Edgemoor & Manetta #5...Condition?

[W. Dancey]

Currently residing in Richburg, SC in a public park, this little 0-4-0T locomotive was a member of the last regularly operating steam freight railroad in the United States. The Edgemoor & Manetta extended 2.5 miles in rural S.C. to service it's one and only customer which was a mill of some sort. The line closed in 1975 due to the condemnation of its one and only locomotive, the #5. However, there is no information available as to what condemned the locomotive to the park it currently calls home. I would suspect issues with the boiler, but does anyone know the TRUE CONDITION of the little engine? Has anybody seen it recently or know the specifics of why it was pulled from operation? Thanks to all! -Liam

[tomikawaTT]

Just looked at the available photos of E&M number 5.  The one 'in service' photo (1971) looks 'rid hard and put away wet,' with rust all over the smokebox and a heavy coat of grunge all but obscuring the lettering on the saddle tank.  Judging by that and a couple of 'out of service but not yet parked' views (alongside the mill in 1984) the E&M existed to deliver coal to the mill a hopperful or two at a time.

Thanks to a reasonably good paint job, the 2012 photo under the canopy in the park makes #5 look better than she did in 1971!

My money would go on the probability that the boiler flues expired, and the Manetta Mills pulled the fire, abandoned the railroad and went to truck operation for their coal deliveries.  In the 1984 photos there's pavement right up to the grizzly of the receiving hopper behind the loco.

It's also possible that the wood pilot beam and front footboards might have led to #5's demise.

One sure thing - after 37+ years of inattention, the boiler is probably totally unsafe for any pressure over about 5 psi, and the wood pilot beam is definitely unacceptable and would have to be replaced.  That's without looking at anything below the bottom of the tank.

Chuck