Steam & Excursion > If you could bring back your favorite steam locomotive

This was a question that was asked of some of the staff at Trains Magazine and was in the July issue I received today. If you could bring back your favorite steam locomotive regardless if none of it's class no longer exits or on display and money were no object.... what would it be?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/14 20:03 by apollo17.

Southern Pacific's homebuilt Mt-class 4-8-2s.

Ditto TonyJ for #1. #2 would be a New Haven I-5 64-6-4 and #3 would be a NYC 4-8-4. Followed by hundreds of others.

Southern Pacific Cab Forward 4-8-8-2

A CB&Q 4-8-4. There are four of these engines left

Pennsy T1 or Q2

Hands down! Southern Pacific’s CabForward AC-12

Frisco 1522. Frisco's 1500-class 4-8-2s were beautifully proportioned, pulled like nobody's business, and had an exhaust sound like few others. The roar at speed and the crack of the exhaust when starting a heavy train was absolutely unforgettable.

Close second, a tie, between Pennsy's K4s Pacific and NYC's J-class Hudsons. I never saw either operate, but every photo of either that I have ever seen checks every box on my list effortlessly. That not a single Hudson was saved was a crime (except of course for that one hidden in a barn or cave, or buried someplace with only the top of its stack visible). And the story of the failed restoration of the PRR K4 is just so, so sad.

MC
Columbia, Missouri

KF6MXK Wrote:
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> Southern Pacific Cab Forward 4-8-8-2

Yessir, I will third that :-)

As a second I could also go for a Santa Fe 3800 class 2-10-2.

~Ryan

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/14 20:38 by Cajon92.

C&O 2789

Southern Pacific AC-9.

The engine I used to ride almost every day in Calgary, 1956-1958. CPR, N2A 3647.

Fireman in gangway is Jack McGinnes, Engineer, L.C. Bowman.

What a great time.

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I would love to see, hear and perhaps operate UP9000, the 4-12-2, out in Pomona. It is the only survivor of that class. Many of the engineers I worked with would tell me what a work horse they were. A 9000 and 75 - 100 empty reefers coming west out of Sidney Nebraska. They said they would bog down climbing from Egbert to Archer but never stall. I would love to feel the power they would emit. I was on 3985 when we pulled the container wall. And it never missed a beat.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/14 21:42 by Bob3985.

ironmtn Wrote:
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> Frisco 1522. Frisco's 1500-class 4-8-2s were
> beautifully proportioned, pulled like nobody's
> business, and had an exhaust sound like few
> others. The roar at speed and the crack of the
> exhaust when starting a heavy train was absolutely
> unforgettable.
> MC
> Columbia, Missouri


Amen!! Must easier than widdling up an SP 4-8-2..

My favorite steam locomotive is the UP 844 but if I could have a steam engine returned from history I would want UP 7002. The only streamlined 4-8-2 Mountain locomotive on the UP. The 7002 was built to pull heavy passenger trains over the Rocky Mountains, with massive 6-foot wheels driven by 4,000 horsepower. It was shrouded primarily to serve as relief power for the dieselized Cities streamliners between Omaha and Ogden or Denver. The 7002 bore UP's prewar streamliner colors of Armour Yellow, Leaf Brown, and Scarlet. I would love to see a streamlined mountain type steam locomotive running again.

Posted from Android

Pennsylvania M1b or Virginian Triplex 2-8-8-8-2 #700.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/14 22:53 by PasadenaSub.

Boston & Maine Class R1d 4-8-2.

Bob Callahan
Monticello, IN

Want to have a Western Pacific M-137 2-8-8-2 blasting up the Feather River Canyon.

I would settle for Clover Valley Lumber 2-6-2 8 back in Plumas County.

Z

My gut reaction is to say a Big Boy, which appears to be on the horizon.

A cab forward would be pretty great to see in operation.

But I would love to see a CB&Q 4-8-4 fired up.

1218 for sure. She was the first big steamer I ever saw. I have a bit of hope now with 611 coming back!

Otherwise a T1.