In December of 1997, Locomotive 98 was taken out of service as a tired engine. After serving well and in a reliable manner for many years, major repairs to its firebox were required. In January 1998, engine 58 was donated to the Wilmington & Western Railroad. All efforts by staff and volunteers were directed to repair and bring back to service this engine. Locomotive 98 had to wait until the year 2002.

In February 2002, work on Engine 98 resumed. Contractors, staff and many dedicated volunteers spent their time and efforts on this major restoration project. After two-and-a-half years of constant work, Locomotive 98 now runs again on the Wilmington & Western Railroad tracks. These are some of the phases that Locomotive 98 went through during the restoration process. I do not explain in fine detail all the steps involved, but present to you the most relevant aspects of the work involved in the restoration project.