Wonderful Performance of Engine 273. Passenger engine No. 273 was built at the Altoona shops and turned out on the road in 1875, with Mr. Sol. Hoffmeister as engineer. She weighs 75,500 pounds and has five-foot driving wheels. About nine weeks ago the engine was placed for the first time in the shop for repairs, having been in continuous use forty-nine months, and in that time has run 251,552 miles, and is now in the middle division round house ready for the road once more, looking as good as new. Mr. Hoffmeister has the credit for all the mileage made by the engine in the past four years, and the wonderful amount of work performed by it speaks well for the care he has displayed over the machine, as well as the excellent workmanship of the machinists and other workmen engaged in the construction of locomotives. When Cornelius Vanderbilt, son of William H. Vanderbilt, passed east over the Pennsylvania railroad in a special train, something over a year ago, engine 273 hauled the train to Harrisburg. It had then completed 200,000 miles, and that trip entered it on the 201,000. We doubt whether any railroad in the country can produce a locomotive engine with a better record. In making repairs, such as a new fire box, tire, improved spark arrester, etc., only eight weeks were required, showing that the engine was in right good condition still. Mr. Hoffmeister is among the oldest and most trustworthy engineers on the road, and he has certainly shown by the extraordinary performance of his engine that he knows how to take care of it. Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Tuesday, October 26, 1880