Steam & Excursion > Nickel Plate 4-6-4 steam locomotives

My recollection is that the NKP owned four of these locomotive, built by Lima, and I have some listings of cast steel locomotive beds supplied by what finally became General Steel Industries. Sheet 3 of Characteristisc of Locomotive Beds, dated July 18, 1929, lists these locomotives and shows the drawing number of the bed to be 20975. A 1953 list, showing all beds furnished or on order on that date, also shows the 20975 number, but in addition shows two later numbers, 50465 and 54170. The quantity shown in all three cases is four. Does anyone know whether the locomotives were rebuilt or changed in some way that required new bed castings? Or were more 4-6-4s purchased at a later date? Any information you could supply would be appreciated.

Don Park
don.park@peoplepc.com

There were eight NKP Hudsons, 170-177. Class L1a 170-173 were built by Alco/Brooks in March 1927. Class L1b 174-177 were built by Lima in November 1929.

Didn't one of these engines go to the Paulsen Spence collection in the 60's only to be scrapped later after he passed on?
Greg

NKP 170 BROOKS L-1A, 4-6-4,built in 1927 is currently at the Museum of Transportation in
St. Louis, MO (Kirkwood, MO)


Ryan

wlankenau,

I've checked my GSI data for the 1920s, and it's clear that the first cast steel locomotive beds were applied to the Lima locomotives, and the earlier, Alco units had built-up frames. This leaves the question about the two later orders. Were all eight of these locomotives equipped with new cast steel beds? And what was the reason for doing so? I hope there are some NKP experts who can help me here.

Again, any help would be appreciated.

Don Park
don.park@peoplepc.com

John Rehor's THE NICKEL PLATE STORY roster in the back indicated that the 170-173 Alco's were retrofitted with cast steel engine beds long after delivery. The Lima's, 174-177 were delivered new with cast steel beds, one of the earliest steam locomotives so equipped. The 170, surviving at Kirkwood, MO, had her Commonwealth bed added in 1946, along with a roller bearing pony truck. NKP boilermaker Joe Karal, who worked in the Conneaut, Ohio, shops, used to talk about all the cracks in the fabricated frames of the earlier 700's and the non-stop welding that the repair process required. Water would be poured over the welder's head so he could keep going. All of the Nickel Platers seemed to love and admire the Hudson's as good performers. 8 Hudsons vs. 80 berks (not counting the nearly identical 32 W&LE berkshires that came with the merger in 1949.

I do seem to recall that another NKP Hudson was acquired by a collector and then met it's demise. I stand to be corrected.


doubleheader Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Didn't one of these engines go to the Paulsen
> Spence collection in the 60's only to be scrapped
> later after he passed on?
> Greg

doubleheader Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Didn't one of these engines go to the Paulsen
> Spence collection in the 60's only to be scrapped
> later after he passed on?
> Greg


You are correct, and you have seen the only remnants of it.

Spence got No. 177. Frank Carlisle got the "7"s off the number board to put on his Mississippian 2-8-0.

JAC