ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A 0-4-0T locomotive that served as a shop switcher for a New York Central subsidiary will be preserved by the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum.
Despatch Shops No. 5, built in 1924 by the Vulcan Works in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., was purchased by Merchants Despatch Transportation Corp. for use at its freight car manufacturing and repair shop in East Rochester. The locomotive was retired in 1954 and was briefly displayed outside the Despatch Shops offices before being sold to scrap metal dealer Rochester Iron & Metal, where it was displayed for many years. Eventually, it was acquired by John Virgilio, a school district custodian, for $1,250 in 1965. It became the centerpiece of a private museum that opened in 1966 but eventually closed over concerns over the security of the collection and complaints by neighbors.
The Rochester & Genesee museum began cultivating a relationship with the Virgilio family in 2017. After John Virgilio passed away in 2021 at age 91, family members agreed in May 2022 that the museum would be the ideal home for the locomotive. The locomotive was delivered on July 7 and is now in the museum’s display yard; long-term plans include cosmetic restoration and a permanent display that will allow visitors to enter the cab and sit in the engineer’s seat.
“As the largest operating railroad museum in New York State, we feel a great responsibility to preserve the legacy of Rochester’s rich railroading heritage for future generations to enjoy,” Otto Vondrak, museum president, said in a press release. “With only a handful of New York Central steam locomotives preserved across the country, we owe a debt of gratitude to John Virgilio for saving such an important part of our local history.”
The locomotive will require considerable restoration work before it is ready for tours. Immediate plans call for work to stabilize No. 5 and a full evaluation to determine the best course of action.
For more on the museum, visit its website.
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