Serial Number: N/A
Builder: ALCO
Type: B7
Wheel arrangement: 0-6-0
Height: 14ft
Weight: 125.17
Length: 57ft
Horsepower:1750
Maximum Speed: N/A
Fuel: Bituminous coal
WABASH STEAM LOCOMOTIVE NO. 534
LAKE ERIE & FORT WAYNE NO. 1
The Wabash Railroad scrapped every steam locomotive it ever owned - except for two: Wabash no. 534 is one of them.
While she simmered and shuttled away between Grand Street Station and other terminals on the Wabash throughout her career, no. 534 spent its last few years serving the steel mills on Taylor Street after being sold to the Lake Erie & Fort Wayne Railroad and renumbered as engine no 1. As the steam era ended, a group of area railroaders moved quickly to designate the charming switcher for preservation in Swinney Park.
In 1984, it was donated to the Fort Wayne Railroad and moved to New Haven. Since 2016, the engine has been the subject of periodic work to stabilize it and evaluate it for future restoration and ultrasound survey work was completed in 2021. A restoration to operation is estimated to cost $1.4 million dollars.
No. 534 is one of the oldest steam locomotives in the State of Indiana. The other remaining Wabash steam locomotive is no. 573, on display at the National Museum of Transportation near St. Louis.
Interest in "The One Spot" was renewed when the railroad historical society's youngest volunteers took an interest in stabilizing the locomotive and performing light cosmetic work.
MAKE A DONATIONSTATS
TIMELINE
Built: 1906
Renumbered: 1952
Retired: March 1957
Donated: 1984
Restoration: Pending