Between 1905 and 1908 the Tennessee Central was jointly leased to the Southern Railway and the Illinois Central Railroad. The TC's locomotives and rolling were divided between SR and IC. When the TC resumed independent operations in 1908 this equipment was given back to the TC. Hopefully someone can answer questions about certain TC locomotives that were used by the SR.

* * * TC 4-4-0 1 is a "mystery" whose background is completely unknown. This engine may (or it may not have) been used by the SR between 1905-08.

* * * According to many rosters TC 4-4-0 9 was built as Virginia Midland 692 (Baldwin 8615 6-87), then SR 831/1838/3838, before going to the TC. But Prince's book says that SR 1838 (ex-VM 692) was destroyed in a wreck in 1904, was scrapped, and then replaced by a secondhand 4-4-0, also numbered 1838. It was this secondhand engine that was renumbered SR 3838 and then resold as TC 9. Does anyone know the background/builder's number and date of this "second" SR 1838/3838??

* * * TC had just one 2-6-0, numbered 7. The builder's number/date of this engine is unknown to me, but apparently the engine was built by Baldwin. It was used by the Home Coal Co. (location unknown), leased to the Nashville & Knoxville RR, and then transferred to the TC's roster when the N&K was bought by the TC in May, 1902. This locomotive was renumbered SR 819:2 when the SR and IC took over the TC, and was renumbered SR 3048 before going back as TC 7. In 1909 it was given to the Southern Iron & Equipment as partial payment for an ex-PRR 2-8-0.

OK, here's the question. Can anyone provide the builder's number/date of TC 7. SI&E's records have no useful data, and Thomas Lawson, Jr., also does not know the b/n of this engine.

In addition to the information above, I am looking for photos of TC engines while they were operated and lettered for the SR. I would like to include some of these photos in a book that I am writing about the TC. Here's a quick rundown of the locomotives, giving their wheel arrangement, and TC and SR road numbers.

* * TC 4-4-0 2 became SR 1707, re#'d SR 887:2, re#'d again to SR 3707 before going back as TC 2

* * TC 4-4-0 6 became SR 1742:2, re#'d SR 3742 before going back as TC 6

* * TC 4-4-0 9 (see earlier request about this locomotive)

* * TC 4-4-0 10 was built as SR 1904, became SR 3872, and then sold as TC 10.

* * TC 0-4-0 5 became SR 1500 before going back as TC 5

* * TC 2-6-0 7 became SR 819:2, re#'d SR 3048 before return as TC 7

* * TC 2-8-0's 13-16 became SR 242-245 before going back to TC

* * TC 2-8-0's 18-22 became SR 246-250 before going back to TC

* * TC 4-6-0's 101-102 became SR 995-996 before going back to TC

* * TC 4-6-0's 204-207 became SR 997-1000 before going back to TC

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated and welcomed.

Cliff Downey downeycj@mursuky.campuscwix.net

-- Cliff Downey (downeycj@mursuky.campuscwix.net), June 22, 1999