Large Scale Central

Prototype Porter

I got to check out this Porter at the Railroad Museum of Long Island this past weekend. Pretty cool…

Interesting that it appears to be on rollers. I wonder if it was animated at one tome.

Jon,

Here’s the rest of the story…

NARROW GAUGE H.K. PORTER

On October 10th, 1999, the Railroad Museum took possession of a narrow gauge 0-4-0T type steam locomotive, built by H.K. Porter.

The #1 was built by the H.K. Porter Locomotive works in 1921 for the Defiance Coal Company in Mentmore, New Mexico. A 40" gauge railroad was operated between their two mines and the coal tipple at Mentmore, a distance of about 1 3/4 miles by rail. Coal was loaded in small jennies, called “pit cars” from the mine entrance to the coal tipple. The coal company closed in 1952, with the last run by rail taking place on March 28th of that year.

After the mine ceased operations, it was purchased by Dr. Stanley Groman, who had it shipped during January 1953 to Sandy Pond in Sandy Creek Township in upstate New York. This site became one of the first operating rail Museums in the country.

Known as Rail City, the operation continued until its closure on October 13, 1974. Due to its 40 inch gauge, the #1 was just a static display.

After Rail City closed, the engine sat idle until John Degan of Southampton, NY came upon the engine and purchased it from Dr. Groman’s estate in the Fall of 1982. Mr. Degan began restoration of the locomotive to operating condition, changed the saddle water tank to two side saddle water tanks, and placed it on a flatbed trailer equipped with rollers. In this manner, the locomotive could be transported over the road to different events and parades across Long Island. It could then be fired up and the drivers could turn around on the trailer. When not on display, the engine was stored in Southampton.

Completing several months of negotiations, the #1 was donated to RMLI during Columbus Day weekend of 1999. In addition to the locomotive, RMLI also received two of the “pit cars” that the engine originally hauled in New Mexico which are currently awaiting restoration.

The locomotive is currently not operable, but when updated to current standards it could be fired up and run on its rollers as before

Jon Radder said:

Interesting that it appears to be on rollers. I wonder if it was animated at one tome.

It appears that there is a air line running up to it, so maybe it is (was)…

That is a pretty cool porter and pretty neat that it was towed around on a trailer.

Imagine that loco in a parade with the bell clanging and the whistle shrieking!

Nice way to promote steam trains.

Here are some more detail pictures I took, if you are interested…