Black Diamond Inspection Locomotive

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Please note: This page has been revised as of January 3, 2012, due to new information provided by Mr. Ron Goldfeder.

The inspection engine, though considered by some to be a bit of an oddity, appears to have been commonly used by railroads in the latter half of the 19th century and the first two decades (or more) of the 20th century. Many of them are odd looking beasts, often looking like a cross between a carriage and a steam locomotive.

Many of the northeastern railroads used them, but they were found elsewhere as well. They were often built in the railroad’s own shops, but some were commercially built as well. The book The Locomotives that Baldwin Built by Fred Westing (Bonanza Books, 1966, out of print) shows several photographs of inspection engines, though they are not always called that. They were most often used to transport VIP's on inspection trips to various parts of the railroad, but were sometimes used by the paymaster to carry payroll to crews working on the railroad as well. They could be used for almost any function that called for moving a small number of people over the railroad. Though not inspection locos, some railroads used similar engines for low-density passenger lines, perhaps pulling an extra coach. A photo in the Fall, 2008, issue of Classic Trains (page 32) shows a similar locomotive being used with one or two coaches on the Big Stone Gap and Powell Valley in Big Stone Gap, West Virginia.

The inspection engine was typically quite small, and often carried less than 10 people. The boilers and other mechanical systems were also quite small. They were typically not designed for speed, nor were they intended to pull heavy cars. In today’s terms they would be a simple automobile converted to hi-rail use. Speed was also not a big concern, as is evidenced by the small diameter driving wheels, small cylinders, low boiler pressure, and short rod throw.

While detailed history is scarce, and perhaps a bit confused, the Reading Railroad and its corporate relatives (most notably the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Co.) appears to have owned at least 14 of these unusual engines. According to information and research provided by Mr. Goldfeder they are:

Picayune	2-2-0 or 2-2-0T	built 1845, off roster by 1847
1st Ariel	2-2-2 or 2-2-2T	first used 1846, retired 1856
1st Witch	2-2-2 or 2-2-2T	first used 1847, scrapped 1855
Gem	unknown	first used 1848, repaired and renumbered to #893 in 1884, scrapped 1886
Stag	2-4-2 or 2-4-2T	first used 1851, number #892 in 1871, scrapped 1886
2nd Witch	unknown	first used 1855, rebuilt as 2-2-2T in 1868, wrecked 1905
2nd Ariel	2-2-2T	first used 1856, renamed Alpha in 1871, scrapped 1879
Transit	2-2-2T	first used 1867, became 2nd #102 in 1900, scrapped 1905
3rd Ariel	2-2-2T	first used 1872, became 3rd #103 in 1900, wrecked and scrapped 1902
Black Diamond	2-2-2T	built 1889 (Baldwin), currently at Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, MO
3rd #1	4-4-0	built 1898 (Baldwin), renumbered to 2nd #101 in 1900, rebuilt 1903, scrapped 1929
3rd #100	4-4-0	built 1902 (Baldwin), renumbered 3rd #102 in 1912, scrapped 1925
3rd #103	4-4-0	built as Sitka in 1871, renumbered #328 in 871, #116 in 1900, rebuilt as inspection engine 3rd 103 in 1903, scrapped 1912
4th #100	4-4-2	built 1913, scrapped 1929

Mr. Goldfeder used several sources not available to me when this was first written to paint a more accurate picture of the history of these interesting locomotives. One important resource was Steam Locomotives of the Reading and P&R Railroads by Wiswesser.

During my research, I uncovered a letter from 1940 that attempts to give a history of the Reading’s inspection engines. I have not been able to determine the author of the letter, but the source of the information is declared to be ‘old annual reports’. While the letter adds a few details about some of the engines, it appears to be far from complete. The information in the letter regarding Gem completely contradicts Wiswesser’s data. Also, the information regarding the Black Diamond, while showing the difficulty of such research, appears to be incorrect as well. Another letter from 1949, from Howard Hill, Superintendent of Motive Power for the Reading Company, shows even more confusing information.

As Wiswesser states regarding the Black Diamond, it is probably the oldest, and perhaps the only, inspection engine still in existence. While information is a bit confused, here is what I have been able to piece together regarding this engine.

The Black Diamond, which is currently at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, MO, was built in August, 1889, by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (#10174) of Philadelphia, PA. It was originally built for the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company (P&R C&I Co.). It was the fourth of five engines named the Black Diamond by this company. According to a 1949 letter from M. W. Smith, President of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, it bore Baldwin Construction Number 10,174. The technical specifications were as follows:

Boiler 20 ½" diameter, containing 33 2" tubes and 4 1 3/4" tubes, tube length 6' 8 1/4"

Pressure 160 pounds

Cylinders 8 1/4" X 8 ½"

Driving wheels 42" diameter

Weight 26,350 pounds

Length approx 20'

While the body is made of wood, it was “sheathed with steel plates”. The passenger seating area contained four revolving chairs and a central box seat. Interior woodwork was walnut and the seats were upholstered in leather. The locomotive was painted “raw umber and gold”. The wheels and pilot bars were red.

Another document (undated) shows some additional information regarding the locomotive.

The engineer’s area is very compact and crowded. There is evidence that, due to the close quarters, a “small boy” was typically used to fire the locomotive. Most likely, this would have been a boy of 13 or so, who was apprenticing for the railroad.

We have been unable to determine when this locomotive was last used, but we can say with some degree of certainty that it ran at least until 1906. It is likely that it ran into the 1920's or later, but I have been unable to find any concrete evidence of this.

By 1948 the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis had contacted the Reading Railroad regarding the donation of equipment. The trail again picks up with a 1948 letter from the Railroad to the Museum offering the loan of the Black Diamond to the Museum. Apparently the Museum was interested in other equipment, possibly a “Camelback” locomotive, but the Railroad was only interested in a sale of such equipment. It appears that discussions and preparation for the move of the locomotive continued for over a year.

At some point prior to shipping to the Museum, the Railroad did at least a cosmetic restoration of the Black Diamond. It is not known if the locomotive was in operating condition when delivered to the Museum, but photos of the time show that it was freshly painted and in relatively good condition.

The locomotive was finally shipped to the Museum on April 20, 1949. Apparently it was still listed as owned by the P&R C&I Co. and had to be signed over to the railroad before it could be shipped at no charge. It apparently was loaded in a gondola car and routed over the Reading, Western Maryland, B&O, and Missouri Pacific. It arrived at the Museum on April 29, and was unloaded by May 3. Photos of the time show that the locomotive was unloaded by making a ramp of a section of track and wheeling the loco down that ramp.