Valley Railroad 97

Valley Railroad 97
No. 97 preparing to haul an excursion train on November 26, 2021
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder American Locomotive Company (Cooke Works) Serial number 65188 Build date February 1926
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-0  • UIC 1’D’ Gauge 4 ft 81/2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia. 28 in (711 mm) Driver dia. 48 in (1,219 mm) Width 10 ft (3 m) Axle load 30,500 Ib (13.830 kg: 13.83 t) Adhesive weight 122,000 Ib (55,340 kg: 55.34 t) Loco weight 141,000 Ib (63,960 kg: 63.96 t) Tender weight 132,000 Ib (59.870 kg: 59,87 t) Total weight 273,000 Ib (123,800 kg: 123.8 t) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 20,000 Ib (9,072 kg: 9,072 t) Water cap. 6,000 US gal (23,000 I: 5,000 imp gal) Boiler pressure 180 Ibf/in2 (1.24 MPa) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 19 in x 26 in (483 mm x 660 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures Maximum speed 55 mph (88.51 km/h) Tractive effort 29.918 Ibf (133.1 kN) Factor of adh. 4.08
Career Operators Birmingham and Southeastern Railroad Vermont Railway New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Essex Steam Train and Riverboat Class 200 Numbers B&S 200 VTR 97 CVRR 97 Retired 1958 (1st retirement) 1968 (2nd retirement) Restored 1964 (1st restoration) 1973 (2nd restoration) Current owner Essex Steam Train and Riverboat Disposition Operational
References:[1][2][3]

Valley Railroad 97 is a preserved class "200" 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive that was built in February 1926 by the American Locomotive Company's Cooke Works.

No. 97 was built by the American Locomotive Company's former Cooke Locomotive Works in February 1926 as No. 200.^{[3][4][1][5][2]} It was one of two locomotives that were intended to be exported to Cuba for use on the National Railway Company of Cuba.^[6] No. 200 was subsequently sold to the Birmingham and Southeastern Railroad that same year and it was moved to the company's shortline in Alabama.^[3] The locomotive pulled multiple passenger and freight trains on Birmingham and Southeastern trackage until it's retirement from revenue service in 1958.^[1]

In 1963, New York publisher Stephen D. Bogen, purchased No. 200 to haul tourists trains and moved it to the Vermont Railway, it was also renumbered to No. 97 to avoid conflict with the railroad’s diesel locomotive No. 200.^[3][6] No. 97 pulled mainline excursion trains on portions of the New Haven Railroad until it merged with the Penn Central Railroad in 1968.^[3][6] No. 97 was eventually moved to Essex, Connecticut in 1970 to haul tourists trains, it was eventually refurbished and placed into service hauling excursions for the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat in 1973.^[1] Shortly afterward, No. 97 would replace 2-6-2 locomotive No. 103 as the Valley Railroad’s train consist expanded.

No. 97 ran until December 2010, when its flue time expired, and while being displayed outdoors, the locomotive underwent its 1,472-day inspection and overhaul as required by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), but was soon back in service on October 26, 2018.^[1]

In June 2007, No. 97 was coupled to some passenger cars to be filmed at Essex station. This was for the 2008 film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, starring Harrison Ford and directed by Steven Spielberg.^[7]

• 
  New Haven RS-3 534, RDCS, RS-3s, and No. 97 at Danbury, CT on July 28, 1968
• 
  No. 97 in Essex, December 2004
• 
  No. 97 on static display in September 2011
• 
  No. 97 on static display in September 2013

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