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Steam Locomotive No. 4039 was built November 1942 for
the U.S. War Department by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of
Schenectady, NY (ALCO Construction No. 70421; Corps of Engineers
Spec. No. T-1560; Purchase Order No. DA1873). Eighty (Nos.
4000-4079) nearly identical "060-155"-class locomotives were
constructed. Their intended purpose was for U.S. military service in
the Far East, Africa and Europe during World War II. However, upon
delivery to the Army all of the engines were instead used to switch
various stateside military bases throughout the duration of the war.
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Principal dimensions are as follows:
| Overall Length:
| 60'7" |
| Boiler Pressure:
| 190 lbs psi |
| Engine & Tender Weight in Working
Order:
| 270,500 lbs |
| Driving Wheel Diameter:
| 44" |
| Tender Capacity:
| 8 tons coal
6,000 gallons water
1,5000
gallons fuel oil |
(Note:
Locomotive was converted from coal-burning to oil firing in 1966.
The conversion was not unusual since several of these Army
locomotives were originally fitted with oil-firing systems when
built.)
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| No. 4039 is known as an 0-6-0
"Switching"-type locomotive by the railroad industry. Built for
Standard Gauge (4'8-1/2") track, the 4000-series locomotives were
designed as a move to standardize parts and interchangeability of
equipment. These locomotives were apparently based on a United
States Railroad Administration design dating from World War I. |
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With America's entry into the Second World
War, the design was updated to include front-mounted air pumps and a
weight of about four tons less than the 1917-1918 version due to
lighter materials used. The 4000-series engines were powerful little
machines and were capable of high rates of acceleration. Of the
eighty engines assembled for the war effort, the first forty-three
were built by ALCO in late 1942. |
| Two years later, thirty-seven more were built
by the Lima Locomotive Works of Lima, Ohio. No. 4039 is from the
original batch constructed by ALCO. |
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During WWII, in the midst of a vast war
production, the men and women of the American Locomotive Company
produced 7,362 Army tanks, tank destroyers, shells, bombs, gun
carriages, gun mounts and 4,488 locomotives. Employment increased
three-fold to over 15,000 people by 1945. |
| No. 4039's Army service is, unfortunately,
sketchy at best, since most of the information on where these
particular locomotives were assigned, etc., was destroyed during the
1960's by the War Assets Administration. Many of the engines were
declared surplus in 1946, and several wound up in Norway, but never
operated there... instead, they were broken up for parts. Several
more operated in Army training status at the Fort Eustis (VA)
Military Railroad during the 1950's. |
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A few, like No. 4039, were eventually sold to
various industrial and shortline railroads, including New Jersey's
own Raritan River Rail Road, which wound up purchasing 7 of the
military veterans. |
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On February 17, 1947, the War Assets
Administration sold No. 4039 as war surplus material to the Virginia
Blue Ridge Railway (VBR) of Piney River, VA, where it was used in
freight service until the early 1960's. |
| For the next 15 years, 4039, by now
renumbered "5", hauled freight out of Piney River to the Southern
Railway connection at Tye River, VA. Throughout the late 1950's and
early 1960's, the former 4039 and its VBR stablemates became famous
for being amongst the last remaining standard gauge steam
locomotives in regular revenue freight operation in the continental
United States. The locomotive was officially retired on August 1,
1963 when the VBR made the change over to diesel locomotives. |
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In late 1965 the VBR sold No. 5 (4039) to the
Morris County Central Railroad (MCC), which was operating passenger
rail excursions from Whippany, NJ. The engine was shipped to
Morristown, NJ for a mechanical restoration that was completed in
the Spring of 1966. |
| It was at this time that the locomotive was
renumberd to its original "4039", as well as being converted to an
oil firing system. Soon afterwards the engine regularly powered
excursions out of Whippany and later, Newfoundland, NJ. |
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From 1966 through the end of 1980, No. 4039
wore the Morris County Central name on her tender and this is
the service she is most remembered for. The locomotive was a
favorite of engine crews and had an excellent reputation for
reliability and operability. |
| No. 4039 handled the MCC's last passenger run
from Newfoundland to Stockholm, NJ and return on December 14, 1980.
It was the last regularly scheduled steam-powered passenger train to
operate in Morris County, as well as in northern New Jersey. The
engine was then withdrawn from service and has not operated since.
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Over the next decade, No. 4039 was stored in
the former MCC Newfoundland enginehouse while its ownership changed
several times. |
| In October 1991, the locomotive was acquired
by a private collector, and this time it was shipped to Honesdale,
PA where the new owner planned to restore the engine to operation.
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Through a series of events, the Whippany
Railway Museum acquired No. 4039 on May 7, 1994.
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| On May 11, 1996 the Museum successfully
brought the engine back to New Jersey where it was cosmetically
restored and placed on public view at the Museum site. |
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On January 26, 1997 the Morris County Board
of Chosen Freeholders adopted a Resolution designating Steam
Locomotive No. 4039 as "The Official Steam Locomotive of Morris
County." In December 2001, No. 4039 was entered into the New
Jersey Register of Historic Places, and in March 2002, the
locomotive was listed on the National Register of Historic
Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
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| The Museum's ultimate goal is the preserve
and rehabilitate to operating condition this Steam Locomotive that
is historic to the region and one of the few remaining in North
America. Once restored to operation it will run primarily on local
area railroads. Additionally, it will also be available to other
organizations throughout the State to promote historic preservation,
education and appreciation of various modes of transportation. |
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No. 4039 has the potential to preserve our
State's rich transportation heritage through an active,
interpretive, mobile display (the steam locomotive) that will
attract very favorable attention and greatly enhance the experience
of those visitors who come into contact with this survivor of a
bygone era. |
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