PRR K-4s No. 1361 (2010) Awaiting a less than triumphant return to Altoona. PRR K-4s 4-6-2 #1361 sits in the former DL&W roundhouse at Steamtown in Scranton, PA after a failed attempt to restore her to operation.
The locomotive (the second largest survivor from the PRR, interestingly enough) was built by the PRR Juniata Shops in May of 1918 (nearing her 100th anniversary). Retired in 1957, she was placed on display at
Horseshoe Curve on June 8th of that year after being donated to the city of Altoona. In 1985, the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona decided to move the 1361 to the Museum. A year later they they decided to restore the 1361 to operating condition at Conrail's ex-PRR Altoona Car Shops. No. 1361 was ready by April of 1987 when she made a test run to Bellefonte, PA. She pulled several excursions in 1987 and a few in 1988 until a bearing and the drive axle failed at which point 1361 was taken out of service. In 1996, the locomotive was moved to Steamtown to be restored through a partnership between Steamtown, the University of Scranton and the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona. Despite 1.7 million dollars and 14 years worth of investment, the effort ultimately failed in part due to new FRA boiler specifications that had gone into effect which had been overlooked. By 2007, many of the smaller parts were being returned to Altoona. The boiler arrived at the East Broad Top shops in April of 2011 for rumored additional restoration work and the rest of the locomotive had been removed entirely from Scranton by 2013, with the frame, tender, and various small components stored in Altoona, while the boiler was stored at the East Broad Top Railroad. By early 2015, the Railroaders Memorial Museum had completed construction of their roundhouse and began to place the 1361's tender, frame, and other components inside. The boiler followed in late July of that same year. The engine is currently stored away and is
awaiting reassembly and cosmetic restoration. The museum, however, has not ruled out a future restoration.