Chesapeake and Ohio 1309

No. 1309 was built from a 40-year-old design, with mechanical lubricators, stoker, and superheater, the last of a series of 2-6-6-2s that the C&O began in 1911. A very similar design, the USRA 2-6-6-2, was chosen by the United States Railroad Administration as one of its standard designs thirty years earlier during World War I.[1]

The engine is a Mallet articulated locomotive. This design was a compound locomotive where steam was expanded once in smaller rear cylinders and the exhaust captured and expanded a second time in larger lower-pressure front cylinders. While compound locomotives are more efficient than single-expansion machines, their extra complication led to very few United States railroads using them after the turn of the century.[6] The added length of two sets of cylinders required the engines to be articulated to enable operation on tight radius turns common in mountainous areas in West Virginia and Kentucky coal country, which added even more complication. It also had two cross compound air compressors mounted on the smokebox door to supply enough air for frequent heavy braking needed in mountain railroading. While complicated and uncommon, the C&O had a long history with Mallets and they were ideal for slow speed work in West Virginia.[1]

The Chesapeake and Ohio ordered 25 of these engines in 1948 to pull coal trains. When coal production dramatically fell due to labor unrest in 1949, the order was revised to just ten engines (numbered 1300 to 1309), and 1309 became the last domestic steam locomotive built by Baldwin.[7]

The Western Maryland's restoration, which began in July 2014,[8] includes returning all parts to meet or exceed original specifications. The railroad claims the engine will be "better and more reliable than it was in 1949". The engine and tender were disassembled and then rebuilt with new parts where necessary. The engine's cab and floors were among the pieces replaced.[2]

In April 2016, Western Maryland Scenic Railroad No. 734, an ex-Lake Superior and Ishpeming 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type, was taken out of excursion service, as it was about due for a 1,472-day boiler inspection required by the Federal Railroad Administration.[9] Without a steam locomotive to operate or maintain, most of the railroad's money would be focused on 1309's proceeding restoration work.

In early January 2017, the railroad said the reassembly process at the shop in Ridgeley, West Virginia would begin that month and announced that the inaugural trip of the restored engine would be on July 1, 2017; it began selling tickets for the excursion.[8] That schedule was not met due to funding issues. The railroad had spent $800,000 but needed a matching grant of $400,000 from the state of Maryland to continue work.[10]

In August 2017, planned operation in November was further delayed until 2018 after corrosion was found on the locomotive's axles requiring additional work on the axles, wheel boxes, and crank pins.[11]

Restoration almost stopped in the fall of 2017 due to a lack of funding, although work on the wheels continued with donations.[11]

The railroad announced in November 2017 that restoration had stopped. $400,000 provided by the state of Maryland had been spent and the railroad estimated it would take at least $530,000 more to complete the restoration, including $120,000 for the running gear and $115,000 for the boiler. The railroad was soliciting donations from individuals, seeking additional grants, and raising money with "freight photo charters".[12]

In January 2018, Maryland state senator Wayne Norman proposed that Allegany County provide $530,000 to complete the restoration. The senator said there would be an economic benefit to the county in tourism, even drawing people from Europe and Asia. The county provides a $140,000 annual operating subsidy to the railroad, matched by $250,000 from the state of Maryland.[13]

In February 2018, the restoration project suffered another setback when the railroad learned that an employee had stolen parts, including bronze bearings and wear plates, and sold them for scrap at a salvage yard.[14] The thefts were discovered by the Allegany County Sheriff's Office after they were alerted by the scrap yard.[14] Stolen parts included 12 original crown brasses and 12 hub liners. The parts would have to be remade as they were damaged during removal.[15] The scrap yard had paid the employee a total of $14,662 for the parts,[16] some of which weighed 300 pounds (140 kg).[15] Formal charges have been filed against the employee.[15]

No. 1309 when it was test fired on December 31, 2020

In June 2018, the boiler passed a hydrostatic test required by the Federal Railroad Administration. The boiler was pressurized to 25% above its maximum operation pressure of 210 pounds per square inch (1,400 kPa).[17] Stationary test firings to check for boiler leaks occurred several months later.[18] The restoration had cost $1.8 million as of mid-2018, including $800,000 provided by the state of Maryland.[17] The Western Maryland Scenic General Manager estimated the final cost will be $2.4 million.[19]

In September 2019, the project was again halted due to a lack of funds shortly after the front drivers were attached to the engine.[20] The railroad said it would no longer make estimates of when the restoration will be complete.[21] The total spent on the project was at $2.8 million.[22]

In February 2020, a new Crowdfunding campaign has been announced to try and raise the remaining $390,000 needed to finish the restoration. Once the money is raised, the organizers claim the restoration can be completed in six months.[22] In early May 2020, restoration work resumed. A successful fund raising effort promoted by Trains Magazine raised over $100,000.00 to get the work started again. The WMSR estimates they are still around $200,000.00 short of completing the work and developing a fund to cover initial operating expenses and facilities for fuel, water, and ash removal to name a few items.[23]

On December 31, 2020, the restoration has finally been completed and the locomotive moved under its own power for the first time in 64 years as part of a series of test runs to return it to operating condition.[24]