Best steam locomotive

[Anonymous]

Recently, one of our friends started a topic on the best diesel loco. Let's hear from the steam fans. My vote goes to the Norfolk&Western Y-6b.
Let's start a discussion.....
Todd C.

[Anonymous]

I like the looks of a 4-6-2 Pacific pulling a passenger train. I also like the looks of a 2-8-2 Mikado pulling a freight train. The Katy railroad never purchased anything larger, nor did it need to.

[Anonymous]

I think that the "class A" was a superb locomotive as well, heck, I loved when 1218 was resurrected for an all too brief career in the NS steam program. But, let's take a 80 car coal train, and try to get it over Blue Ridge. Do you still want to be in the cab of a class A? I'd rather have a Y. I'll get home in time for dinner, you'll be waiting for a pusher. It'll be a Y class 2-8-8-2, of course.
No offense, of course, this is all supposed to be fun, right?
Todd C.

[BRAKIE]

For a all around work horse and the GP7/9 of steam The C&O G9 2-8-0 comes to mind as well as the PRR H9.For all around looks my favorite was the Santa Fe 2-8-0.Sorry,the class has escape me.I also liked the N&W 4-8-0 M1 and M1a class.

[Anonymous]

I guess I'm a fan of the Nickel Plate Berkshires.I saw one run back in 1957 and a local museum is rebuilding one.The Y6b also performed quite well,its the only steam locomotive I ever saw mentioned in a science fiction novel.I wonder if anyone will choose the PRR T-1 or Q-2?

[Anonymous]

Yes, those NKP berks were great super-power engines. I'm curious, the one you mention as being rebuilt, is it the 765 or 759, or is another phoenix arising that the rest of us don't know about? Although I am not sure, I would assume that more than just those two NKP berks are still around. Sure would be great to have three of 'em in steam! 759 hasn't been steamed in decades, and last I knew, 765 was laid-up with running gear problems.
Todd C.

[Anonymous]

I totally agree agree!The old workhorse could do it all,switch,pull,and race. Outlasted many newer more modern designs.Proportionally one of the most beautiful locomotives ever built.

[Anonymous]

Pretty sure its the 765,its the one at New Haven Ind.I saw it a month ago wheels and cab were off,they were working on the boiler.One of the workers said they hope to have it running next year.

[Anonymous]

My own favorite is the Union Pacific "Big Boy" 4-8-8-4. This locomotive could do it all. Run freight and passenger at 70+ MPH, and drag a long freight up the Sherman Hills. The only reason they had to have helpers on the hill was to keep the couplers from breaking.

[Anonymous]

I know, this is just "pie-in-the-sky" dreaming, but with all the Big Boys still extant, wouldn't it be nice if ONE of these brutes were restored to operation. (Hello, Steve Lee?)
Todd C.

[Anonymous]

No way, man, the best steamer has GOT to be the U. P. 4-8-8-4 Bigboy. I mean shucks, any locomotive that can haul a train that's 5 miles long has GOT to be the best locomotive in the WORLD, as far as I'm concerned, anyway!

Rob
Eolia, MO

[Mookie]

All the Big Boy fans just made my heart beat a little faster this morning! Thanx Gentlemen - it will make the work day a little brighter!

[Anonymous]

I must agree that especially in the 20th century it is impossible to say which is the best steam locomotive without specifying the exact service.

While the Y6b was a magnificant machine for moving large amounts of coal across the road, it just would not be suitable for switching the docks in a port city. If it could make it around the curves, which I doubt, it might very well cra***hrough the pilings supporting the docks. But then again if we were to take the stubby 0-4-0s and 0-6-0s that were designed to switch these areas and use them to move large amounts of coal over the Blue Ridge they would look ludicrous.

If we would take the same Y6b, fine machine that it was, and put it on the C&NW 400 passenger train it would fail miserably. There is no way the Y6b could move that train at the 100+ mph necessary to be competative in the market C&NW was in. MILW and CB&Q would have eaten C&NW's lunch.

So unless you specify the exact service, I do not see how you are able to declare that one particular design of locomotive is better than all others. Most had a unique set of conditions for which they were designed, making them unsuitable for many other tasks.

My favorite service is switching the docks in a port. And I will hold up the Reading Company's 0-6-0 Camelbacks as the best steam locomotive in that service.

