The OP may not have been specifying diesels, but it is safe to assume that the implication was for locomotives in common carrier or industrial service, not tourist or park operations.
To my knowledge the oldest locomotive currantly active is a 4-4-0 at the Henry Ford Museum in Greenfield Village, Michigan. It was built in the 1870's, and there's YouTube videos to been seen of it in operation.
There's the "William Mason" at the Baltimore and Ohio Museum, a 4-4-0 built in the 1850's, but it's not in regular service, they only trot that one out on special occasions.
Hey man, you didn't specify diesels!
denveroutlaws06Whats the oldest locomotive that is still active?
Euclid has one earlier than 1939. I suspect there are other 'critter' size diesel-mechanicals like the one Central Colorado Railcar had (1930) that are still running. If those don't count, look for things like HH600s at ag facilities (does Gopher Scrap still run theirs?). And then there is this, I think:
Whats the oldest locomotive that is still active?
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