Sumpter Valley Ry. #13

Here we see Sumpter Valley Ry. #13. Deemed unlucky by some, 13 is not usually a popular number for locomotives, hotel floors etc. This engine built in 1881 by Baldwin began its service life in Minnesota for the Minneapolis, Lyndale & Minnetonka Railway as their #13. Within a year it moved to the San Pete Valley Ry. in Utah as their #107. In 1899, the Sumpter Valley was extending their line toward Whitney and more motive power was needed. The little 45,000lb. mogul was acquired and became SVRy #3 (1st). Moving forward to 1906, the SVRy purchased 4 heavier engines from the Tonopah Railroad, which were numbered 1 though 4. Rather than renumber the newest engines, they did a general renumbering of the old fleet with #3 becoming #13 as seen in this photo. With the heavy grades the railroad encountered as it built west, this little engine was likely of limited value. Sometime in the period 1910 to 1913 it was stricken from the roster. The scan is from the SVRR Archive - Hansen Collection.