| This massive powerhouse was caught sitting idle in the Grafton Yard in West Virgina awaiting its final sentence to be passed. Originally built in January of 1918 as Seaboard Air Line 2-8-8-2 #506, it proved to be too costly and time-consuming for the SAL to handle. They sold the loco asnd its sisters to the B&O in 1920. In 1923, the loco was rebuilt by the B&O Shops from a compound to a simple-articulated loco, removbed the trailing truck and reclassed BO 2-8-8-0 #7306 as EL-6a. After nearly 32 years of dedicated service, the loco was sold for scrap in May of 1950. Simplified EL-6a specs - 63" drivers, 210 psi boiler pressure, four 25x32" cylinders, engine wt of 492,000 lb and impressive tractive effort of 108,000 lb. This is a photo by Harold Buckley Jr. |