Steam Locomotive #1 - Cowan, Tennessee - Locomotives on Waymarking.com

This locomotive is the center piece for the Cowan Railroad Museum. It sits majestically facing the main traffic going through the town. A guided tour of the train is available, however it is also open to the public 24 hours a day.

Taken from the Cowan Railroad Museum page:

In 1979 we purchased our little 1920 Columbia-Type Steam Locomotive from the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, TN. It is a 2-4-2 and a very rare make. It was first owned by Mr. William Elliott Dunwady, owner of the Cherokee Brick Company in Macon, GA, about 1920. It was especially suited for the brick company's needs and pulled six yard side cars loaded with clay from the clay pits to the foundry. The engine's size was limited for two reasons: it did not pull great weights, and it had to be rather small to function on the Cherokee Brick Company line.

About June 1, 1964, Mr. Walter, former president of the National Railraod and Historical Society, purchased the engine from the Cherokee Brick Company. Mr. Walter had it requilt and reworded by the Charleston, SC Chapter of the National Railroad and Historical Society. The little engine was used to pull thousands of people in many of South Carolina's functions.

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga acquired the little engine and later sold it to the Cowan Museum.

To this date it sits proudly on the track by the Cowan Railroad Museum bringing back memories of by-gone days of railroading with steam locomotives.

You can stand in the little engine as the big diesel-pulled freights come roaring through on the now CSX busy line and get the feeling from the vibration of being on board as you hear the powerful pushers approaching with speed to hit the 2% grade of two miles up to the tunnel through the summit of mountain southbound.

Last run in the early 1970’s, it now silently acts as a sentinel beckoning you to visit! The engine was repainted in 2008.

Locomotive Type: (required): Steam Do you need to pay an entrance fee to view this locomotive? (required): No How accessible is this locomotive display? (Required): Display is designed to allow additional climbing access. If "other" what is the engine type? (optional): Not listed If a fee is required what is the approximate cost for admittance? (optional): Not listed

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Date Logged Log   11/12/2022 Don.Morfe visited it