SSW 819



The St. Louis Southwestern #819 is a preserved and scrapped 4-8-4.

About
The engine was built in 1943 by the railroad's Pine Bluff Shops. It was one of the last steam engines to be built on the "Cotton Belt Route", and the last to be retired (1955). The engine was donated to Pine Bluff, Arkansas as a token of the SSW's appreciation towards the city.

In 1983, after years of display, the engine returned to the Cotton Belt shops to be restored. It was successful, and in 1986 the engine left the shop for excursions.

In 2001, the engine was once again retired for scrapping. Sadly in 2006, ownership of the Cotton Belt shops changed and the new owners evicted Union Pacific and Cotton Belt from the roundhouse with very short notice. Unable to move Cotton Belt 4-8-4 Northern #819, the C&WI illegally sold both locomotives to a local scrapyard. During the move to the scrap yard, No. 819 derailed on a switch. Not wanting to spend the time and money to re-rail it, the scrap yard cut up No. 819. after successfully made it into the scrapyard. Thanfully, The tender was now still exists it is now part of the Steamtown National Historic Site collection. It is the largest extant single piece of a Cotton Belt 4-8-4 Northern-type Locomotive.