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Yesterday, Pop took me and Lucian out to Calhouns by the River. Since we had some time before they could arrive a table for us, we decided to go for a walk. I had my camera in case we saw something interesting. I went to check out the Three River Rambler engine house and saw good ol' #154 in her shed (along with Chattanooga Traction Company #4) waiting for another chance to take the Rambler out on a run.

The #154 was built by the Schenectady Locomotive Works of Schenectady, New York in 1890 originally for the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad Company as their #466. Her job on the ETV&G was to haul heavy freight trains. When the ETV&G merged with the Richmond & Danville Railroad to create the Southern Railway in 1894, the locomotive was renumbered to #154 and continued to haul freight for the Southern for many years after that.

During her employment for the Southern, #154 has worked on the Knoxville - Bristol, Knoxville - Asheville Divisions, and the infamous Murphy Branch, as well as being leased to the Gloucester Lumber Company in Asheville in 1946. In August 1951, #154 was leased to the Smoky Mountain Railroad, a shortline in Knoxville to cover for one of their locomotives. During her final years on the Southern, the locomotive was used as a yard goat in City Yard in Knoxville until her retirement in August 1953 (completing 63 years of revenue service in the process).

Instead of being sold for scrap, the ancient locomotive was donated to the City of Knoxville and was placed on display at Chilhowee Park where it sat there for the next 55 years. When Knoxville's 1982 World's Fair was being planned, restoration of the locomotive for local excursions was seriously considered. However, Southern Railway inspectors deemed the task too daunting and, as a result, unworthy of the expense. In 1989, the locomotive was given to the Old Smoky Railway Museum which donated the locomotive to the Gulf & Ohio Railway in August 2008. The City of Knoxville and Old Smoky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society made plans to restore 154 and it became the oldest operating Southern Railway steam locomotive. On July 3, 2010, #154 made its debut at the Three Rivers Rambler and pulled its first passenger train on the Gulf & Ohio Railways.

Description
Yesterday, Pop took me and Lucian out to Calhouns by the River. Since we had some time before they could arrive a table for us, we decided to go for a walk. I had my camera in case we saw something interesting. I went to check out the Three River Rambler engine house and saw good ol' #154 in her shed (along with Chattanooga Traction Company #4) waiting for another chance to take the Rambler out on a run.

The #154 was built by the Schenectady Locomotive Works of Schenectady, New York in 1890 originally for the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad Company as their #466. Her job on the ETV&G was to haul heavy freight trains. When the ETV&G merged with the Richmond & Danville Railroad to create the Southern Railway in 1894, the locomotive was renumbered to #154 and continued to haul freight for the Southern for many years after that.

During her employment for the Southern, #154 has worked on the Knoxville - Bristol, Knoxville - Asheville Divisions, and the infamous Murphy Branch, as well as being leased to the Gloucester Lumber Company in Asheville in 1946. In August 1951, #154 was leased to the Smoky Mountain Railroad, a shortline in Knoxville to cover for one of their locomotives. During her final years on the Southern, the locomotive was used as a yard goat in City Yard in Knoxville until her retirement in August 1953 (completing 63 years of revenue service in the process).

Instead of being sold for scrap, the ancient locomotive was donated to the City of Knoxville and was placed on display at Chilhowee Park where it sat there for the next 55 years. When Knoxville's 1982 World's Fair was being planned, restoration of the locomotive for local excursions was seriously considered. However, Southern Railway inspectors deemed the task too daunting and, as a result, unworthy of the expense. In 1989, the locomotive was given to the Old Smoky Railway Museum which donated the locomotive to the Gulf & Ohio Railway in August 2008. The City of Knoxville and Old Smoky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society made plans to restore 154 and it became the oldest operating Southern Railway steam locomotive. On July 3, 2010, #154 made its debut at the Three Rivers Rambler and pulled its first passenger train on the Gulf & Ohio Railways.