored on site
History: Coming soon.
KSHX 9036
Type: B60B Baggage Car
Manufacturer: Pennsylvania Railroad, Altoona Shops
Built: 1913, Pennsylvania Express Messenger Car
Acquired From: Indiana Transportation Museum, July 2018
Status: Stored on site
History: Coming soon.
Passenger Equipment
Other Equipment
Cabooses
KSHX 3203
Type: Extended Vision Cupola Caboose
Manufacturer: International Car Company
Built: 1969 as C&O 3203
Acquired From: Donated by CSX, May 2018
Status: In-service
History: 3203 was built by the International Car Company in Kenton, Ohio in March of 1969 and was one of the first in a series of cabooses to be painted a striking blue and yellow color scheme, which lasted until it was re-lettered for the Chessie System in 1979. It operated for CSX until the spring of 2018 when it was taken to the CSX Huntington shops and was painstakingly restored by the employees there. For a full story on 3203 and its donation and restoration, CLICK HERE
SRR x2923
Type: Bay Window Caboose
Manufacturer: Southern Railway
Built: 1941 Haynes Shops, Spartanburg, SC
Acquired From: Donated by Boyle Co Industrial Foundation
Status: Stored on-site
History: 2923 was built from the steel frame of a Southern Railway boxcar in 1941 as Southern began modernizing their cabooses to operate in pusher service. It operated for the Southern Railway until being donated to a private individual in Danville, KY. It was on display until the property was deeded to the Boyle County Industrial Foundation who subsequently donated the caboose to Kentucky Steam in the winter of 2018.
EJ&E 530
Type: Cupola Caboose
Manufacturer: Morrison International
Built: 1956 for the Elgin Joliet and Eastern Railroad
Acquired From: On permanent loan
Status: Stored on site
History: The EJ&E was a small industrial railroad that operated in the greater Chicago area for 124 years, finally being absorbed in 2013 by the Canadian National Railway. This caboose has been privately owned and was put on permanent loan to Kentucky Steam in 2019. Since it has no clear ties to Kentucky's railroads, it will be eventually painted as KSHC 530 and used for special events.
Water Car
KSHX 251958
Type: Auxilary Water Tender
Manufacturer: Baldwin Locomotive Works
Built: 1942, Coal and Water Tender for L&N 1958
Acquired From: Purchased 3/2021
Status: Stored on site
History: The car was originally the coal and water tender for L&N Locomotive 1958. After the engine was scrapped, the tender was put into maintenance of way service for the L&N. It was acquired by the Southern Railway and was converted into an auxiliary water car where it operated as Norfolk Southern's auxiliary tender for famous locomotive N&W 611. It was retired in 1987 and was donated to the Indiana Transporation Musem where it was used as a water car for Nickel Plate 587 until 2003.