United States Army 4039

Preserved American 0-6-0 locomotive

United States Army 4039

USATC N. 4039 awaiting restoration at Whipanny Train Museum

| Type and origin

Power type| Steam
Builder| American Locomotive Company
Serial number| 70421
Build date| November 1942
| Specifications

Configuration:
| ​
• Whyte| 0-6-0
Gauge| 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.| 44 in (1.118 m)
Fuel type| New: Coal
Now: Oil
Tender cap.| 8 tons coal 6,000 gallons water 1,500 gallons fuel oil
Boiler pressure| 190 psi (1.31 MPa)
Cylinders| Two, outside
| Career

Operators| United States Army
Virginia Blue Ridge Railway
Morris County Central Railroad
Class| S155
Numbers|

* USATC 4039
* VBR 5
* CCR 4039

Retired| August 1, 1963 (1st retirement)
December 14, 1980 (2nd retirement)
Restored| August 27, 1966 (1st restoration)
Current owner| Whippany Railway Museum
Disposition| Undergoing restoration to operating condition

United States Army Steam Locomotive No. 4039

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

New Jersey Register of Historic Places

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Location| 1 Railroad Plaza, 10 West and Whippany Road, Hanover Township, New Jersey
Coordinates| 40°49′23″N 74°24′41″W﻿ / ﻿40.82306°N 74.41139°W﻿ / 40.82306; -74.41139
Area| less than one acre
Built| 1942
Architect| American Locomotive Company
Architectural style| Steam locomotive
NRHP reference No.| 02000108[1]
NJRHP No.| 3947[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP| March 4, 2002
Designated NJRHP| December 20, 2001

United States Army 4039 is a preserved 0-6-0 "Switcher" type steam locomotive. Built in Novel 1942 for the U.S. Army, it was retired in 1963 and set aside for preservation. Sold to the Morris County Central Railroad in 1965, it hauled excursions until 1980 when her flue time expired. Sitting in storage for nearly 14 years, she was bought by the Whippany Railway Museum in 1994 to cosmetically restore the engine. In 2015, the museum officials expressed interests for restoring the engine to working order for use on local railroads. As of 2025, the engine is currently being restored to operational condition.

## History

[edit]

The locomotive was built by the American Locomotive Company in November 1942 for the U.S. War Department.[3] The locomotive is an S155 class 0-6-0 "Switching"-type built for Standard gauge track. The intended use of the locomotive was for U.S. military service in the Far East, Africa and Europe, but instead was used for switching operations for military bases within the United States during World War II.[4] After World War II the locomotive was no longer needed by the War Department and was sold to the Virginia Blue Ridge Railway on February 17, 1947.[3] The locomotive was used in freight operations until August 1, 1963 when it was retired from revenue service, after that, the Virginia Blue Ridge Railway made the change over to diesel locomotives.[4][3]

In 1965, the locomotive was sold to the Morris County Central Railroad were it was converted to burn oil and was restored on August 27, 1966 and used for passenger rail excursions.[3] The locomotive's last run was on December 14, 1980, between Newfoundland and Stockholm, New Jersey. The Whippany Railway Museum acquired the locomotive on May 7, 1994, and cosmetically restored it for static display. The Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders adopted a Resolution designating the locomotive "The Official Steam Locomotive of Morris County" on January 26, 1997.[4] As of 2024, the engine is currently undergoing restoration to operating condition where, when restored, it will run primarily on local area railroads.[4][3]

## See also

[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Morris County, New Jersey
* Southern Railway 385
* Duluth and Northeastern 29
* Tennessee Valley Railroad 610
* Wilmington and Western 58

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. ^ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Morris County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office. July 7, 2009. p. 19\. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 4, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
3. ^ a b c d e "Steam Locomotive No. 4039". Retrieved October 14, 2024.
4. ^ a b c d "Steam Locomotive No. 4039". Retrieved December 10, 2010.

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