Paul

Paul is the infamous Southern Railway 4501 and is the younger brother of Old Smokey.  Paul  
 * Full Name: Paul Merriman Jr.
 * Builder: Baldwin Locomotive Works, Phildadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.
 * Build date: October 1911
 * Serial Number: 37085
 * Locomotive Class: Southern Railway Ms class 2-8-2
 * Configuration: 2-8-2 Mikado
 * Tractive Effort: 53,900 lbs.
 * Previous Owner(s) and Number(s): Southern Railway #4501, Kentucky & Tennessee Railroad #12
 * Track Gauge: Standard, 4' 8 1/2" inches
 * Retired: February 1964
 * Restored: 1966, 2014
 * Status: Operational
 * Traffic: Mixed
 * Age: 108

Biography

 * 1) 4501 was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in October 1911 for the Southern Railway as their first 2-8-2 Mikado and was the 37,085th locomotive built by Baldwin. In his early years, #4501 worked on the Knoxville division with his brother #4507. In 1914, he suffered an accident whilst being looked at the Spencer Shops. In 1926, #4501 was transferred to Somerset, Kentucky where he worked there until 1935 when he was finally transferred to work on the St. Louis division in Indiana. In July 1948, with the introduction of new diesel locomotives, #4501 was retired and placed on the deadline.

In October 1948, #4501 was sold to the Kentucky & Tennessee Railroad to become their #12. Once he arrived on the K&T, he made friends with the railroad's other 2-8-2s, #10, and #11. For the next 16 years, #12 would work on the little 10 mile shortline hauling coal. But even the K&T had plans to modernize.

In December 1963, the railroad bought 3 ALCo S-4 diesels from the Denver & Rio Grande Western and #10 and #12 were put on standby service while #11 was sold to the U.S. Army to shuttle targets on a gunnery range (he was unfortunately killed in 1966 when a artillery shell missed its target).

In February 1964, both #10 and #12 were officially retired from service. Around that time, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum were planning to buy #12. After managing to raise the $5,000.00 scrap value, the museum sent TVRM member Paul Merriman to buy the #12, only for Merriman to buy #12 himself and the museum used the money raised to buy #12's friend, #10. While they were preparing to take #12, now renumbered back to #4501, Paul asked if he had a name. When he explained that he didn't (due to the fact freight engien were rarely given names back then), Paul named #4501 after himself. With #10 being named after Mr. Merriman's friend, Robert M. Soule Jr.

On June 6th, 1964, Paul arrived at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum and his restoration began. In 1966, he moved under his own steam again, this time painted in the imfamous green and gold livery of the Southern Railway's express locomotives. And thus began a 28 year career of excursions on the Southern's Steam Program along with Savannah (Savannah & Atlanta Railwaay #750), Julie (Southern Railway #630), and Abby (Southern Railway #722).

In 1994, the program ended and Paul went back to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. He managed to visit the Knoxville & Asheville Railroad a few times in 1995 (thanks to Lucas), and in October 1996, he was painted back to black. In 1998, it was decided to take Paul out of service due to high maintenance costs and Paul ran his last train on September 20th, of that year. 16 years later, Paul was brought back into service thanks to the dedicated members of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.