Louis

Louis was formerly the main express locomotive on the Knoxville & Asheville Railroad.   Louis  
 * Full Name: Louis Lionel Pacific
 * Builder: ALCo-Rogers, Paterson, New Jersey USA
 * Build date: 1909
 * Serial Number: Unknown
 * Locomotive Class: L&N K-2A class
 * Configuration: 4-6-2 Pacific
 * Tractive Effort: 28,991 lbs.
 * Arrived on the K&A: 1909
 * Previous Owner(s) and Number(s): None, purchased new
 * Track Gauge: Standard, 4' 8 1/2" inches
 * Retired: 1962
 * Recommissioned: January 1995
 * Status: Operational
 * Traffic: Mixed
 * Age: 110

Biography
Louis is Smokey's best friend and the first express locomotive purchased by the K&A. He was mostly seen pulling the Knoxville & Asheville Railroad's main express passenger train, the "Smoky Mountain Limited". He was originally built with a smaller tender until an accident with a flying rock damaged it in 1926. He was then rebuilt with a bigger tender. He had hauled the express for over 50 years. When the Smoky Mountain Limited was discontinued in 1962, Louis was retired from service and was sold to a private owner by the name of Bill Stanfard. He worked for Mr. Stanford for over 3 decades until being sold back to the Knoxville & Asheville Railroad in 1995. Louis is a kind hearted old 4-6-2 pacific with a heart of gold. He claims to be faster than buses which he has a deep hatred for. Whenever there's a new express diesel in the yard, Louis is sometimes loaned to teach the newcomer.

Trivia

 * Louis is based off of L&N 4-6-2 #152.
 * According to the K&A's history, Sheldon T.C. Hartford wanted to borrow the plans of the Ps class 4-6-2 from the Southern Railroad. However due to some copyright law and a corrupt railroad secretary, Mr. Hartford had to borrow plans off of an L&N K class 4-6-2.
 * Louis originally had a smaller tender when he was built. However when he had an accident with a falling rock, he was given a bigger tender.
 * Louis was built to replace #1200, a pompous 4-6-2 pacific loaned from the Southern Railroad.