| Boston & Maine No. 3713 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| B&M No. 3713 pulling a passenger train on the B&M. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Boston & Maine No. 3713, named The Constitution, is a class P-4 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive built by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1934. As of today, it resides at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, PA where it is undergoing restoration to operation condition for excursion service.
History[]
In 1934, the B&M purchased five new Pacific type engines numbers 3710-14. These engines contained several features that earned them the title of "Super Power" locomotives. After the purchase of another batch of Pacifics, Nos. 3715-19, in 1936, the railroad held a contest to give each engine a name. 3713 was given the name of "The Constitution".
3713 worked as a mainline passenger engine until the early 1950s, when it was replaced by newer diesels. It was fitted with special steam pipes and relegated to a role of de-icing snow and warming passenger cars till her final retirement by the Boston & Maine in July 1956. Before this it helped pull trains through flooded sections of track, likely in relation to the events of Hurricane Diane.
Before decommissioning, 3713 hauled the final steam-powered revenue passenger train from Boston, MA to Portland, ME on the April 22, 1956. After retirement, it was set aside.
In June 1958, F. Nelson Blount formally obtained the locomotive on behalf of Edaville Corporation, and it was put on display at numerous location in the Northeast until it reached its current residence at Steamtown in Scranton, PA. Between 1969 and 1985, the locomotive was leased for display at the Boston Museum of Science in Boston, MA.
Restoration[]
In 1990, a partnership was made with several organizations to bring 3713 back under steam. Progress has been slow, with funding being an issue and the museum being tied up with other restorations. As of January 2016, the engine and parts car are inside the roundhouse while the team figures out the future steps. When the restoration to operation is complete, 3713 will officially replace Canadian National 2-8-2 No. 3254 in excursion service as part of Steamtown's operating fleet.
Trivia[]
- Like the Baldwin-built R-1 4-8-2 'Mountains', 3713, along with nine other members of her class, were - in 1939 - given names as part of a contest in which schoolchildren get to pick the name of their choice. The winning name gets to be applied to the locomotive, along with the winner's name.
- 3713's name, "The Constitution", was selected by a then 14-year-old schoolboy named J. Schumann Moore - and for a good reason; the constitution has been the backbone of the United States since 1787.
- As built, 3713 was given French-style smoke deflectors like the R-1 Mountains, along with a skyline casing on the top of the boiler (which is not present on the R-1's). These modifications were removed sometime in the mid-1940's.
- According to the Trainz content website K&L Trainz's Boston & Maine P4 Pacific product page, 3713 was paired with 3714's tender in 1954, which is potentially the same tender it carries today.