The locomotive primarily helped haul the N&W's freight and coal trains, but by the end of the 1950s, it was relegated as a hump yard switcher.

2050 was sold for scrap to the Armco Steel Corporation of Middletown, Ohio, but it was withheld as a stationary boiler.

[1][2] They were also equipped with a Mellin type by-pass and intercepting valve to change its operations between Simple and Compound.

[2] The N&W was so satisfied with the Y3's performances that throughout 1923, the company ordered thirty identical copies of the USRA 2-8-8-2's from ALCO's Richmond, Virginia works, and they were classified as Y3a's (Nos.

[1][8] Beginning in the late 1920s, the N&W rebuilt and modified their Y3's and Y3a's; their boiler pressure was boosted to 270 psi (1.9 MPa), which in turn boosted their tractive effort to 136,985 lbf (609.34 kN) with simple expansion and 114,154 lbf (507.78 kN) with compound expansion.

2050 quickly joined the older Y3 locomotives in service, being used to pull heavy drag-speed coal trains over steep grades in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

2050 was reassigned again as a hump switcher in Williamson, West Virginia, and then it was transferred to Portsmouth, Ohio, where the locomotive spent its final days of revenue service before it was retired in 1959.

[10][11] They were equipped with a 6-inch (15 cm) line on their steam dome, but they were only used as stationary boilers twice before they were left in outdoor storage.

2050's deteriorating status and solicited for it to be donated to them, but Armco—believing the museum wanted to receive the locomotive in good mechanical condition—asked the IRM to pay $37,500, consequently ending the negotiations.

[10] Neil Easter informed Armco management that the IRM was able to perform some required mechanical work on No.

2050 to ensure the locomotive would be safely shipped on its wheels, but work did not begin until January 1976, when the IRM formally contracted with Armco to remove the Y3a from their property.

2050 was found to be in poor condition, and the crews had to thoroughly clean and lubricate the axles to make the locomotive roll, with Penn Central (PC) having to inspect it twice for eligibility to be moved on their mainline.

2050; old coal was unloaded from the tender; the tender brake cylinder and the footboards were replaced with duplicates; the locked brake rigging was oiled and loosened; and part of the locomotive was jacked up to repair a broken driving wheel spring.