Rail Locomotive No. 220
Encyclopedia
Rail Locomotive No. 220 is an exhibition building at Shelburne Museum
in Shelburne, Vermont
.
of Schenectady, New York
built the Rail Locomotive No. 220, the last coal-burning, ten-wheeler steam engine used on the Central Vermont Railway
. Because it possessed a medium-sized 4-6-0 engine (4 leading wheels, 6 driving wheels, and 0 trailing small wheels), the No. 220 served double duty pulling both freight and passenger trains. No. 220 became known as the “Locomotive of the Presidents” because of its use on special trains carrying Calvin Coolidge
, Herbert Hoover
, Franklin D. Roosevelt
, and Dwight D. Eisenhower
.
The steam engine
persisted as the only type of locomotive operating in the United States until the introduction of the electric train in 1895 and, even then, steam engines continued to dominate the rails until the 1950s when diesel came into wide use. The inscription, “28%,” on the coal tender indicates that the engine had the potential to lift or drag up to twenty-eight thousand pounds of dead weight. The Central Vermont Railway
retired No. 220 from service in 1956 and presented it to the Museum for preservation. The museum built the surrounding shed soon afterward to protect the locomotive and the private car (see Rail Car Grand Isle
) from the elements.
Shelburne Museum
Shelburne Museum is a museum of art and Americana located in Shelburne, Vermont, United States. Over 150,000 works are exhibited in 39 exhibition buildings, 25 of which are historic and were relocated to the Museum grounds...
in Shelburne, Vermont
Shelburne, Vermont
Shelburne is a town in southwestern Chittenden County, Vermont, United States, along the shores of Lake Champlain. The population was 7,144 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.
Background
In 1915 the American Locomotive CompanyAmerican Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
of Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
built the Rail Locomotive No. 220, the last coal-burning, ten-wheeler steam engine used on the Central Vermont Railway
Central Vermont Railway
The Central Vermont Railway was a railroad that operated in the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, as well as the Canadian province of Quebec....
. Because it possessed a medium-sized 4-6-0 engine (4 leading wheels, 6 driving wheels, and 0 trailing small wheels), the No. 220 served double duty pulling both freight and passenger trains. No. 220 became known as the “Locomotive of the Presidents” because of its use on special trains carrying Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
, Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
, Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, and Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
.
The steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
persisted as the only type of locomotive operating in the United States until the introduction of the electric train in 1895 and, even then, steam engines continued to dominate the rails until the 1950s when diesel came into wide use. The inscription, “28%,” on the coal tender indicates that the engine had the potential to lift or drag up to twenty-eight thousand pounds of dead weight. The Central Vermont Railway
Central Vermont Railway
The Central Vermont Railway was a railroad that operated in the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, as well as the Canadian province of Quebec....
retired No. 220 from service in 1956 and presented it to the Museum for preservation. The museum built the surrounding shed soon afterward to protect the locomotive and the private car (see Rail Car Grand Isle
Rail Car Grand Isle
The Rail Car "Grand Isle" is an exhibition building at Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont.-History:The Wagner Palace Car Company fabricated the rail car "Grand Isle" about 1890 as a gift, presented by Dr. William Seward Webb, president of the company, to Vermont Governor Edward C. Smith...
) from the elements.
See also
- Shelburne MuseumShelburne MuseumShelburne Museum is a museum of art and Americana located in Shelburne, Vermont, United States. Over 150,000 works are exhibited in 39 exhibition buildings, 25 of which are historic and were relocated to the Museum grounds...
- Rail Car Grand IsleRail Car Grand IsleThe Rail Car "Grand Isle" is an exhibition building at Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont.-History:The Wagner Palace Car Company fabricated the rail car "Grand Isle" about 1890 as a gift, presented by Dr. William Seward Webb, president of the company, to Vermont Governor Edward C. Smith...
- Shelburne Railroad Station and Freight ShedShelburne Railroad Station and Freight ShedThe Shelburne Railroad Station and Freight Shed are two exhibit buildings at Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont.In 1890 Rutland Railroad Station President Dr...
- Shelburne Museum