St. Louis Southwestern 4-8-4 819 was built in 1943 as the last member of class L1. She was the final locomotive constructed by the Cotton Belt in the company shops at Pine Bluff and the last locomotive constructed in Arkansas. SSW 819 has 70 inch drivers, boiler pressure of 250 lbs per square inch, and 26 x 30 inch cylinders. Locomotive and tender weigh about 737,500 pounds and can produce 61,500 pounds of tractive effort. SSW 819 was retired in 1953 and donated to the city of Pine Bluff in 1955. After restoration, SSW 819 pulled her first excursion on April 26, 1986. In July, 1990, SSW 819 attended the NRHS convention in St. Louis. After the convention she and her train headed south to Pine Bluff. She is seen here just south of Chester, Illinois as she thundered by amidst a huge cloud of exhaust.
