The first locomotive with a 4-4-0 wheel arrangement was built in 1837 and the design lasted for nearly a century. By the end of the 1920s, over 25,000 such locomotives had been built. The 4-4-0 was a popular choice for nearly every American railroad, so much so that the wheel arrangement soon earned the name "American Standard," or simply "American."

Locomotive 98 was built by the American Locomotive Company of Schenectady, NY in January 1909 (construction #45921). It worked in passenger service on the Mississippi Central before being retired in December 1944. Paulsen Spence purchased the 98 in 1947 for the Comite Southern, and later the Louisiana Eastern. Thomas C. Marshall and T. Clarence Marshall purchased the locomotive in January of 1960 with the intent of operating her (and several other engines) on a proposed weekend steam tourist railroad in Wilmington, DE. The 98 was moved to the Strasburg Rail Road where she was placed in storage until storage facilities could be obtained in Wilmington. In April 1964, the 98 was moved off Strasburg property and shipped to the Wilmington & Western where she was returned to service in October 1972.

Tom Marshall officially donated the locomotive to Historic Red Clay Valley, Incorporated, in December 1977. She operated regularly until the end of 1998 when she was removed from service to undergo a major rehabilitation project.

No. 98 made a triumphant return to the rails on October 16, 17, 30 & 31, 2004, when she was joined by No. 58 for unique "Steam Meets Steam" weekends on the Wilmington & Western. Look for her to operate along with No. 58 throughout the coming years!