The Manchester Locomotive Works in Manchester, NH, built this locomotive in 1883 for the Mount Washington Cog Railway but instead, sold it to the Mountain Cog Railway on Mt. Desert Island in Maine. Technically, with a 4’ 8” gauge, this is a narrow gauge locomotive (½” less than standard gauge). It weighs 26,700 lbs, has four 8” x 12” cylinders, each opposed set of two operating as a separate engine, making it an 0-2-2-0 type locomotive. A coal burner operating at a boiler pressure of 140 psi, it delivered 7,600 lbs tractive effort.
At the end of the 19th century, Maine's tourist industry was developing rapidly and the islands off the coast of Maine were popular attractions. The success of the Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire from 1868 encouraged interest in a building a cog railway to the top of Green Mountain on Mt. Desert Island and work started in 1883. It was built by the entrepreneur Frank Clergue to the same design as the Mount Washington line. #1 was the first locomotive to operate on the line and was named "Mount Desert". A second locomotive was delivered, #2, but was not named.
The line operated during the summer season and for the first few years was successful, but as tourist numbers declined, after the 1890 season, it ceased operations. The two steam engines were sold to the Mount Washington Cog Railway in 1895 where #1 was renumbered #4.
In 1934, it was renamed “Summit” and then “Chocorua” in 1996/97. In 2008, #4 was fitted with the cab and tender, renumbered #8 and renamed "Moosilauke". In 2013, it was moved to its current location on display with Coach #5 in Twin Mountain, NH.
