Locomotive profile: 4-8-2 Mountain type steam locomotive

Frisco 4-8-2 Mountain type steam locomotive No. 1522 hauls a tourist train near Swedeborg, Missouri, in 1994.

Frisco 4-8-2 Mountain type steam locomotive No. 1522 hauls a tourist train near Swedeborg, Missouri, in 1994. Jim Wrinn 4-8-2 •YEARS BUILT: 1911 to 1948 •MANUFACTURERS: Alco, Baltimore & Ohio, Lima, Canadian, Montreal •OPERATED ON: Numerous large railroads requiring power for fast freight and passenger trains •NAMES: Mountain, Mohawk (New York Central) •QUANTITY: 2,201; New […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler type steam locomotive

Nevada Northern Railway Ten Wheeler type No. 40 steams upgrade from Ely, Nevada, in 2016.

Nevada Northern Railway Ten Wheeler type No. 40 steams upgrade from Ely, Nevada, in 2016. 4-6-0 •YEARS BUILT: 1850-1923 •MANUFACTURERS: Baldwin, Rogers, Illinois Central, Brooks, Alco, Pennsylvania Railroad, Canadian Locomotive Co., others •OPERATED ON: Most major and some smaller railroads in high speed passenger service and/or slow-speed freight service •NAME: Ten Wheeler •QUANTITY: 16,000 •BOILER […]

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Locomotive profile: 2-6-6-2 Mallet steam locomotive

A 2-6-6-2 Mallet style steam locomotive ascends a grade in the Eastern United States.

A 2-6-6-2 Mallet style steam locomotive ascends a grade in the Eastern United States. Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society 2-6-6-2 •YEARS BUILT: 1906 to 1949 •MANUFACTURERS: Alco, Baldwin, Brooks •OPERATED ON: Railroads that hauled coal trains, and other heavy trains needing maximum tractive effort. Also used by some logging railroads in a tank engine version. […]

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Locomotive profile: 2-6-6-4 Class A type steam locomotive

Norfolk & Western 2-6-6-4 Class A type steam locomotive pulls an excursion train in 1988.

Norfolk & Western 2-6-6-4 Class A type steam locomotive pulls an excursion train in 1988. Jim Wrinn 2-6-6-4 •YEARS BUILT: 1934 to 1950 •MANUFACTURERS: Baldwin Locomotive Works, Norfolk & Western •OPERATED ON: Pittsburgh & West Virginia, Seaboard Air Line, Baltimore & Ohio, and Norfolk & Western •NAME: Norfolk & Western referred to the model as […]

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Locomotive profile: 2-8-2 Mikado type locomotive

Soo Line 2-8-2 Mikado type steam locomotive appears in Wisconsin.

Soo Line 2-8-2 Mikado type steam locomotive appears in Wisconsin. Jim Wrinn 2-8-2 •YEARS BUILT: 1901-1949 •MANUFACTURERS: Alco, Baldwin, Lima, Canadian, Montreal, a few homemade •OPERATED ON: Every North American railroad •NAME: Mikado •QUANTITY: 10,000; New York Central had almost 1,400 •BOILER PRESSURE: 190-200 psi •KNOWN FOR: Well-designed, smooth-running engine used mostly in freight service […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-4-0 American type steam locomotive

4-4-0 THE TEXAS WAS RESTORED IN 2017 FOR THE ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER.

4-4-0 THE TEXAS WAS RESTORED IN 2017 FOR THE ATLANTA HISTORY CENTER. Jim Wrinn 4-4-0 •YEARS BUILT: 1836 to 1928 •MANUFACTURERS: Rogers, Baldwin, Danforth, Mason, Hinkley •OPERATED ON: Nearly all North American railroads during the mid-1800s •NAMES: American, Eight Wheeler •QUANTITY: 25,000 •BOILER PRESSURE: 175 psi •KNOWN FOR: Served North American railroads during the 19th century. […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-6-2 Pacific type steam locomotive

Blue Mountain & Reading Pacific-type 4-6-2 No. 425 in Pennsylvania.

Blue Mountain & Reading Pacific-type 4-6-2 No. 425 in Pennsylvania. Jim Wrinn 4-6-2 •YEARS BUILT: 1902 to 1948 •MANUFACTURERS: Alco, Baldwin, Lima, Santa Fe, Baltimore & Ohio, Canadian Locomotive Co., Chicago Great Western, Milwaukee Road, Delaware & Hudson, Great Northern, Illinois Central, Lehigh Valley, Louisville & Nashville, New York Central, Norfolk & Western, Pennsylvania, Reading, […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-6-6-4 Challenger type steam locomotive

Smoking steam locomotive with multiple people standing in cab

Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 Challenger type steam locomotive No. 3985 pulls an excursion in Iowa in 2002. Jim Wrinn 4-6-6-4 •YEARS BUILT: 1936 to 1947 •MANUFACTURERS: Alco, Baldwin •OPERATED ON: Union Pacific; Northern Pacific; Spokane, Portland & Seattle; Clinchfield; Delaware & Hudson; Western Pacific; Western Maryland; Denver & Rio Grande Western •NAME: Challenger •QUANTITY: 252; Union […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-8-4 Northern type steam locomotive

Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 No. 611 pulls an excursion in Virginia.

Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 No. 611 pulls an excursion in Virginia. Jim Wrinn 4-8-4 •YEARS BUILT: 1926 to 1950 •MANUFACTURERS: Baldwin, Lima, Alco, Canadian Locomotive Co., Canadian Pacific Railway, Montreal, Norfolk & Western •OPERATED ON: Most sizable railroads that provided fast freight and passenger service •NAME: Northern •QUANTITY: 1,115; Canadian National had more than 200 […]

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Locomotive profile: 4-8-8-4 Big Boy type steam locomotive

Smoking steam locomotive with freight train in shallow cut

Union Pacific Big Boy type steam locomotive No. 4011 ross west at Granite, Wyoming, in 1956. Jim Ehernberger 4-8-8-4 •YEARS BUILT: 1941 to 1944 •MANUFACTURER: Alco •OPERATED ON: Union Pacific •NAME: Big Boy •QUANTITY: 25 •BOILER PRESSURE: 300 psi •KNOWN FOR: Among the heaviest and most powerful reciprocating-piston steam locomotives ever built •STATUS: Eight preserved: […]

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Locomotive profile: 2-6-0 Mogul type steam locomotive

RIO GRANDE SCENIC NO. 1744 AT LAVETA PASS, COLO., IN 2007.

Rio Grande Scenic 2-6-0 No. 1744 at Laveta Pass, Colorado, in 2002. Jim Wrinn 2-6-0 •YEARS BUILT: 1852-1929 •MANUFACTURERS: Lima, Southern Pacific, Baldwin, Pennsylvania Railroad, others •OPERATED ON: Chicago & Western Indiana, Baltimore & Ohio, Green Bay & Western, Boston & Maine, Southern Pacific, Canadian National, short lines •NAMES: Mogul, Valley Mallet •QUANTITY: 8,000; Canadian […]

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Western Rail photo gallery and roster

An orange-painted locomotive.

FULL SCREEN Tom Danneman GE B23-7 No. 4201, built for Conrail in 1978 FULL SCREEN Tom Danneman EMD SW14 No. 102, built for Illinois Central in 1951 FULL SCREEN Tom Danneman EMD GP30 No. 2508, built for Rio Grande in 1962 FULL SCREEN Tom Danneman EMD GP9R No. 8319, built for Southern Pacific in 1955 […]

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