Reading Railroad No. 2100 is a 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive, originally built as No. 2045, an I10sa 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type locomotive, by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in May 1923, and rebuilt to its present form at the Reading Shops in 1945. As such, 2100 became the first T-1 in service, as well as the prototype T-1 that was built.
The locomotive was used for freight service on the Reading Railroad until 1956, when it was retired from service and put in storage. After subsequent reactivation for excursion service, it was sold in 1965 to Streigel Equipment & Supply. Resold in 1975 to Ross Rowland, it was moved to the Hagerstown, MD roundhouse (Western Maryland Railroad), and used as a parts source for twin No. 2101.
Since its rescue in 1975, 2100 changed ownership on numerous occasions and ran infrequently in Maryland, Ohio, and later in Canada. After a fuel conversion from burning coal to burning oil, 2100 was transported to Tacoma, Washington where it operated in limited excursion service for a short-lived shortline railroad called the Golden Pacific Railroad until withdrawal in 2008. This premature retirement was due to poor steaming as a result of conversion to oil firing, as 2100 was originally built to burn anthracite coal. Because of this, the boiler pressure often dropped drastically, weakening the locomotive's performance.
2100 has since now transported to the B&O Roundhouse in Cleveland, Ohio in 2015 and is under restoration to operating condition. During the restoration, 2100 is also being converted from burning oil back to burning anthracite coal. As of 2022, the restoration is hoped to be completed sometime in 2024.
Trivia[]
- The locomotive pulled Iron Horse Rambles excursions from 1959-1964.
- On October 1962, the locomotive double-headed a passenger train with Reading No. 2102 for the Reading Iron Horse Rambles.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Reading 2100, September 1964 (22457253911).jpg (68 KB)")
