Reading Railroad 3 (4-4-0)


This interesting locomotive is on display at the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's history is uncertain. Apparently it was built for the Philadelphia & Reading company in 1842 or 1843, then transferred to the People's Railway Co. in 1871, then to Reading in 1823. There is some thought that it was built by the Locks and Canals Co. of Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1843 and was called the Conestoga. The prevailing view, though, is that it was built by Eastwick & Harrison in 1842 and is either the "Boston" or the "J. E. Thayer". Notice the spherical Bury boiler.

Copyright 2004 Donald Nute

This page last modified: 7/24/2004.

Please send comments to: donald@nute.ws