Steam & Excursion > Question about the Western Maryland Railway "Potomac's"

The Western Maryland Railway Company purchased 12 new 4-8-4 steam locomotives from the Baldwin Locomotive Co. of Philadelphia and they were delivered in 1947.  They were immediately put into service and they only operated seven years before they were retired in 1954 as the WM began to use diesels.  The WM put the steam engines into storage for 3 more years, then they sold all 12 for scrap in 1957.  Since the Pennsylvania R.R. leased additional steam engines in 1956 from the Reading R.R., I am wondering if the WM tried to either lease these "Potomac's" or sell them to the Pennsy or another line rather than scrap them since they were only used for 7 years?   I would appreciate any information that you may have.
John

John,

I can't help you with your question but I would certainly recommend you contact the Western Maryland Historical Society. A friendly, knowledgeable bunch there. They may hand your question off to a particular member so you may not get an immediate answer but I bet you get an accurate one. Good Luck!

I sure wish that at one of these locomotives had been saved.  I am enclosing the builder's plate from WM #1412 the last one built.  These locomotives were hardly broken in when they were retired.  At least the WM saved many of the plates from their locomotives and gave them out as presentation pieces.

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WM's J1's were impressive engines that seemed to toil in obscurity.  We don't really hear much about them.  That's a shame, because my sense of it is, that they were engines that would acquit themselves nobly, in comparison with a lot of other 4-8-4's of that era.

Bob Callahan
Monticello, IN

Here's the rest of WM 1412 - Bruce Fales photo, Louis Marre collection, Williamsport Grade west of the Conocochbue Back Creek
Bridge on August 31, 1947.  Three months old and barely dirty.

Gordon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/16 13:49 by gbmott.

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Got to love a high headlght on a Northern.  According to DPM of Trains mag their only flaw was a "weak looking ipilot"
 

how about the bell location?

For some reason I think I remembering that the WM wasn't totally happy with them.   But then I'm old so you can't go by that.

Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For some reason I think I remembering that the WM
> wasn't totally happy with them.   But then I'm
> old so you can't go by that.

Don.   You may be thinking of the Challengers that the WM had. Those were not successful at all, in fact the WM Chief Engineer/Mechanical Officer killed himself as a result of the failures of "his locomotive".

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Frisco1522 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > For some reason I think I remembering that the
> WM
> > wasn't totally happy with them.   But then
> I'm
> > old so you can't go by that.
>
> Don.   You may be thinking of the Challengers
> that the WM had. Those were not successful at all,
> in fact the WM Chief Engineer/Mechanical Officer
> killed himself as a result of the failures of "his
> locomotive".

That's the story I have always heard as well, but does anyone know exactly what the problem with the Challengers was? 

Gordon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/16 18:56 by gbmott.

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Frisco1522 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > For some reason I think I remembering that the
> WM
> > wasn't totally happy with them.   But then
> I'm
> > old so you can't go by that.
>
> Don.   You may be thinking of the Challengers
> that the WM had. Those were not successful at all,
> in fact the WM Chief Engineer/Mechanical Officer
> killed himself as a result of the failures of "his
> locomotive".
​I too have heard the same story about the Challengers; however according to an old Western Maryland man that I knew, he stated that the Potomac's were well liked by the engineers.  It was only because the diesel engines were so much more efficient, less maintenance and costs to operate, that the Potomac's were retired.  He did not know the answer to my question as to why they were sent to the scrap yard so soon, and this is why I put this question on here for all of you to answer.  Thanks for all the answers so far.
John