I would like to nominate this as the most beautiful tank engine. Seeing it is the latest issue of CT was a real treat.
Do you also think gthe Central's non-streamlined Hudsons, J-1a or J-3a, the most beautiful non-streamlined passenger power?
Personally, I like the very classic Southern's last green-and-gold Pacifics.
I would definitely call those NYC Hudsons the best looking 4-6-4 types.
And compared to your favorite Pacifics?
I don't know that I have a favorite Pacific. I think just about every major North American railroad had some type of Pacific for passenger service.
The obvious comparison with the NYC Hudson is the Pennsy K4 Pacific. I think that has been covered by CT. The Pennsy had a good thing going with the K4, I think most steam fans would agree.
Sometime back, someone suggested that we name our favorite steam locomotives. I picked those 4-8-2's made for the Rutland in 1946. If only they had hung on a few more years, maybe we might have seen one in Steamtown or somewhere else.
I love the PRR K4s in nearly every respect... save that their appearance is relatively awful, hump-backed and downright ugly from the front. The postwar treatment putting the generator on the headlight mount and the headlight on top of the smokebox was considerably more awful.
The K5 had better esthetics in nearly every regard... what a pity it took an act of government to put a stoker on it so it could actually live up to its looks!
I'm more partial to the NYC K5 Pacifics ... which is amusing since the K6b ranks as one of the most awful when seen from the front; every other view of it is delightful. But...
... the finest of the North American Pacifics was on the B&M, and we are fortunate not only to have a surviving example but to have one being restored to operation: 3713.
(470 is attractive, but not in the same league...)
We could have the discussion on whether Gresley's or Stanier's Pacifics factor into this part of the discussion. (Personally I like Stanier's better, just as I like the GWR Castles for 4-6-0s.) While I love French steam, most of the Pacifics are an acquired taste esthetically, one which I never acquired.
Very good choice. my overfall fasvorite steam locomotive is the N&W J, but it can be classified as streamlined, very tastefully stramlined.
You are correct about the B&A's 4-6-6Ts being the beest looking tank-engines, in my opinion.
I like PRR steam, quirky, full of character, fascinating, but not beautiful.
Ditto C&O "flying pemps" power, like Maryland Scenic's.
I love the J, especially knowing what Voyce Glaze et al. made it able to do... but I don't like the J1 at all.
The absolute ultimate in flying-pump power was, in fact, derived from a Pacific, although you have to look carefully to find a picture before the C&O made it into one of their streamlined Hudsons. The F19s were awesome engines (I think that's Lucius Beebe's term, not mine) and the Hudson conversion made it into perhaps the ultimate six-drivered locomotive built, including the Ripley Hudson.
I had forgotten about the B & M Pacific's. Wasn't the 3713 the one on display outdoors at the Boston Museum of Science? I visited it there some 52 years ago. I chatted with the retired B & M engineer there.He said. " Son, you don't want to go into railroading nowadays." As you can see, I didn't!
One of your hard-to-find C&O Pacific photos, can be found on the "Columbus Railroads webste:
http://www.columbusrailroads.com/new/?menu=05Steam_Railroads&submenu=44Steam_1945-1960&submenu4=x3C%26O_Locomotives
It is copyrighted.
I rode behind one Washington - Charlottesville, Spring 1942. Age ten. I certainly was a railfan then, but without my own camera,
Amazing how the C&O had an entire family of locomotives that looked like they were a pipefitter's nightmare!
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Thought OP was talking about tank engines....4-6-4T's were the best looking. Symetrical wheels and great power. CNJ's went from Newark to Communipaw always in a hurry. Trackage at Broad Street station was perfect for them.
Keep in mind that what I meant was the unstreamlined L-1 as built out of the F-19, I think engine 494, before it was given the Yellowbelly shroud. I have only seen one picture, and I have posted it a couple of times here over the years. That locomotive had every modern auxiliary the accountants could approve -- and the pipefitter's nightmare to run them...
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