It subsequently spent the next eight years being sold to various owners until becoming fully owned by the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg for static display.

[1] In September 1918, a unique saddle tank locomotive rolled out of the Reading shops after being constructed from parts of an I-2a class 2-8-0.

1251 remained on the active list the longest, the only thing forcing it into retirement was age.

George M. Hart was a steam locomotive historian who formerly worked with Reading Company for years.

As the famed Iron Horse Rambles excursion trains were coming to an end, Hart decided to operate his own steam excursions in various parts of the Northeastern United States, and he founded his own private company Rail Tours Incorporated.

1251 was formerly retired from excursion service after its flue time expired, and it was subsequently replaced by larger locomotives from the Canadian Pacific Railway, including 4-6-0 No.

1251 was moved across the Strasburg Rail Road and was put in the yard of the new Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania for storage.

1251 was moved inside the museum's main building,[6] surrounded by a few Pennsylvania Railroad locomotives.