A very unique piece. The Strasburg Rail Road's ex Norfolk & Western M-Class Locomotive #475 charges upgrade just east of the bridge over the "Pumpkinville Turnpike", hauling a vintage mixed train for a Historic Transport Preservation (HTP) charter in early November of 2021. Not only does the 4-8-0 (Twelve-Wheeler) configuration make this locomotive unique among the engines operating at tourist railroads today, it is also one of the oldest, having emerged from the Baldwin Factory back in 1906. One of 125 M-Class (M, M1, M2) Locomotives, sometimes known as "Mollies", this engine and its sisters served the N&W for decades in regular main line freight service. Even when they were superseded by much larger and more efficient engines on the main line, a handful of them continued to serve as power on branch lines right up until the end of steam operations in the mid-1950s. Sadly, only two of the original M's survive and 475 is the only operational example.
