Built in 1912 as a 2-8-0 Consolidation-type by the American Locomotive Company of Schenectady, New York, for the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (SLSF or "Frisco"), the engine was later rebuilt into a 2-8-2 Mikado-type to keep up with the traffic demands from World War II.
After being retired from the Frisco, the locomotive was moved to many locations under several owners, until it ended up in a small engine house in Rural, Illinois.
However, it was left partially disassembled in Taylorville, Illinois, due to the ASR being busy working on restoring another steam locomotive Reading 2100.
The locomotive went through a major overhaul/modernization including adding of Nicholson Thermic Syphons, Superheaters and a Coffin feedwater heater system.
[1] The locomotive continued in regular service until it was retired in 1956, and it was subsequently donated to Swope Park in Kansas City, Missouri, for static display.