USATC1 (CR2) 2-8-0 No. 5197 (KD6.463)
Cheddleton, Staffordshire, UK 		Location: Churnet Valley Railway
Status: Operational
Abbreviation Expansion English
1 USATC United States Army Transportation Command United States Army Transportation Command
2 CR China Rail China Rail
Posted: Mar 18, 2025 @ 15:03:33 by Russell Newman
It turns out that the ex United States Army Transportation Corps S160 2-8-0 No. 5197, has not been withdrawn from service for overhaul yet as its still has a boiler ticket and still operational for another three years still and is due to be hauling trains at the Churnet Valley Railway for the 2025 running season.
Posted: Dec 24, 2024 @ 05:12:45 by Russell Newman
Having worked its last Polar Express trains at the Churnet Valley Railway over the Christmas season, the ex United States Army Transportation Corps S160 2-8-0 No. 5197, has now been withdrawn from service having come to the end of its 10 boiler ticket and will now be undergoing its overhaul in the workshop at Cheddleton shed soon.
Posted: Nov 12, 2024 @ 12:11:22 by Russell Newman
The ex United States Army Transportation Corps S160 2-8-0 No. 5197, along with her sister No. 6046 will be one of the two locomotives rostered to work the Churnet Valley Railway’s Polar Express Trains this Christmas season, and this will be No. 5197’s last season working them before being withdrawn from service for its 10 year overhaul at the end of the year.
Posted: Apr 28, 2024 @ 14:04:47 by Russell Newman
The ex United States Army Transportation Corps S160 2-8-0 No. 5197, has completed a mechanical exam, steam test and brake test along with a test run which it has passed successfully. 2024 will be the last year of service of No. 5197 at the Churnet Valley Railway as the locomotive will be withdrawn from service at the end of the year for her next overhaul. No. 5197 will be taking part in the Churnet Valley Railway’s upcoming Steam Gala Weekend from the 4th to 6th of May 2024, which will be No. 5197’s last Steam Gala appearance for now.
Posted: Nov 19, 2022 @ 09:11:41 by Russell Newman
The ex United States Army Transportation Corps S160 2-8-0 No. 5197 will be all deckted out with her American headlight from her days in China on this Christmas season as the main locomotive to work the Polar Express Train Rides at the Churnet Valley Railway this year.
Posted: Jul 1, 2021 @ 13:07:11 by Russell Newman
This is the history of United States Army Transportation Corps. S160 2-8-0 No. 5197. No. 5197 was built in 1945 by Lima Locomotive Works in Ohio, USA and was exported new to China in January, 1946. The S160 2-8-0’s sent to China were all classified as KD6 on China Rail which 5197 was numbered KD6.463. She spent the majority of her working life in the Chinese Coal Industry around the Coal mines at Fushun in Liaoning province of China. Where she worked there until 1995 when she was withdrawn from service and bought for preservation in the UK by Derek Foster who shipped the locomotive from China to the UK and then moved her to the Llangollen Railway to be overhaul to meet UK standards and rebuilt back to her orginal condition. She was steamed in the UK for the first time in preservation in 1999 and returned to traffic in United States Army Transportation Corps Grey livery. In 2001 the locomotive was sold to Greg Wilson who then moved her to the Churnet Valley Railway and it was then painted to USATC Black Livery. During its time in preservation 5197 has visited many preserved railways around the UK for Gala weekends and Wartime events too. In 2008 5197 visited Merehead Quarry in Somerset for a open weekend and there along with British Railways Standard 9F 2-10-0 No. 92203 "Black Prince" hauled a 2000 ton Stone Train during the open weekend then. Now in her second stint in preservation 5197 along with sister S160 2-8-0 No. 6046 is today part of the locomotive fleet under Batt Holden Ltd. set up by Greg Wilson and is still very popular at the Churnet Valley Railway and out visiting other preserved railways around the UK for Gala and Wartimes weekends as well as spot hire. At Christmas time 5197 is also popular as the Polar Express as she still has her American Headlamp from when she worked in China which is fitted to make her look the part as the Polar Express which the children and their familys love it!
Posted: Jan 6, 2021 @ 05:01:43 by Russell Newman
During the later half of 2020 ex United States Army Transportation Corps S160 2-8-0 No. 5197 has undergone a number of repairs which has seen new South African style injectors fitted replacing the Chinese style lifting injectors and some work done on the steam reverser and the fitting of a new replacement tender tank in readiness for the 2021 season.
Posted: Nov 17, 2019 @ 14:11:06 by Russell Newman
It turns out that ex United States Army Transportation Corps S160 2-8-0 No. 5197 has gone to the Telford Steam Railway again for the Polar Express this Christmas season and not 6046 as thought sorry. No. 5197 has been fitted with a cowcatcher, bell and its original American style headlight from when it worked in China as KD6.463 to look the part for the Polar Express as it does every Christmas at Telford.
Posted: Oct 26, 2019 @ 08:10:19 by Russell Newman
Former United States Army Transportation Corps S160 2-8-0 No. 5197 will be visiting the Wensleydale Railway for their first Polar Express events this Christmas season from November to Christmas Eve 2019.
