Older BC&G Locomotives
BC&G #6 and #7 were "sister" engines, (c/n 16145 and 16147 respectively) both built in 1898 by Baldwin making them the oldest engines the line ever had save for #1. Both came from the B&O.
According to Ed Kirstatter's research in William Edson's book Steam Locos of the B&O - An All-Time Roster, 1992, BC&G #6 came to the BC&G in 1925 from the B&O where it was #1527.
Notice the diamond logo on both the tender and cab...pretty snappy!
The ubiquitos pilot-mounted air tank is also present
The focus of this website is the later years of the BC&G. Consequently, for the older engines, I'm including just one representative photo. This page covers engines #1 through #8, except #4 which was in service through 1965.
BC&G #6
BC&G #2
BC&G #1
BC&G #3
BC&G #5
KC&NW #57 / BC&G #9 (?)
Photographer and date unknown - Sigman website
Date 4-12-28, Photographer unknown - Charles Dodrill collection
This engine, as well as #3, are generally shown to have been acquired in 1905, the same date attributed to #1. It seems unlikely that the line acquired all three engines in it's first year of operation, especially considering that #2 and #3 are of significantly newer design. Why would the BC&G even have wanted the 4-4-0 if the Consolidations were available? None the less, this is clearly Engine #2 sitting in front of the powerplant at Widen. The date must be sometime after 1911 when the Widen mine opened.
Harold Vollrath collection - October 1940
Harold Vollrath collection - July 1949
BC&G #7
The engine number is just visible on the headlight. The lettering on the tender can be read by enlarging the photo.
This is the first appearance of the pilot mounted air tank. Most subsequent BC&G engines had them installed.
Based on the unusual shape of the dome, the engine in the background is Consolidation #4.
The date for the photo seems reasonable for although there is no recorded acquisition date, it was not scrapped until 1953;
Enlarge this photo to confirm that it is BC&G #3. Notice that it is fitted with marker lights, a relative rarity on the line.
This photograph is a classic in terms of composition and clarity, obviously taken by a professional. It was taken on the back side of the tipple with the conveyor to the South Mine is going off to the left. This picture date from the 1920's and those are BC&G hoppers in the photo.
The 1920 Annual Report indicates a locomotive was purchased during that year as a backup to #2 and was not used 'continuously. The references must be to this engine.
This is by far the best photo of BC&G's first engine I've seen. There is no number visible in the photo but it must certainly be #1. It was the only American type engine the BC&G ever had.
Some sources say it was acquired second hand from the B&O, but Ed Kirstatter says that there is no reference in Edson's "Steam Locos of the B&O - An All-Time Roster" of any C&C 4-4-0 ever going to the BC&G.
Notice the striping on the tender of this rather handsome engine. The engine survived until 1920.
Some sources suggest that two coaches were acquired with the engine.
Marie Spencer collection - Date unknown
Photographer and date unknown
The family resemblance of #6 #7 is most obvious in the configuration of the smoke box front, the cylinder construction, and possibly the tender. Beyond that, it's hard to tell #7 is only two construction numbers from #6. The inset photo shows the engine as B&O #1529. It came to the BC&G in 1946.
It's hard to see without enlarging the photo, but there is an air tank on the pilot of this engine also.
BC&G or ERC&L #8
A bit of serendipity on this one! Cody Burdette, among others, have reported that there was a heavy Mike (#57) purchased from KC&NW, but I had never seen a photo of it. Cody said it had a cracked saddle which the BC&G crews tried to fix but were unsuccessful. The engine was never used by the BC&G so it's not surprising it wasn't photographed.
.According to the caption on this photo, the engine is ex-KC&NW #57...and BC&G #12. The caption states that in 1953 it was BC&G #9, and in fact, the 1950 Financial Report lists a #9 purchased that year along with #13 and #14. The construction number matches the number given by other sources as BC&G #9.
Since it never went into service, it was probably never lettered for the BC&G or numbered #9 and there's no other evidence of it being numbered #12.
This is the only photo I've ever seen of this engine. It is from page 20 of the Warden BC&G book where it is incorrectly referred to as an 0-8-0. It is clearly an 0-6-0, which would make it one of the smallest engines ever rostered by the BC&G. It apparently was acquired in 1945 and was retired just 5 years later. It was scrapped in 1954.
Note that it wears a diamond logo on the tender. Given that there was an ERC&L diamond logo used on at least one ERC&L Climax (#2), it's not clear whether #8 was a BC&G or ERC&L loco. Given its location in Widen in this photo, it might have been an ERC&L gob engine although the lettering in the diamond looks to be Buffalo Creek & Gauley.
Don Ross Photo - 1955
Photo from the collection of Loretta Samples
This photograph is from the collection of Loretta Samples, but the photo and the captions were put together by Don Ross. For a while there was some discussion about whether this photo was, in fact, #5. It looks like it has a third dome on the boiler even though many other features are identical.
Cody Burdette, once again, has resolved the issue by noting that the steam dome cover has simply been removed and set over the bell giving the appearance that there are three domes.
For some reason the number plate under the headlight reads #3, but this is clearly not the much older #3 above.
Thanks, Cody!
