PRR. M1B! 6702 to be exact, back in 1955 we ran into this one all over the PRR. Middle Division. Would love to see 6755 at Strasburg run again. Heck! We can dream, can't we?

Oh yes my automobile plate number is M1B PRR.

Ed K. cp. Laurel Run

Need I say anymore?

Santa Fe 3751-class 4-8-4s are probably my all-time favorites. I grew up crawling all over the 3759 in Kingman and they just excude power.

WP's 2-8-2s with the big tenders are another personal favorite for the same reason.

Clover Valley 2-6-2 8 was the first steam engine I ever worked on and she's my sentimental favorite.

Engines I wish had survived:

WP 2-8-8-2. If ever I had enough money to build an exact replica of a steamer, one of these nearly forgotten monsters would be it.

Tidewater Southern 4-6-0 1. She was gangly, she was ancient and she wasn't glamorous, but the old gal lived a long life and had a style I liked. Classic shortline working engine.


Eugene

For railfan reasons:
NYC J3a Hudson (mmmmm....J3a)
For sentimental reasons:
GTW U3b 6325 (watching the rebuild kept me in engineering, first
mainline cab ride, first engine I fired)
For mechanical engineering/machinist reasons:
CP G5d 1293 (Rarely have I encountered a piece of equipment with
more heart. She'll pull insane tonnage for a Pacific, and she runs like a
Swiss watch (only one line of road failure since rebuild))

-Chris Zahrt

I'm one of those people that prefer the older or smaller, more unique stuff than cult mainline classics such as the 844, etc...


Who couldn't argue with Jeff on that? And I hear she runs as good as she looks, too













and of course...



As for modern stuff...


replace last 2 digits with "7" and "2" and it saves me a picture...
Anything SP floats my boat...

While I like a lot of engines, most liked by a lot of people too, this is one of my favorites that isn't so well known:

A South African 2' Garrett class NG/G 16 2-6-2+2-6-2:



Ed

I can still remember the day I took that picture - the driver is grinning because I had the driver of the train he was meeting with me!

Alfred County Railway - RIP

Gavin

http://users.powernet.co.uk/hamilton - Garratt Locomotives

Gavin, I have a question for you. I've never quite figured out if the coal bunker is the "front" or is the smoke box end the "front" of a Garrett. Many many photos of Garretts show them going bunker first, but that may be the engineer's (driver's) preference to avoid the smoke.

Thanks,

Ed

Ed,

The smokebox is the front but some lines ran them backwards and some forward. Rhodesia Railways almost always ran forwards, so much so that I've never seen a photgraph showing otherwise except when shunting.

G

This is a tough one for me to think about. I have a lot of engines that I really like. I guess I'll just break it down into catagories.

All Time Favorite:
N&W J Class - Any of them but most specifically 611 (Greatest northern ever built...Go ahead try to prove me wrong)
N&W A Class 1218 - An amazing machine. ("The finest steam engine ever built anywhere, anytime," - Bob Claytor....Try to prove him wrong.)

Berks Berks Berks:
I love berks. Its really hard to pick which railroad had the best. (Start argument here:) The C&O had the best looking berks. They were just sly. Lowered headlight, numberboard, just awesom. The PM are nice too. Very close to NKP berks which by far are the move famous. So here's my list.

NKP 765 - I have a real love for NKP 765 due to growing up chasing it all over Ohio and because it performed the way every steam engine should.
C&O 2700's - No specific engine here. The 2716 should be because its run in post steam excursion service but I never saw it run. Closest I got was 2765. The 2700 sits in Dennison so I see it all the time and its sad to see such an amazing engine in such a state.
PM 1200's - So good that two survive and one runs. The 1225 has carried the Berk torch for the last couple of years and I hope to see it for the first time in December. Hopefully soon that torch will be shared between berks.

There are many more berks that should make the list. I'll stick to the top 3 right now.

