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Steam & Excursion > Public Debut of B & LE 643 @ Age of Steam Roundhouse on 3/29Date: 02/20/25 17:13 Public Debut of B & LE 643 @ Age of Steam Roundhouse on 3/29 Author: RuleG The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum in Sugarcreek, Ohio has completed a cosmetic restoration of Bessemer & Lake Erie 2-10-4, 643. The first public viewing will be on March 29, 2025. This is wonderful news! Additional information can be found in this Trains.com Newswire article:
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/age-of-steam-roundhouse-museum-to-debut-bessemer-lake-erie-2-10-4 Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/25 18:23 by RuleG. Date: 02/20/25 17:51 Re: Public Debut of B & LE 643 @ Age of Steam Roundhouse on 3/29 Author: HotWater WOW! That is truly a beautiful cosmetic restoration. VERY impressive, and congratulations to the shop crew.
Date: 02/20/25 19:52 Re: Public Debut of B & LE 643 @ Age of Steam Roundhouse on 3/29 Author: Frisco1522 They sure did a great job of restoring her. Considering the boiler was removed for transport, she is beautiful now.
Date: 02/21/25 12:48 Re: Public Debut of B & LE 643 @ Age of Steam Roundhouse on 3/29 Author: Txhighballer The 643 is one BEAST of a locomotive!
Date: 02/21/25 14:55 Re: Public Debut of B & LE 643 @ Age of Steam Roundhouse on 3/29 Author: MaryMcPherson It's easy to forget that the B&LE locomotives were copies of a pre-existing design; in this case the M-4 class "Colorado" type of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. Here are three images of "Q" examples of this design, presenting the locomotives after they were upgraded and reclassed M-4a. There are some notable differences between the two including Baker valve gear on the "Q" engines. Also, the Elesco feedwater heater on the 6312 is an obvious difference. #6320 on the other hand, likely has a Worthington model.
1. #6320 at an unknown location in the fifties; photographer unknown. 2. #6312 bangs across the Missouri - Illinois diamond at Centralia, Illinois, in November, 1956. Photo by Mike Haper. 3. #6312 is serviced at Centralia in March of 1957. Photo by Mike Haper. I remember seeing a news photo in Trains Magazine years ago where #643's restoration had reached a point where the locomotive was being test-fired. Not much was heard after that as the restoration project came to nothing. Mary McPherson Dongola, IL Diverging Clear Productions Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/25 15:09 by MaryMcPherson.    Date: 02/21/25 15:07 Re: Public Debut of B & LE 643 @ Age of Steam Roundhouse on 3/29 Author: HotWater The Burlington M4 class 2-10-4s were all rebuilt and re-balanced in order to achieve higher speeds, i.e. 55MPH. Half were equipped with the Elesco Feedwater system, and the other half equipped with Worthington BL Feedwater systems. Both the DM&IR and B&LE 2-10-4s were two injector equipped locomotives, i.e. no Feedwater systems.
Date: 02/22/25 13:06 Re: Public Debut of B & LE 643 @ Age of Steam Roundhouse on 3/29 Author: MontourMan The B&LE 643 is equipped with the Elesco Exhaust steam injector.
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