WABASH STEAM LOCOMOTIVE NO. 534

LAKE ERIE & FORT WAYNE NO. 1

The Wabash Railroad scrapped every steam locomotive it ever owned — except for two. One of them is Wabash No. 534, a modest yet historically significant switch engine that escaped extinction by a thread.

For much of her career, No. 534 quietly shuttled cars between Grand Street Station and various terminals along the Wabash network. In her final working years, she was sold to the Lake Erie & Fort Wayne Railroad, renumbered as Engine No. 1, and reassigned to serve the steel mills along Taylor Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

As the steam era waned, a group of local railroaders moved quickly to preserve the engine, recognizing the value of the sturdy little switcher. In a rare act of foresight, they ensured its survival, placing it on public display in Swinney Park — an uncommon act for a railroad known for its sweeping erasure of steam history.

In 1984, No. 534 was formally donated to the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society and moved to its current home in New Haven. Since 2016, the engine has been the subject of periodic stabilization and evaluation efforts. In 2021, a complete ultrasound survey was conducted to assess the viability of a full restoration.

Wabash No. 534 remains one of the oldest surviving steam locomotives in the State of Indiana. A complete operational restoration is currently estimated at $1.6 million.

As of 2025, the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has begun a comprehensive inventory and assessment of the engine’s mechanical systems, components, and remaining hardware. This work will inform a future decision on the scope and direction of restoration — whether cosmetic or fully operational.

While No. 534’s historical significance is unquestioned, practical limitations may shape her future role. Designed as a yard switcher, the locomotive was never intended for long-distance or mainline service. As such, it may be underpowered and ill-suited for even the organization’s lighter seasonal passenger excursions. With limited horsepower and tender capacity, No. 534 would struggle on longer routes or steeper grades.

However, her compact size, straightforward construction, and unique provenance make her an excellent candidate for a different kind of legacy. As a hands-on teaching tool, No. 534 offers an equitable and approachable platform for training new generations in the fundamentals of steam locomotive maintenance, preservation, and operation.

Nonetheless, the groundwork being laid today ensures that No. 534’s future—whether as a display piece, educational tool, or even a potential short-line locomotive—will rest on a well-informed foundation, guided by stewardship, historical significance, and the growing interest of a new generation of preservationists.

However, no restoration effort can proceed without meaningful financial backing or a dedicated sponsor, and as of now, no donors have stepped forward to underwrite the project. Until that support materializes, No. 534’s future remains one of possibility rather than planning.

The only other surviving Wabash steam locomotive is No. 573, preserved at the National Museum of Transportation near St. Louis.