Central Vermont 220 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Central Vermont 220
No. 220 on static display
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder American Locomotive Company (Schenectady Works) Serial number 55018 Build date February 1915
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-0  • UIC 2’C Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 69 in (1,800 mm) Wheelbase 58.79 ft (17.92 m) ​  • Engine 27.33 ft (8.33 m)  • Drivers 15.50 ft (4.72 m) Adhesive weight 141,000 lb (64,000 kg) Loco weight 189,000 lb (86,000 kg) Tender weight 139,000 lb (63,000 kg) Total weight 328,000 lb (149,000 kg) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 12 short tons (10.9 tonnes) Water cap. 7,000 US gal (26,000 L; 5,800 imp gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 53.40 sq ft (4.961 m2) Boiler pressure 200 psi (1,400 kPa) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 184 sq ft (17.1 m2) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 20 in × 28 in (510 mm × 710 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 27,594 lb (12,516 kg) Factor of adh. 5.11
Career Operators Central Vermont Railway Power class I-7-a Number in class 3 of 4 Numbers CV 220 Retired 1956 Preserved 1960 Current owner Shelburne Museum Disposition On static display

Central Vermont 220 is a special steam locomotive that was built in February 1915. It's a "Ten-Wheeler" type, which means it has a specific wheel arrangement: four small wheels at the front, six large driving wheels in the middle, and no wheels at the back.

This powerful engine was made by the American Locomotive Company for the Central Vermont Railway. Today, you can see it preserved at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont. It's kept safe inside a building for everyone to enjoy.

The Story of Central Vermont 220

Building a Powerful Engine

In February 1915, the American Locomotive Company built Engine No. 220. This company had a factory in Schenectady, New York, called the Schenectady Works. No. 220 was the last coal-burning "ten-wheeler" steam engine used by the Central Vermont Railway.

A Train for Many Jobs

Because of its design, the No. 220 was a very useful engine. It had a medium size, which allowed it to do "double duty." This means it could pull both heavy freight trains (carrying goods) and passenger trains (carrying people).

The "Locomotive of the Presidents"

No. 220 became famous for a special reason. It was known as the "Locomotive of the Presidents." This is because it carried several United States presidents on special trips. These presidents included Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Steam Power Through the Years

Steam engines were the main type of locomotive in the United States for a long time. They were the only trains on the tracks until electric trains arrived in 1895. Even then, steam engines were still very common until the 1950s. That's when diesel engines started to be used much more often.

Retirement and Preservation

The Central Vermont Railway stopped using No. 220 in 1956. After its long service, the railway gave the engine to the Shelburne Museum. The museum wanted to keep this important piece of history safe. Soon after, the museum built a special shed around the locomotive. This shed protects No. 220 and a private train car called Grand Isle from bad weather.

See also

• Shelburne Railroad Station and Freight Shed