Posted: Jun 27, 2019 @ 12:06:36 by Russell Newman
The ex USATC S160 2-8-0 No. 5197 is set to visit the Mid Norfolk Railway for the first time as a replacement for 9466 which sadly will not be at their Summer Steam Gala. 5197 will be running on the 29th and 30th June 2019 during the Gala.
Posted: Mar 19, 2019 @ 14:03:58 by Russell Newman
S160 2-8-0 No. 5197 is to make another visit to the Epping Ongar Railway in Essex but this time for the summer season there. No. 5197 will arrive there in June in time to take part in their Summer Steam Gala on the weekend of June 7th to 9th 2019 and will also be running at their 1940s weekend on the 22nd to 23rd of June. As well as operating in July and August there.
Posted: Oct 27, 2018 @ 08:10:12 by Russell Newman
No. 5197 will be going off to visit the Telford Steam Railway for Polar Express duties again this Christmas.
Posted: Apr 13, 2018 @ 13:04:48 by Russell Newman
S160 2-8-0 No. 5197 has been added to the line up of visiting locomotives at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for there Cotswold Festival of Steam event on the weekend of the 26th to the 28th of May 2018.
Posted: Feb 13, 2018 @ 08:02:22 by Joe Boyd
While On Lease To The Paignton And Dartmouth Steam Railway On Tuesday 13th February 2018 5197 Reported To Have Had Issue With its Wheel Bearing The Locomotive After Arriving From Kingswear Was On Lease From The Churnet Valley Railway Myself Witness This Incident And After Much Delay To The Outboard Service To From Paignton 5197 Departed 25 Minutes Late
Posted: Feb 7, 2018 @ 07:02:32 by Russell Newman
As a thank you for the visit of 4277 to the Churnet Valley. S160 No. 5197 is visiting the Dartmouth Steam Railway in Devon for there 2018 season. The loco will enter traffic there this weekend but will still be available for visits to other railways around the UK still.
Posted: Jan 3, 2018 @ 05:01:54 by Russell Newman
Having finished working the Polar Express at the Telford Steam Railway over the festive season. S160 No. 5197 has returned home to the Churnet Valley Railway for the 2018 season there and some visits to other preserved railways. As in June its to visit the Epping Ongar Railway in Essex for there Steam Gala from the 8th till the 10th of June.
Posted: Dec 18, 2017 @ 17:12:47 by Russell Newman
S160 No. 5197 is currently visiting the Telford Steam Railway for there Polar Express runs over the Christmas season and has what looks like a American headlight fitted to the front of its smokebox for the Christmas event there. It could be the headlight from its time in as a KD6 in China?
Posted: Feb 6, 2017 @ 12:02:48 by Russell Newman
5197 is now back in steam following completion of its overhaul and is currently undergoing tests runs at the Churnet Valley Railway. 5197 will be making its debut back in service at the Winter Steam Gala later this month which will see a historic moment in preservation. As 5197 will double head with sister S160 6046 which will be the first time in the UK since 1944 that 2 S160 2-8-0s will be seen working double heading together.
Posted: Dec 28, 2016 @ 12:12:01 by Russell Newman
5197 is the other S160 former Chinese State Railways KD6 to be preserved. Built in 1945 5197 was shipped new from the U.S.A. to China that year was formerly numbered KD6 463 on China Rail. 5197 worked on hauling coal trains out in China till the early to mid 1990s when it was brought to the UK for preservation. It was restored and rebuilt to UK standards at the Llangollen Railway in 1999 it was sold to its current owner and moved to the Churnet Valley Railway in 2001. Now nearing the end of its second overhaul in preservation 5197 will making its return to traffic at the Churnet Valley Railways winter steam gala in February in the New Year.
Posted: May 26, 2016 @ 12:05:26 by Russell Newman
5197 will be coming back in to service at the Churnet Valley Railway at the end of the summer.
Posted: Dec 27, 2015 @ 06:12:07 by Russell Newman
The overhaul to 5197 is coming along well and the loco should be back in action at the Churnet Valley Railway this Easter in the New Year.
Posted: Mar 7, 2004 @ 11:03:47 by Ray Teece

You presently show 5197 as located at Llangollen, but I believe that this is incorrect.  It is privately owned and i believe that it is presently based at the Churnet Valley Railway.  See http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/locos.htm

I have just sent you five photographs of 5197 that I took during it's visit to The Great Central Railway at Loughborough, England, UK.  Hope to see them on your site soon.

 

Posted: Aug 29, 2003 @ 18:08:55 by Dan Nelson

"Army Motors", publication of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association, in it's most recent issue (#104) ran an article which included photos of US Army #5197 operating at a WW II military recreation exhibit including "Peak Rail" running from Matlock to Rowsley (Derbyshire).  Unfortunately, the article gives almost no information about the engine, but the images are quite good.  I will attempt to obtain the digital files of the images and get them to your site.

Excellent site by the way! Most informative and inclusive. Thank you.

Dan Nelson; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada