The locomotive is notable for having set two world records for steam traction; becoming the first steam locomotive to be officiallyauthenticated at reaching 100 miles per hour(160.9 km/h) on 30 November 1934, and then setting a record for the longest non-stop run by a steam locomotive when it ran 422 miles (679 km) on 8 August 1989.
Not too shabby.
I am wondering what the tender capacity was for it to be able to run non-stop for 422 miles? Observation of English locomotives of the period, I doubt that their tender capacities would permit operation of that distance without replenishing the supplies of both fuel and water. I know picking up water on the fly was commonplace, however picking up fuel on the fly????
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I doubt picking water up "on the fly" was commonplace in 1989, much more so in Australia, where the record was set. However, any photos I've seen of her 1989 tour of Australia do not show an auxhilary tender.
As for fuel, bunker extentions and modifications have been done to increase capacity, it has been done to many steamers, including C&O 614 and NKP 765.
Anybody from Europe here and know more?
Supposedly in 1876 PRR ran a special Jersey City to Pittsburgh nonstop-- 433 miles or some such thing.
This video shows LNER 4472 pulling a substantial tank car behind the tender for portions of the Australian tour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmFw25PaI3U
I wonder how many miles this configuration of 614 could travel? It has the extended coal bunker, and with two canteens, tool car and a couple of rider coaches, could it perhaps go further than the 422 mile world record? It would be fascinating to find out!
Google for "Land speed record for rail vehicles" shows a number of speed records for types of power up to the Rocket Sleds in the 600 mph range.
Steam locomotives show a variety of claims for the speed record over the last 120 years - NYC 999 claimed 112.5 mph in the 1898 rail service to the Chicago Worlds Fair. The Pennsylvaina Railroad claimed PRR 7002 achieved 127.1 in the running of the Broadway Limited in 1904. Both locomotives have in some form or another come to the present day which is indicative of the status in which they were held by the American railroads of the period and the American public of the time.
Grant you the scientific instruments for checking this in the year 1898 - 1904 were limited compared to the chronograph and laser beams of today. Of course there is always a problem trying to go back and re-write history using today's un historical opinions. You can refigure, recalculate - but only so much! Too much re thinking and - poof it means nothing!
Other steam records were held for the Milwaukee Railroad 1935 claim for 113 mph by Atlantic type engine MW 2. Milwaukee also claimed 104 mph in 1935 for a class F6 Hudson MW 6402.
It is an interesting web sight featuring the steam locomotive speed records for all countries around the world.
Doc
It has been pointed out in the pages of TRAINS, among other places, that the timing methods used to make these speed claims (primarily stopwatch or open telegraph key) had a substantial margin of error even by the standards of that period.
Ok let me get my head around this -
Great, it doesn't make these facts any less historically significant!
Maybe not as scientific but they are still facts of American History and were satisfactory to the American scientists and historians of that time. The Pennsylvaina Railroad recorded this as part of its history - so did the New York Central Railroad - to the point of preserving these locomotives. So these facts are also recorded in books, and legend and by TRAINS MAGAZINE - and who can possess such 20/20 hindsight - to really, really, really know what happened. Yes their technique was antiquated but it still stands as history today.
- so whatever scientific method there is today will still be questioned by some minder binder in November 30th 2134 - and the British record won't look any more impressively accurate then than the Pennsylvania Railroad's 127 mph record does now?
- all such statistics can ever be about is the full faith in the best technique of the time.
George Washington recieved the best medical care of the time on December, 14, 1799 - today it looks like he was in the hands of "witch doctors!" - and the same goes for the travesty of antique medical care recieved by England's King Henry the 8th on January 28th, 1547.
Dr Dit doesn't make these facts any less historically significant!
Dr Dthey are still facts of American History and were satisfactory to the American scientists and historians of that time.
Dr Dall such statistics can ever be about is the full faith in the best technique of the time.
timz Dr D it doesn't make these facts any less historically significant! If they were facts they'd be significant, all right. Everyone agrees PRR 7002's run thru Lima at 125 mph would be significant, if it happened.
Dr D it doesn't make these facts any less historically significant!
BaltACD I am wondering what the tender capacity was for it to be able to run non-stop for 422 miles? Observation of English locomotives of the period, I doubt that their tender capacities would permit operation of that distance without replenishing the supplies of both fuel and water. I know picking up water on the fly was commonplace, however picking up fuel on the fly???? With respect to your Flying Scotsman tender capacities query, these tenders were built in 1928 for the express services on the LNER`s East Coast Main Line to enable non stop running between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh`s Waverly Stations. These corridor tenders were built to enable footplate crew changes on the run and to carry sufficient coal for the non stop journey, they had a capacity of 9 long tons of coal and 5,000 UK gallons of water, and were fitted with scoops for water pick up from water troughs during the run.
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