LAFAYETTE

ID # 892

LAFAYETTE

The Lafayette, a 4-2-0 type built by William Norris at Philadelphia in the fall of 1837, was the first six-wheeler on the Baltimore & Ohio, which was then nine years old and owned only eleven four-wheeled locomotives. This locomotive was a high-stacked woodburner used to haul freight. Like other iron horses of that period, she had no Cab and the engineer stood on an open platform exposed to sun, rain. wind and snow. An old report shows that during the first six months of 1841 the Lafayette covered 10,400 miles, consumed 255 1/2 cords of wood in her firebox and cost $438.10 in repairs, of which $393.60 went for  workmanship and only $44.50 for material.

THE BALTIMORE & OHIO RAILROAD COMPANY