[dknelson]

Speaking of speed, and the CNW 4-6-2s and 4-6-4s sure had it ... they say there was never an engineer brave enough to pull the throttle all the way back on the Milwaukee Road's Class A 4-4-2's -- an obsolete wheel arrangement when it was built in the mid 1930s for the Hiawatha but perfect for high speed. 100 mph was no big deal at all for these engines, on jointed rail by the way. There was a classic standing order at Rondout IL: "Reduce to 90" And 70 years later Amtrak is struggling to produce a train that can hit 125 regularly ...
Dave Nelson

[CShaveRR]

I was wondering when someone would get around to the C&O H-8s!

He's right, of course! ;-)

But they were UGLY! My preference for the best-LOOKING steam locomotive would be a well-proportioned 4-8-4...C&O again, or maybe CNW.

Would anyone like to argue about the best steam locomotive builder?

[Anonymous]

The best builder, tough call. My vote goes to LIMA, as far as the commercial builders go. They made everything from little "Shays", to the mighty Allegeny you speak of. As far as railroad shops "homemade" steam, I gotta say Norfolk&Western's Roanoke shops.
Just my opinion. Todd C.

[Anonymous]

I don't know all of the details, but having stood next to a Bigboy at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis Missouri, It gets my vote! The size and scale of this machine are awesome! If I could see just one steam locomotive rolling down the tracks under a full load this would be it. Stand next to one and try to disagree! 4-8-8-4 Big Boy all the way!

[Anonymous]

There were more of them and two railroads had them. Good choice. Got my vote over an N&W A, although close.

[BRAKIE]

Speaking of the H6,I worked with a Chessie engineer that ran them.According to him not only would they pull a mine run,but would bring the mine with it and would beg for more.In 1979 this old C&O engine herder had 41 years in...A fine gentleman that love to talk steam...

[Anonymous]

The Allegheneys were H8's on the C&O and AG's on the Virginian.

[BRAKIE]

Correct,excuse the error. I knew that,but,hit 6 instead of 8...I also did not catch it when I proof read the dang thing! No biggy though,Mistakes happen...

[Modelcar]

Isn't there an ongoing discussion of which engine weighed the most...Allegheny or Big Boys...I surely don't know. I believe there was an article in TRAINS Mag. a while back on that very subject...Don't even remember their conclusion.

QM

[Anonymous]

yep, they can happen in the best of families

[Anonymous]

I know that the C&O Allegeny was AWESOME, and it is one of my favorites, I'll still stand by the Y-6b, however. Just to "stir the coals" a little, how about the Virginan's "Triplex"? 4-8-8-8-2?
Given a better boiler, that would have been one HELL of an engine! And yes, I'm just referring to sheer drag force. Not high speeds.
Todd C.

[ironhorseman]

Southern Pacific's Daylight GS-4 4-8-4 #4449

[Anonymous]

Triplex was tried and failed both on the Virginian and the Erie. I don't think it was or is possible to build a boiler big enough, even water tube. The turbine electrics were water tube and they didn't work either. If you just want pulling force, try a Delta 2 rocket!

[cbq9911a]

First, "best" steam loco needs to be qualified by the service it's used in. This isn't like the case with diesels. For example, the N&W class A is a good steam loco, but a lousy loco for mine run service.

Based on that qualification, and sticking to currently active steam locos, the "best" steam loco is Frisco 1630 at the Illinois Railway Museum. She's the right size for IRM's route and traffic. Frisco had some good steam locos as well. Now, if they'd put the Nebraska Zephyr consist behind her...

[UPTRAIN]

DEFINATELY!!!!!! UP Challenger 3985 I have rode on that locomotive and I work for UP as an Engineer in Poplar bluff, MO and I have seen the loco perform many times it is a spectacular site so in the world of steam 3985 ROCKS come on over to www.railchat.com

[Anonymous]

While both Allegheny's and Big Boy's were impressive. I like the DM&IR's M-3 and M-4 "Yellowstones". I think they are a little smaller in size and weight, but deffenitly still in the same company.

[Anonymous]

Yes, those "Yellowstones" were mighty fine locomotives. I have always recalled that photo of one of them on the bridge crossing what is now the tourist line, North Shore Scenic? I think that's what it's called now...... Aren't there one or two Yellowstones preserved?

Todd C.