The Cotton Belt Class L-1 was a class of 20 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotives that were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works and the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (a.k.a.

"Cotton Belt Route") at their own Pine Bluff Shops.

[1][2] During the Second World War, the Cotton Belt Route had made an agreement with Southern Pacific Transportation Company to lease eleven of their L-1 locomotives to operate on the lines by the Southern Pacific Transportation Company as they needed more motive power to tackle the issues throughout the Second World War.

The locomotive was retired from revenue service in 1953 and was presented to the City of Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1955 as a token of gratitude for the city’s support of the Cotton Belt’s steam locomotive operations.

The ownership of the locomotive was retained by the city, and the restoration of the 819 was the responsibility of “Project 819”, an all-volunteer effort by two rail historical preservation groups: the Arkansas Railroad Club and the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society.