C&NW #2808 in the Backshop

Jack Delano was visiting the C&NW’s 40th Street shops in December of 1942. There he recorded this view of steam locomotive #2808 undergoing heavy repairs. The 2-8-4 Berkshire was of the class J-4, and was built by Brooks (Alco) in August of 1927. She was scrapped in 1950. It looks like they’ve installed a new air pump (at left above the pony truck). It will eventually be tucked behind a stair leading up to the walkway along the boiler. I also assume that a fresh coat of graphite will be applied to the smokebox, and a bit of touch-up done to piping and other appurtenances that have been worked on.

The locomotive looked familiar to me, and after investigation I realized that it had been featured in this earlier post, and was also in this overall photograph inside the shop.

C&NW #2808 at Locomotive Backshop