Chesapeake & Ohio No. 2716

Chesapeake & Ohio No. 2716
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Alco
Build date	1943
Wheel arrangement	2-8-4
Rail gauge	Standard gauge
Fuel type	Coal

Chesapeake and Ohio No. 2716 is a 2-8-4 "Kanawha" (Kanawha in C&O's terms) built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO).

History

No. 2716 was built for the C&O by ALCO in 1943. The engine itself along with the other C&O 2-8-4s, was in dual service, hauling fast freights and frequently deputizing on passenger trains prior to the onslaught of diesels. No. 2716 was rostered on the last C&O steam assignment in January 1957, and was then retired immediately after, parked at the railroad terminal at Russell, Kentucky awaiting the final fate. In 1959, it was cosmetically refurbished and placed on display at the Kentucky Railroad Museum. In 1979 it was almost operated by the Clinchfield Railroad for their steam program, but the program ended before it could be restored when the Seaboard Air Line purchased the railroad.

However, in 1981, the Southern railroad leased it for their steam program, and it was changed to a Southern railroad design with major changes although the Southern never owned a 2-8-4, it operated there for 2 years until it was found its firebox was cracking, it was replaced by Nickel Plate Road No. 765, and was taken to the Norfolk Southern for their steam program till it ended in 1994, but it was kept in storage mainly because of favor of N&W locomotives 611 and 1218. No. 2716 was then leased by the Fort Wayne Historical Society but it wasn't used too long because of new regulations that required to give it new flues and boiler tubes; however they had to choose whether to rebuild C&O 2716 or NKP 765, and the latter was selected, and it was returned to the KRM where it was placed under a shelter.

On February 7, 2016, Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp announced that they had signed a lease with KRM to possess 2716, with a goal to restore and operate it by 2020. During the dates of July 26–28, she was moved from KRM to the Kentucky Rail Heritage Center via CSX & RJ Corman trackage, being moved at 25 mph with a short stretch of being towed at 50 mph around Shepherdsville, KY. On July 31, it was pushed into the restoration shops of Kentucky Steam where it is awaiting the major restoration work to begin.

During Christmas Day 2021, an announcement was made that if restored, the Kanawha would travel all the way to Thomaston Connecticut at the Naugatuck Railroad as well as the Railroad Museum of New England which would mark the first time for over half a century since a mainline Steam Giant has ever pulled an excursion in New England after Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 Berkshire Number 759 visited the region during it's excursion service.

See also

• Gallery