Article #127: Graham County Railroad Shay #1925 NC Transportation Museum Spencer, NC (May 16, 2026)

 

In this new article, we are looking at Graham County Railroad shay locomotive #1925 at the NC transportation Museum in Spencer, NC back on May 16, 2026.

This locomotive was built in February of 1925 by the Lima Locoonmtive Works in Lima, Ohio. It was designed for mountain grades that were steep as well as sharp curves. It operated in Robbinsville, NC for decades. It hauled lumber out of the snowbird mountains. When logging operations stopped in 1948, it started ti haul general freight between Robbinsville, NC and Topton, NC. It connected with the Murphy Branch of the Southern Railway. 

After it's freight hauling days came to an end, it started to pull excursions when the line it ran on was under the Bear Scenci Railroad name. The line went through the Nantahala Forest.Another interesting fact is that it earned the title as the fastest shay locomotive ever recorded. It had a top speed of 18 mph where it won The Great Shay Race at Railfair '99 when it was at the California State Railroad Museum. 

 It was donated to the NC Transportation Museum in 1988. At one point, it was used pulling the on site train ride. 

A side view of #1925.