Special In A Way I Can't Explain:
There are a few engines that are so special to me that I can list under any other catagory. Those engines are:
GTW 6325, CP 1293 & LS&I 33
The first engines you work on seem to top favorites on a list. I would stand up against anyone that has anything to say about these machines. They could easily perform with the best of them.
GTW 6325 - I used to look at the 6325 when it was in pieces in Battle Creek...now its the engine that tought me how to fire up/maintain big steam. If you can get coal in the front right corner you can fire anything.
CP 1293 - This engine never disappoints. Always ready to go and so far, save one time, this engine has always been ready to go when called upon. I also have a soft spot for it being the first engine I ever hand fired. What an experience. I love working on this engine!
LS&I 33 - When I joined the OC steam program as a volunteer this engine was getting ready to enter the picture. I was able to watch this engine move from Nelsonville, OH up the I&O to Columbus. The next time I came to work at the OC I was needle scaling the boiler from the top...and the next time I was there, and the next. You learn a lot about an engine by needle scaling. I've been around for the whole rebuild of this engine and that gives a certain unexplainable connection. I can't wait to see the work the OC crew & volunteers pay off...and I know they will. This engine has had one of the most complete overhauls and I truly believe its performance will show it.

Favorite Small Engine:
Little River Railroad 110 - Smallest pacific in the world and one of those engines I've rode since childhood in Indiana and Michigan. This engine always puts on a show and I've always said that if I ever had the money to buy an engine, this would be it. LRR 110..where are you????

Honorable Mentions (In no special order):
A&WP 290 - Everything a pacific should look like!
GTW 5629 - Same as above...may she rest in peace.
AT&SF 3751 - Big engine, lots of power!
SP 4449 - Can't wait to see this engine, one day.
UP Steam - All of em.
CB&Q 4-6-4 - Next to NYC these were the best!
SP&S 700 - Awesome example of big steam and power.
C&O 614 - Greatest northern next to the J. Hope to see Ross running her again soon.
PRR K-4 1361 - Crossing my fingers she runs again soon.
Frisco 1522 - Holding my breath she'll feel heat again.

Thats all for now. I have so many other engines that should be on this list but this is so long as it is I wll leave it at this. Thanks for listening.

Greg Udolph
Athens, OH

I'm not going to say that N&W 611 isn't an amazing machine, but I'm sure that a few out there would take you to task on the "greatest" title. I would be willing to compare the stats of the 2900 class santa fe engines, or the New York Central 6000 series to name two. Although the J could reach 110mph on her 70" drivers, she couldn't cruise at that speed like the 2900's could with their 80" drivers and roller rods. As for tractive effort it has already been put forth that the 2900's had more than the 80,000lbs that the J could muster. just my two cents worth.

I'm not going to say that N&W 611 isn't an amazing machine, but I'm sure that a few out there would take you to task on the "greatest" title. I would be willing to compare the stats of the 2900 class santa fe engines, or the New York Central 6000 series to name two. Although the J could reach 110mph on her 70" drivers, she couldn't cruise at that speed like the 2900's could with their 80" drivers and roller rods. As for tractive effort it has already been put forth that the 2900's had more than the 80,000lbs that the J could muster. just my two cents worth.

I would put the J class against the ATSF 2900 class any day. The 2900's were huge bulky machines that were heavy on the rail and needed pleanty of clearance. It has been said that they had tractive effort of 80,000+ but according to all official ATSF records they had a much lower tractive effort. I'm not saying that is right, I'm just going by what the Santa Fe went by.
The J on the other hand, was a smaller engine. Efficiant, able to be serviced quickly at station stops and the lubricators were set up to go many times a whole trip before they needed refilled. Unlike what you stated about only doing short bursts of 100+ speeds I have heard many times that it could maintain those speeds quite well for long periods. Hell, I remember chasing it out of columbus in 84 and doing 90 in my car and not being able to catch it. Claytor sure knew how to run them. The J is by far a superior engine and definatly more modern than the 2900 class. I am open to anyone proving me wrong.
Greg Udolph