A friend of mine spotted a copy of this photo in someone's office where he works and asked me if I could identify it. It shows a steam locomotive lying on its side. The locomotive appears to be a 2-8-0 with a Belpaire firebox. The tracks appear to have collapsed allowing the locomotive and tracks to tip over. Based on the technical details on the locomotive, I'd guess it's some time around 1900.

I found that the image has been used on at least a couple of CD covers, but I can't find any info on the scene in the photo.

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/70000122



Any info would be appreciated.

It's a PRR H-6 2-8-0; I think the photo was taken out on the east end of Long Island. Engine has electric headlight, so image was probably taken in late 1920s--early 1930s.

Howard P.

I think Howard is probably on target and will add if it is not Long Island maybe somewhere on Del-Mar-Va based on the locomotive type and the wide open flat terrain. There was massive flooding in Central Pa in 1936 but there are no hills to be seen in the background so I don't know about that possibility.

Or the 1933 hurricane in Ocean City, MD?

Wesley

Does the lack of a keystone number plate on the smokebox help with the date at all, or could that mean it's an LIRR engine?

I think back then a lot of the engines had a round number plate.

The rule of thumb used to be that PRR/LIRR freight steam had round plates, passenger power keystones. That started changing after the end of WW1 and the M1 4-8-2's. You would most assuredly never see a keystone plate on an H6 or any other PRR 2-8-0, unless someone's playing games.

Your biggest clues are likely to be the "yard tracks" to the left rear.

One exception to this would be passenger engines of PRR heritage used by the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines which was partially owned by the PRR. I don't if they were leased or presents from the parent company but in any case Brother Mitchell is spot on for the rest. Included is a photo of PRSL E-6s # 6092 about 1953 at Camden NJ.

The locomotive is a class H.6.a 2-8-0. The time period is late '20s. In 1929 the P.R.R. issued instructions to remove the classification lights from the smoke boxes of all shifters and freight engines (not used in passenger service). The engine in the photo still has these. The absence of pilot beam mounted lights suggests the possibility of a year or two earlier than 1929.
The H.6.a had a wide firebox, slide valve cylinders and Stephenson valve motion. The older (and less common) H.6 was a "muzzle loader" narrow firebox engine. H.6.s.a engines were former H.6.a converted with piston valves and superheating. H.6.b and H.6.s.b class had Walshaert valve motion. So it is pretty definite as to the engine's class.