542 first operated in North Carolina on the Southern Railway in 1903, between the cities of Statesville and Winston-Salem.

Between April 3–6, and August 23 - 24th, 1937, the locomotive was leased to the Atlantic and Yadkin Railway (A&Y), a subsidiary company of Southern Railroad.

542 needed $6,000.00 in boiler work, the A&Y convinced Southern, after several weeks of negotiations, to lease the locomotive.

In 1954, the Southern donated the locomotive to the Tanglewood Park in Clemmons, North Carolina for static display.

The locomotive was eventually given a cosmetic restoration, in order to be presentable to the general public at the N.C. Transportation Museum (NCTM) in Spencer, North Carolina.

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