Arcade and Attica 18

Arcade and Attica 18
No. 18 at Curriers, New York in 2009
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder American Locomotive Company (Alco-Cooke) Serial number 62624 Build date November 1920
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-0 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 50 in (1.270 m) Fuel type Coal Boiler pressure 175 lbf/in2 (1.21 MPa) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 18 in × 24 in (457 mm × 610 mm) Valve type Piston valves
Performance figures Tractive effort 28,400 lbf (126.33 kN)
Career Operators Charcoal Iron Company Newberry Lumber and Chemical Company Boyne City Railroad Arcade and Attica Railroad Numbers CIC 18 NLC 18 BCR 18 ARA 18 Locale New York Retired 1950s Restored July 27, 1962 Current owner Arcade and Attica Railroad Disposition Operational
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Arcade and Attica No. 18 is a 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive built in November 1920 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) at its Cooke Works in Paterson, New Jersey.

History

No. 18's builder's plate

No. 18 was originally built in November 1920 for Alco company stock with hopes a Cuban sugar mill would order it, it was instead sold to Charcoal Iron Company in upper Michigan. The locomotive later changed hands and went to the Newberry Lumber and Chemical Company. The locomotive was sold again sometime after 1929 to the Boyne City Railroad of Boyne City, Michigan. It was used in freight service on its line between Boyne City (where it interchanged with the Pennsylvania Railroad) to Boyne Falls. The Boyne City Railroad had purchased a 44 ton GE in 1950 for primary use and No. 18 was regulated to back up use and was stored serviceable.

In 1962, the Arcade and Attica Railroad (A&A), seeking additional revenue to supplement the freight income, purchased No. 18 and two Boonton-style commuter coaches from Erie Lackawanna Railway, No. 18 was restored and hauled the railroad's first official steam passenger run on July 27, 1962. Since then, No. 18 has hauled passenger excursion trains between Arcade and Curriers, with occasional ventures to Java, New York on either passenger or freight trains.

No. 18 hauling its first excursion train after returning to steam in September 2024

At the close of the 2001 passenger excursion season, No. 18 went into the A&A's workshops for a complete teardown and overhaul to bring it into compliance with the new 49 C.F.R. Part 230, the Federal Railroad Administration's new regulations on steam locomotive inspection and maintenance. Originally expected to last until halfway through the 2002 passenger season, the teardown revealed much work that needed to be completed to bring the locomotive into compliance with the new safety regulations. In 2008, No. 18 finally emerged from the shops after a 6-year-long rebuilding program.

By 2018, the locomotive was again in need of repair and put into the shop to have its condition assessed. In March 2019, it was announced that its condition was worse than anticipated, and it would be out of service through the 2019 season. Repairs include partial replacement of the firebox, and once completed will allow continued operation. Reassembly was scheduled to begin in Spring of 2021.

No. 18's overhaul was completed on August 15, 2024, with the locomotive returning to service on August 24, 2024. However, a few additional stay bolt leaks occurred during test and shake down runs, resulting in the return to full service being postponed. After several weeks of repair and further testing, a new return date of September 28, 2024 was announced and the locomotive officially returned to excursion service on September 28 2024, running two trains and then a third on September 29, 2024. It is expected to continue running excursions through the end of fall 2024 and then begin again in Spring 2025.

Bibliography

• Springirth, Kenneth C. (2009). Arcade and Attica Railroad. Images of Rail (1st ed.). Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-5362-7.