H.K. Porter #1 basks in the sun behind the Railroad Museum of Long Island. While LIRR #39 and BEDT #16 are arguably the more prolific pieces of the RMLI's collection, this little engine also has a very interesting history. Originally built for the Defiance Coal Company in New Mexico, this 40" gauge Porter shuttled coal from two mines on a railroad that had less than two miles of track. Upon retirement in 1953, she was sold to Dr. Stanley Groman and moved to Sandy Creek, NY, becoming part of one of the first railroad museums in the United States. However, due to its uncommon gauge, the locomotive remained a static display.
#1 was eventually sold from Dr. Groman's estate, and wound up in the hands of John Degan of Southampton, NY. Degan built a custom trailer for the locomotive, equipped with rollers upon which the wheels sat. This allowed the engine to be fired up and operated in place. The RMLI acquired #1 in 1999, and now in 2014, efforts are underway to restore the locomotive and her trailer to such operation.
