The most famous locomotive in history

[jeffhergert]

I would agree with Thomas the Tank Engine. While not my personal favorite, or even an American engine, it is very visable to the average non-railfan. With or without children. (I hate Barney the dinasour as much as anyone and I don't have kids.)
This question is almost impossible to answer without personal feelings/home geographic areas coming into play. Most likely your going to pick something you are familiar with. Even the author of this thread picked mostly English locomotives. I'm touched that your third place pick was the Rock Island engine that pulled the first train from Chicago to Joliet in 1852. (Yes, I know you meant that other Rocket. Even being a RI fan, if you say Rocket I too think of the English version.)

[Willy2]

I'll go with the Flying Scotsman and the engines for the Orient Express. I think that the Big Boys have a place in the "most famous" category too.

Willy

[wallyworld]

Great locomotives as your list implies have equally great stories behind them.

My vote is for he now largely forgotten ( as your list attests ) engine rightfully enshrined on the main floor of Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.
The huge drivered New York Central 999, which earned a world speed record in it's time until it was replaced by The Mallard.

One wonders if time trials were officially recorded here in the U.S as carefully as they were overseas, would The Mallard even be appearing on this list?

You only have to consider the Milwaukee Class A Atlantics who on regularly schedualled runs, not ime time trials, routinely ripped away the roadbed at better than 100 MPH daily or the PRR T1 that was the subject of one of my favorite first person accounts in Trains magazine. That account of that awesome run ranks up there as one of the most compelling railroad true stories I have read---ever.Let's see how fast this will go-it's our last chance.
Some epic accounts are lost to history such as the little known story of Frank Sprague's determined battle to install the nation's first true streetcar system with his brave Irish mechcanic.riding the roof of a car in the midst of a horrific blizzard with both hands grasping a straw broom to clear the wire with only his feet to balance his precarious stance. It's a shame these and other great stories are not well known.

[Trainspotter]

QUOTE: Originally posted by eastern

My brother suggested the war bonnet pa locomotives of Santa fe..im
one who loved the f units of santa fe hauling freight or passenger.

think safety

David brown

David...Remedial classes start today at 3:30. Be there (and bring your brother!)

[Anonymous]

My brother suggested the war bonnet pa locomotives of Santa fe..im
one who loved the f units of santa fe hauling freight or passenger.

think safety

David brown

[Trainspotter]

If I were a teacher (I am), I'd have to send some of you to remedial class. As I've explained twice, I asked you to consider the most famous locomotive (not train) in the WORLD (not just the United States or Kennesaw, Georgia.)

The Warbonnets were a class; the Orient Express was a train not an individual locomotive, per se. The Stourbridge Lion is a locomotive, the Rocket is a locomotive... and whether a locomotive is popular in your particular neck of the woods is NOT the point. We're talking the WORLD, boys and girls!

Again class!

What do you think is the MOST famous individual locomotive (not train or class) in the WORLD (not just the United States)? In other words, if you asked a random selection of people on the planet earth, which INDIVIDUAL locomotive would come up most often?

My vote is for the Flying Scotsman (engine #4472, Class A3, LNER/BR) followed by the Mallard and in third the Rocket.

Now class, please stay on topic!

[M636C]

I think I'd have to go with Flying Scotsman.

On its Australian visit in 1988-89 I watched its arrival in Sydney at a major junction at Strathfield, west of Sydney. We were on the roof of a high rise apartment block overlooking the station, which was about as close as you would want to get. The train with 4472 was about half an hour late, but the crowd was unbelievable. There were people all over the tracks (this being a six track area with electric trains at a frequency of four or five an hour on each of four routes - the station has ten platforms). As well two long distance trains each with two electric locomotives, each twelve cars long, double stopped to allow passengers to board trains longer than the platforms.

Most of this was just the general public who knew that 4472 was passing through! I'm hoping that the people running over the tracks were railfans and not people who'd never seen a train before!

But for diesel locomotives specifically, The EMD Funit in Santa Fe Warbonnet must be the best known.

Peter

[rrock]

What group are you asking? A true random cross-section of the "public"...Thomas the Tank Engine, I'll wager.

Of course, here in Portland of the Oregon, it would have to be the scale model of the Aerotrain loco that runs at the Washington Park (Portland) Zoo!

[Train Guy 3]

An American type locomotive or a Santa Fe Warbonnet F-unit. As for the kids from the 50's , anything with LIONEL on it.

[overall]

In the south, it's the General, hands down. L&N fired it up and sent it on a tour of the south back in the early sixties. It came to Florence, Alabama where I lived as a child. My parents took me to see it. I remember it was under steam. I pretty sure it was the first live steam engine I ever saw. It si now on permanent display in Kennesaw, Georgia.

George

[michaelstevens]

Flying Scotsman -- #4472.

Should 'a been a Castle !!

[passengerfan]

How about Alco's 25,000th the first A-B-A set of Santa PA's?

[passengerfan]

How about Alco's 25,000th the first A-B-A set of Santa Pa's?

[eolafan]

OK, no favorites, CB&Q number 9999

[guilfordrr]

Most definitley Mallard.

[vsmith]

Depend who your asking,

Thomas would be most recognized by anyone with kids or "The Little Engine that Could"

Historically, based on some random polling...

20th Century Limited

The Super Chief

Flying Scotsman

Orient Express

are names that come up often, Granted these are TRAINS not locomotives but hey, thats how people Think!

Loco? Hmmmmm.

The Rocket

being the first real loco (and one of the few that might actually get taught in the lousy history classes these days) would get my vote as most famous. Followed by,

The General,

cival war buffs, Disney and Keaton's films keeping it in the spotlight.

NYC 999 also would be a contender.

Across the pond the Brits would most likely agrue that the "Mallard" was more famous than the General or 999, as it was THE fastest steam loco.

[JoeKoh]

Tom Thumb
even though it lost to a horse because of a broken belt it proved trains were here to stay in the US.
stay safe
joe

[athelney]

Question is -- does Thomas qualify? -- is he real or what !!!!!!

[cbq9911a]

Thomas the Tank Engine

Don't laugh - if you randomly asked this question, this is the answer you'd usually get.

[Anonymous]

the DDA-40X as was big and alsome

Always be praising jesus for we are blessed by him

David brown

[Anonymous]

Big Boy - That about says it

[Anonymous]

The Big Boy!

[daveklepper]

New York Central and Hudson River 999, first to top 100mph.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I'll go along with the Rocket.

[espeefoamer]

In the entire world, I would say the Rocket.

[athelney]

I have to say that for me it has to be 60022 Mallard . This is not my favourite, but seems to be the most famous

[Trainspotter]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainheartedguy

Most famous in the world. as of now, Id say TGV, Eurostar, or Shinkansen. AT&SF is a good call though too

Maybe its my fault for not making myself clear...but I'm referring to a SINGLE famous locomotive, not a train or a class per se. THE TGV, Bullet trains, etc are trains or locomotive classes not single locomotives per se.

The Flying Scotsman is a single unit as in A3 # 4472 or the Rocket as in one-of-a-kind.

Lets try this again.

The most famous single unit locomotive (not train) in the world (not just America)

[Anonymous]

Most famous in the world. as of now, Id say TGV, Eurostar, or Shinkansen. AT&SF is a good call though too

[Trainspotter]

As I expected this is turning into the usual America is Best type of thread. Come on guys, the MOST FAMOUS LOCOMOTIVE IN THE WORLD not your personal favourite!!!!!!! None of the choices so far would even rate anywhere else but the US. Can't we think outside the box, just this once.

[Anonymous]

how 'bout the good ole Santa Fe Warbonnet F-unit we all had as kids?