#0006
West Point
built by West Point Foundry· from 1830· the second steam locomotive built in the United States
2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. West Point locomotive: Unknown, commissioned for above work· Public domain
- 2. PSM V12 D285 The west point 1831: Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
what is it?
West Point was the third steam locomotive constructed in the United States. It was constructed for the South Carolina Railroad by the West Point Foundry of New York and built to plans from Horatio Allen. The locomotive was built in 1830 and shipped to Charleston, South Carolina, on the Lafayette, arriving there on February 28, 1831, and entering service shortly thereafter.
fun facts
- First built 196 years ago, in 1830.
steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.
spec sheet
- built
- 1830
- number built
- —
- kind
- Steam
- traction
- steam
- builders
- West Point Foundry
- designer
- Horatio Allen
- top speed
- —
- power
- —
- wheel arrangement
- 0-4-0
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q7986245, Wikipedia: West Point (locomotive) (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.