W&W Second Locomotive #4

In 1916 the Waynesburg & Washington Railroad’s first 2-6-0 (Mogul wheel configuration), first number 4, had been in service for almost 27 years and was beginning to exhibit signs of very heavy use. The W&W officials then decided to once again contract with the American Locomotive Company, this time at their Cooke Works in Paterson, New Jersey, to build a new locomotive to replace first number 4. In May of 1916, second number 4, construction number 55847, was delivered. This locomotive went into freight service on June 17, 1916.

The locomotive plied the rails faithfully serving the W&W until the end of steam freight service on April 6, 1933, at which time all revenue service stopped. Later in the April month, the locomotive was transferred to the Pennsylvania Railroad’s (PRR) Canton, Ohio, shops for storage, where it remained until January of 1953. It was briefly under steam in August of 1936 for the Wheeling, West Virginia, Centennial celebration.

In January of 1953, number 4 was transferred to the PRR’s Northumberland, PA roundhouse for storage along with other PRR motive power. The locomotive remained at Northumberland until July of 1958 when it was taken to the PRR’s Juniata Shops for cosmetic restoration in advance of returning to Waynesburg, PA. Number 4 arrived in Waynesburg on August 14, 1958 and was displayed at the Greene County Fairgrounds until June 6, 1974, at which time it was moved to the Greene County Historical Society in Waynesburg, PA.

The locomotive was restored to operating condition during the late 1970’s. On August 1, 1978, it ran on steam for the first time since under steam in 1936 at Wheeling. The locomotive last operated under steam in October 1985. It is currently on static display at the museum.