No. 475 was the 101st of 125 M class steam locomotives built for the Norfolk & Western from 1906 to 1907, rolling out of Baldwin Locomotive Works in June 1906. It worked on the N&W hauling freight and coal trains. It was later reassigned to branch line duties when bigger locomotives such as the Y series 2-8-8-2s, K series 4-8-2s, and J 4-8-4s starting arriving on the N&W. It was later retired in 1956, completing 50 years of service. From 1957 to 1958, it was dolled up as a 19th century locomotive with a fake diamond smokestack and oil headlamp and hauled the "Salem Shifter" local passenger train. By September 1960, #475 was placed on display in Roanoke, Virginia. In 1962, it was sold to the Virginia Scrap Iron & Metal Company scrapyard and stayed there until it was purchased a year later by William Armagost from Hollsopple, Pennsylvania. In 1980, the locomotive was sold to H.S. Kuyper, and then conveyed to the Pella Historical Society, being stored at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. In 1982 it was purchased by C. Rosenberg and others, being donated to the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad in 1985 and moved to Boone for display in 1986. It was purchased by the Strasburg Rail Road in July 1991 for $100,000 and was restored to operating condition on November 6, 1993.
Cab arrangement
Like the W class2-8-0 "Consolidation" type, there was no cab deck behind the backhead, the fireman shoveled coal from the tender deck and, along with the engineer, sat beside the firebox because the firebox came right to the back of the cab. The throttle lever hung down over the shoulder of the firebox, the reverser lever was in front of the engineer against the side of the firebox, with the water glass just above. The injector controls were in front of him against the outer wall of the cab. Although slightly cramped, visibility to the front was superb. On the fireman's side, there was a water glass, injector controls, and a drop seat arranged like the engineer's.
Modifications
The Strasburg Rail Road has made several changes to the 475.
Its current tender is an USRA 10,000 gallon tender modified by the Norfolk & Western for hand firing, which was originally fitted with an automatic stoker designed for a K-2 class 4-8-2 passenger locomotive.
The left side water leg was trimmed back to give the fireman room to swing his shovel.
The injectors were relocated from outboard of the No. 4 drivers to aft of them, so they can be operated from controls near the step up to the cab, to the rear of the seats.
The independent and automatic brake levers have been moved back to be more convenient for backing up operation.
In October 2004, 475 was backdated to its original as-built N&W appearance. Its headlight was relocated to above the center of the smokebox, the tender re-lettered "Norfolk & Western", and cab letters modified.
In very late July 2008, 475's tender was re-lettered to "Strasburg" in the same N&W font.
On February 12, 2010, 475 was brought out of the shed to plow the nearly 10 ft of snow left from two blizzards. That night, "475" was back in N&W appearance, and it was then renumbered to "382", and changed its smokestack and cowcatcher for a photo charter which took place on Opening Day, February 13, 2010. The next day it was back as "475" though the N&W appearance remains.
In 2012, 475 continuous blowdown mounted in front of the cab.
In 2013, 475 was re-lettered back to "Strasburg" in the N&W font.
In 2014, the locomotive's N&W Hooter was replaced by a three-chime whistle off of Long Island Rail Road #39.
In 2015, the locomotive's N&W Hooter was returned to the locomotive.
On July 13, 2017, The 475's tender was re-lettered back to "Norfolk & Western" for a photo freight shoot.
On November 6, 2017, Lerro Productions once again chartered 475 and renumbered her to 382 and added the pilot cover and spark arrestor for a day of photo run-bys.
In 2018, 475 is finishing out her flue time and is expected to be down for the early part of the 2019 season while undergoing her 1472-day inspection and rebuild process. It returned to service again in the fall of 2019, reuniting with the only other operational Norfolk & Western steam locomotive, the N&W 611. Both locomotives participated in the Strasburg Rail Road's "N&W Reunion of Steam" event and 475's headlight was moved to the center of the smoke box door to commemorate the special occasion.
Appearances in Media
This locomotive was named the Rainbow Sun in the 2000 movie Thomas and the Magic Railroad. An interview with Strasburg Railroad Chief Mechanical Officer, Linn Moedinger, revealed that the film's producer, Phil Fehrle, called him looking for an American locomotive to use. When Moediger inquired as to what exactly he was looking for, Fehrle told him that the film's director, Britt Allcroft, really liked the locomotives pictured in a book by O. Winston Link, in particular the M-Class locomotives. During Filming, 475 and three of Strasburg's coaches were lettered for the fictional Indian Valley Railroad. 475 even ventured off Strasburg Rails to the Harrisburg Transportation Center. The ferry move to Harrisburg from Leaman Place by Amtrak as well as the filming was unannounced so as not to attract a crowd.
