Panama Railroad #299 and Colorado Fuel & Iron #3 are on display outside the Paterson Museum, Patterson, NJ

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The Paterson Museum is located in Paterson, in Passaic County, NJ. Founded in 1925, it is owned and run by the city of Paterson with a mission to preserve and display the industrial history of Paterson.

The museum is housed in the Thomas Rogers Building on Market Street, the former erecting shop of the Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works, a major 19th Century manufacturer of railroad steam locomotives. The company was founded in 1832 by Thomas Rogers with Morris Ketchum and Jasper Grosvenor and built its first locomotive in 1837. The operation was bought by Alco in 1905. The last locomotive was outshopped in 1913.

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Panama Railroad #299
Panama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, Paterson
Panama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, Paterson

With a total heating surface of 1,560 sq ft, #229 operated at a boiler pressure of 180 psi delivering 24,548 lbs tractive effort.

After being removed from active service, #299 was refurbished and placed on display at the Balboa Railroad Station in 1955. In 1970, it was donated to the Great Falls Development Corporation, transported by ship to New Orleans, moved on heavy duty flat cars and placed on display at the Paterson Museum as an example of the many locomotives built over the years at the Cooke Locomotive Works in the city.

This Mogul type (2-6-0) locomotive was built in 1907 at Alco’s Cooke Locomotive Works in Paterson, NJ, at a cost of $11,307 to work on the 5’ gauge railroad used in constructing the Panama Canal. Outshopped as a coal burner, at some point, it was converted to burn oil and the tender was adapted accordingly.

#299 has Stephenson valve gear and 19” x 24” cylinders. With a 21’ 3” engine wheelbase and 13’ 4” driver wheelbase, it weighs 138,400 lbs, 120,500 lbs on its 54” drivers. It has a 27.6 sq ft grate and 125 sq ft firebox.

Panama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, Paterson
Panama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, Paterson
Panama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, PatersonPanama Railroad #299, Paterson
Colorado Fuel & Iron #3
Colorado Fuel & Iron #3, PatersonColorado Fuel & Iron #3, Paterson

This 0-4-0ST (Saddle Tank) locomotive was built at Alco’s Cooke Locomotive Works in Paterson, NJ, in 1911 as American Brake Shoe & Foundry Company #1.

In 1925, it was sold to the E. & G. Brooke Iron Company in Birdsboro, PA, where it was renumbered #3. E. & G. Brooke were bought by the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company in 1952. It was then bought by Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern Incorporated in Kempton, PA, in 1963 but proved unserviceable and went on static display on a back track behind Kempton Station.

Colorado Fuel & Iron #3, PatersonColorado Fuel & Iron #3, Paterson
Colorado Fuel & Iron #3, Paterson

In 1978, the locomotive was sold for $7,400 to the Great Falls Development Corporation so that it could be placed on display at the Paterson Museum. Apparently, its arrival was quite a big deal. The locomotive was paraded down Market Street to City Hall pulled by a team of horses along with a police honour guard and a procession of antique cars.

A coal burner, #3 weighs 75,100 lbs and has 43” drivers and 14” x 22” cylinders. Operating at a boiler pressure of 160 psi, it delivered 14,400 lbs tractive effort.

Colorado Fuel & Iron #3, PatersonColorado Fuel & Iron #3, PatersonColorado Fuel & Iron #3, PatersonColorado Fuel & Iron #3, PatersonColorado Fuel & Iron #3, PatersonColorado Fuel & Iron #3, PatersonColorado Fuel & Iron #3, PatersonColorado Fuel & Iron #3, PatersonColorado Fuel & Iron #3, Paterson
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