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Engine 13

Rahway Valley Railroad #13

Type: 2-8-0 Consolidation
Builder: Baldwin Locomotive Works
Construction #: 26355
Year Built: 09/1905
Drivers: 50"
Cylinders: 20" x 26"
Weight: 74 tons
Tractive Effort: 35,400 lbs.
Notes: Ex - Lehigh & New England RR #19
Sold to Georgia Car & Locomotive Co. #619 05/1928
Purchased 06/1928 for $6,823.02
Retired circa 1951
Scrapped 03/1955

13


Engine #13 in Kenilworth. June 26, 1949.
Collection of Thurlow C. Haunton, Jr.

 
#13 roars over the Rahway River Trestle and into Springfield.

Wm. Wyer & Co.
Report on Rahway Valley Railroad
August 1944


13

Builder Baldwin
Date Built 1905
Tractive Power, lbs. 35,400
Steam Pressure 200 lbs.
Cylinders 20" x 26"
Driving Wheels 44" C, 3" tire
Engine Truck Wheels 29"
Reverse Gear Hand
Tender Capacity, Water 5,000 gals.
Tender Capacity, Coal 8 tons
Total Weight of Locomotive 146,000 lbs.
Former Owner L&NE
Date Acquired by Rahway Valley 1928

The Rahway Valley Railroad's #13 was built for the Lehigh & New England Railroad by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. Baldwin constructed the locomotive in September, 1905 and was numbered as the L&NE's #19, a member of the L&NE's E-7 class. The other members were L&NE #18 (which was sold to the Bellefonte Central, and later became #15 of the Coudersport & Port Allegany) and L&NE #20 (which became Rahway Valley #14 ).

L&NE #19 was sold to locomotive rebuilder Georgia Car & Locomotive (#619) in May of 1928 which subsequently sold the engine the following month to the Rahway Valley Railroad. The locomotive then became the RVRR's #13. Sister L&NE #20, which became #14, came to the Rahway Valley Railroad the following year.

#13 and 14 were the workhorses on the line, and #15 (added to the roster in 1937) served simply as a backup to them. The two consolidations became the symbol of the Rahway Valley, and #13 worked reliably on the railroad for many, many years.

#13 finally lost out to new diesel power on January 29, 1951 when #16 arrived on the line. #14 was scrapped that year, but #13 and 15 were kept in reserve for the day that the diesel would be down for repairs. Occasionally traffic was great enough that the diesel and a steam locomotive would work together on the same day. #13 saw it's demise come when it was scrapped in circa 1952 after 47 years of faithful service.

#13 in Kenilworth. Collection of Jeff Jargosch.


Click here to see a film clip of #13 crossing Liberty Ave.
In color! circa 1950's.
Collection of Jeff Jargosch.

Click here to see a film clip of #13 approaching the DL&W in Summit. In color! circa 1950's.
Collection of Jeff Jargosch.

Click here to see a film clip of #13 crossing W. Webster Ave. in Roselle Park. In color! circa 1950's.
Collection of Jeff Jargosch.

 

Baldwin Builder's Photo of L&NE #19. 1905.

L&NE 19, before she became RV #13 in 1928. Collection of Jeff Jargosch.

#13 steaming at Aldene. 2/1932. Collection of Richard J. King with permission of Gene Collora.

As #13 emerges from the engine shed and gets her day started on this hot summer day, July 26, 1933, a small four wheel track car sits idle in the yard. Collection of Jeff Jargosch

#13 and #11 sit in theEngine Shed in Kenilworth 11/1933.Collection of Jeff Jargosch.

#13 at the Kenilworth Station. Is that a gondola of coal in the background? Bound for the bellies of the RV steamers?

#13 rambles along the DL&W in Summit with a cut of tank cars and L.C.L. on the pilot.  Collection of Thurlow C. Haunton, Jr.

#13 sits in front of theKenilworth Station.

#13 at the DL&W interchange. Photo taken by Homer Hill.

#13 sits in front of theKenilworth Station.

#13 steaming at the DL&W interchange in Summit. 9/20/1941. Gene Collora Photograph. Collection of Richard J. King

#13 out working along the line. Don't let your eyes fool you friends! The engine's tender is NOT on backwards.

#13 and Caboose 102 roll past the Springfield Station. 9/15/1944. Photo taken by William S. Young. Collection of Thomas T. Taber, III

#13 heads towards the DL&W interchange, crossing the Russell Place bridge. Stephens-Miller can be seen on the left. 1948.

#13 steaming in the Springfield/Summit area. Could be the Stephens-Miller siding?

#13 at theLehigh Valley Interchange in Roselle Park in 1949. Photo taken by Hal Carstens.

#13's engineer gives a wave under a plume of white smoke. Collection of Jeff Jargosch.

#13 and Caboose 102 run light out along the RV line. Collection of Jeff Jargosch.

#13 works up a full head of steam while drilling cars out along the line with Caboose #102. Collection of Jeff Jargosch.

#13 works up a full head of steam while drilling cars out along the line with Caboose #102. Collection of Jeff Jargosch.

#13 in Kenilworth. Collection of Jeff Jargosch.

#13 sits in Kenilworth in April of 1951 after it had beenclobbered by a power shovel. Photo taken by John Dziobko.

#13 in retirement. The engine sits in Kenilworth awating its fate. Collection of Steve Lynch.

After #13 was injured by the power shovel the RV rebuilt her, but the need to steam her up again never arose. Here she sits in Kenilworth alongside the newdiesel shops in retirement.

  

Sources:

  • Shortlines & Industrial Railroads of New Jersey Vol. 2by Benjamin L. Bernhart
  • Roster Information provided by Allen Stanley of Railroad Data Exchange, courtesy of Michael Kaplonski.
  • Roster information provided by Patrick McKnight of the Steamtown National Historic Site, roster supplied by Harry Frye.

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