Arcade and Attica 18

Arcade & Attica No. 18 is a 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive built in 1920 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) at its Cooke Works in Paterson, New Jersey.

Arcade & Attica 18
Arcade & Attica No. 18 at Curriers, New York in 2009
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Alco-Cooke (ALCO) Serial number 62624 Build date November 1920
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-0 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Fuel type Coal Boiler pressure 175 lbf/in2 (1.21 MPa) Cylinders Two, outside Valve type Piston valves
Performance figures Tractive effort 28,400 lbf (126.33 kN)
Career Operators Boyne City Railroad Arcade and Attica Railroad Numbers BCR 18 A&A 18 Locale New York Retired 1962 (revenue service) 2001 (1st excursion service) 2018 (2nd excursion service) Restored July 27, 1962 (1st restoration) 2008 (2nd restoration) August 15, 2024 (3rd restoration) Disposition Operational
References:

History

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 refurbished and made its first official 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.

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.

In 1989, 18’s small Alco built tender was in need of repair. The Alco tender was quite small in volume, was found to have a cracked frame with a deteriorating tank. The Arcade & Attica’s other steam locomotive #14 (Baldwin 4-6-0 built new for the Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad in 1917) had a larger tender that was modified to ride behind 18 to give it more capacity. (14 shared duties with 18 in excursion service off and on since 1964, but had been stored out of service on the A&A since 1988) The old Alco tender was never repaired. During 2018, a new steel tank was fabricated for the Baldwin tender that was in use.

A use for the old tender from 18 as well as the old Baldwin tank was found. It would go behind a display locomotive owned by the Oakland B&O Museum in Oakland, Maryland. The museum had acquired a similar 2-8-0 locomotive from 1920 which was in need of a tender to complete the display. A larger tender had been located in Michigan that was originally from the Gettysburg Railroad. A deal was made to swap the tender parts that were assembled to make a display tender for this larger tender in Michigan.

The intent was to have a second, usable tender to replace the tender borrowed from #14. For the display tender, the small Alco built tender frame from 18 was rebuilt with the old tank off sister locomotive’s Baldwin built tender to make the display tender. It made for a good use of the old tender pieces that would have otherwise went to scrap.

The most recent restoration of the locomotive was completed on August 15, 2024, with the locomotive expected to return to service on August 24. 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 28th, 2024 was announced and the locomotive officially returned to excursion service on the 28th, running two trains and then a third on the 29th. It is expected to continue running excursions through the end of fall 2024 and then begin again in Spring 2025.