The 104 was built in April 1950 as the L&N 2271 and she kept that number for her entire life on the L&N. In December 1983, the Vandalia Railroad became to be on 3.5 miles of old abandoned tracks of the Illinois Central in Vandalia, Illinois. The 2271 was purchased around or about this time to be the power for this little railroad. After the purchase, the 2271 kept her number and sported a solid grey paint scheme with white lettering. On October 7th 1994, Pioneer Rail Corp. bought all the outstanding common stock of the Vandalia Railroad there for taking over ownership of this little railroad. Quickly Pioneer rushed the 2271 off to be repainted and to be renumbered. In the mean time, Pioneer brought in an Alco switcher to handle the switching while the 2271 was gone. A few months later the 2271 returned back to the railroad sporting a new shiny yellow and black paint scheme and she had been renumbered to the 104. Today that shiny yellow and black paint scheme is not so shiny and she spends most of her time parked next to the railroads offices located in an old Illinois Central interlocking tower in downtown Vandalia.
From a hint of "Bee" (NKP 765), colorful "Bees" (KCS), "Bees" w/ "attitude", to "Bees" that "sting" your eyes, in their own way they have "Bee" on display! Equipment that "Buzzes" with Yellow & Black colors! ("Bees" can still "Bee" entering this "hive"!)
