United States Army No. 101

US Army 101 General Pershing

US Army No. 101, a Consolidation type 2-8-0 on display at the National Railroad Museum on April 26, 2004. This locomotive was built for use in France during WWI but never made it there. The original European style cab was replaced by an American style.
Type and origin
Power type Steam
Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works
Build date 1916–1918
Total produced 1,500 estimated
Specifications
Configuration 2-8-0
UIC class 1′D
Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia. 56 in (1,422 mm)
Wheelbase 23 ft 8 in (7.21 m)
Adhesive weight 150,000 lb (68.0 tonnes)
Loco weight 166,400 lb (75.5 tonnes)
Fuel type Coal
Water cap 5,400 US gal (20,000 l; 4,500 imp gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		 32.7 sq ft (3.04 m2)
Superheater:
 ​
 • Heating area 420 sq ft (39 m2)
Cylinders Two
Cylinder size 21 in × 28 in (533 mm × 711 mm)
Performance figures
Tractive effort 35,400 lbf (157 kN)
Factor of adh. 4.24
Career
Operators United States Army
Current owner National Railroad Museum
Disposition Non-operational, on display

US Army 101 is a 2-8-0 steam locomotive that was originally operated by the United States Army. It is one of two survivors of the 1,500 General Pershing locomotives built in 1916–1918 for the War Department in World War I. The 101 went on to see action in three wars — World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

History

The history of the 101 is something of a mystery. Is known is that it was built for the US Army for use in World War I by Baldwin Locomotive Works. It was owned by the US Army until it was donated to Korea in 1947 - after the end of the Japanese occupation (1945) and prior to the start of the Korean War (1950).

In 1953, the 101 was recovered from damaged areas and reconstructed by the Army Transportation Corps, under the direction of Col. George Simpson. It seems that the 101 was still property of the Korean Republic, however. Col. George Simpson, Harold T.I. Shannon, and Harold E. Fuller started to talk with the Korean Republic about donating the engine to the National Railroad Museum.

In 1958 Korean Republic President Syngman Rhee donated the locomotive as a gift from the Korean people. Over 300 newspapers carried the story of the arrival of the engine and this is how the struggling National Railroad Museum started to gain national attention. On May 30, 1959, General Pershing was presented with a Certificate of Service from the United States Army. The certificate was presented to the Museum by the Secretary of the Army.

Any other information that is to be found on the internet or in print is suspicious at best. There are at least three different versions of the history of the 101 floating around.

Other History

There are many stories about the 101, as the references weren't correct.

According to the National Railroad Museum Highlight and Data Catalog, the General Pershing saw action in France in 1918, Army camps in World War II, and was sent to Korea in 1951.[1]

According to David P. Morgan who wrote an article for the June 1959 issue of Trains magazine, he says "On July 18, 1917, the U. S. Government ordered 150 2-8-0's from the Baldwin Locomotive Works for service in France. The first engine was delivered just 20 days later, since the design virtually duplicated (except for its superheater) that of the Consolidations Baldwin was building for the British War Office. The 150th engine got only as far as Norfolk, Va., where it was reassigned as a switcher to Fortress Monroe. In 1925 the Army overhauled the stay-at-home, named her the General Pershing, and kept her at work on local bases. During World War II the Pershing chuffed about Army camps in the South. Finally in 1947 she and 100 World War II surplus Army engines were donated to the Republic of Korea. When the Korean War broke out the veteran 2-8-0 was switching at Pusan. She soon saw combat, won fame as "the darling of the Military Railway Service." In January 1959 she came home, a gift of Korean President Rhee to the Green Bay (Wis.) National Railroad Museum. So some old engines, like old military men, do not fade away."[2]

General Pershing

General Pershing carries Baldwin serial number 48714, with a built date of May 1918. However, if the General Pershing was really built in the first order of locomotives in 1917 the serial number would be lower.

Today, there are only two surviving Pershing Class locomotives. One is the US Army No. 101, and the other is Texas State Railroad No. 28.

There may be another one remaining in Europe, in Romania : CFR locomotive n°140 117, built by BALDWIN in 1920 under n°53343

Numbering History

The most likely numbering history of the General Pershing is as follows:

References

  1. ↑ Unknown Author(s) (Unknown Year after July, 1973). National Railroad Museum - Highlight and Data Catalog, p. 14. Castle-Pierce Press.
  2. ↑ Albert Carpenter Kalmbach, ed. (1959). "Trains Magazine", Kalmbach Publishing Co.
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