Locomotive #2
0-4-0 saddle tank locomotive #2 was built in 1920 by the H. K. Porter Company of Pittsburgh, PA. Locomotive #2 was acquired from the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company located in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania. This was the first operational locomotive when the new WK&S railroad opened for business in 1963. During the early years of operation #2 faced north. Around 1967 the locomotive was turned and now faces south. This "move" was accomplished with a piece of panel track and a bulldozer. On two occasions number 2 was the railroad's primary locomotive; once in 1963 and again in 1970-72. But mostly #2 served as backup to #250 and then to #65.
When 0-4-0 steam locomotive #2 arrived by truck at the WK&S back in the early 1963 it had no tender. Water is carried in the saddle tank above the boiler and the coal was simply carried on the floor of the cab. Obviously the locomotive's range was quite limited. In 1970 WK&S crews fabricated a coal tender starting with the four-wheel rolling chassis from a tiny Plymouth diesel-mechanical locomotive #146. The little switch engine was razed from the frame up and a tender body was fabricated in its place. With its homemade coal tender #2 could carry enough coal for the entire weekend. But by 2002 the tender would have required new side sheets so it was simply removed. In addition to replenishing the water supply, engine crews were once again faced with having to through a few wheelbarrows of coal in the cab after each trip to Wanamaker. Following the 2002 season #2 was replaced by engine #65. In 2005 the tender went to a railroad equipment collector in Geigertown, Pennsylvania. The tender was traded for a small crane that now resides between the two tracks in the shop building.
There are no plans to return #2 to service. However, in 2019 the locomotive received a cosmetic restoration and was placed on display by the model railroad car behind the station.
The tender wore three different paint schemes. Beginning in 1970 the tender was lettered "WK&S" with a thin stripe around the top and bottom of the body. In 1981 the Locomotive was done up to look like LNE #201. The tender was painted black with an LNE bullseye logo. Sometime thereafter the tender was painted with a WK&S Hawk Mountain Line logo which was how it remained when the tender left in 2005.
In 1981 Porter #2 was painted up as Lehigh & New England #201. The event was partially sponsored by the Hawk Mountain Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society to commemorate the LNE's closing 20 years before. The real #201 was a Baldwin 0-4-0 saddle tank built in 1912. Number #201 (formally #5) was inherited after the LNE acquired the Crane Railroad Company in 1914. Aside from both being 0-4-0 saddle tanks, the Porter and Baldwin didn't much look alike.