Western Maryland Scenic Railroad No. 734, also known as Mountain Thunder, is an SC-1 class 2-8-0 “Consolidation” type steam locomotive originally built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1916 for the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad (LS&I) as No. 18. It was renumbered to 34 in 1925. No. 34 was used to pull heavy iron ore trains for the LS&I, until it was retired in 1961. The locomotive was subsequently sold to the Marquette and Huron Mountain Railroad, where it was stored in a sideline alongside other LS&I steam locomotives. In 1971, No. 34 was sold to the Illinois Railway Museum for static display.
Quick Facts Type and origin, Power type ...
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 734 |
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Specifications |
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Configuration:
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• Whyte | 2-8-0 |
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• UIC | 1'D'l |
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Gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
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Driver dia. | 50 in (1,270 mm) |
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Loco weight | 270,000 lb (120,000 kg) |
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Fuel type | Coal |
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Fuel capacity | New: 12 t (12 long tons; 13 short tons) Now: 18 t (18 long tons; 20 short tons) |
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Water cap. | New: 9,500 US gal (36,000 L; 7,900 imp gal) Now: 18,000 US gal (68,000 L; 15,000 imp gal) |
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Boiler:
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• Diameter | 88 in (2,200 mm) |
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Boiler pressure | 200 lb/in2 (14 kg/cm2) |
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Cylinders | Two, Outside |
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Cylinder size | 26 in × 30 in (660 mm × 760 mm) |
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Valve gear | Baker |
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Performance figures |
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Tractive effort | New: 55,900 lb (25,400 kg) Now: 60,484 lb (27,435 kg) |
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Close
In 1992, No. 34 was acquired by the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR), who renumbered it to 734 and cosmetically altered it to resemble a Western Maryland (WM) 2-8-0. For the next twenty-three years, No. 734 pulled the WMSR’s tourist excursion trains and photo charter trains between Cumberland and Frostburg, Maryland. Since 2016, No. 734 has remained out of service for a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)-mandated rebuild, and the WMSR set the restoration of former Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) 2-6-6-2 No. 1309 as a higher priority. As of 2024, the WMSR is raising funds to perform an extensive rebuild on No. 734.