That makes sense. I hadn't realized Moore came from the SAL/ACL before the Clinchfield, but it makes sense, as the CRR was a joint L&N-ACL property (though the ACL owned a majority of the L&N, it gets confusing).

Nice looking locomotive, and a coal pusher to boot!

--wilkinsd

Well, one of the reasons she looks so good is that she is a genuine "government engine," a real USRA light 4-6-2. A lot of people complain about government committees, but the USRA locomotive committee did produce some successful designs that were also good lookers. Exception to the rule? Who cares with such a nicely lined machine?

Which reminds me--how many true USRA engines are left, as opposed to either copies or designs derived from them, like the modern C&O and N&W 0-8-0s built in the 1940s and early 1950s? I know B&O 4500 is around (light 2-8-2, very first USRA engine constructed of any type), but are there others besides the 4500 and the 1504? And how many of those are in such near original condition as the 1504, which even retains its coal pusher?

I believe that both Frisco 4003 and 4018 are original light USRA Mikes.

Les

I would think that the Lima built C&IM 2-8-2 at the IRM would fit that catagory. How about the A&WP Lima built 4-6-2 ?

Kevin K

The C&IM 2-8-2 is at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, not IRM. Nonetheless, it's a 1928 product of Lima. A&WP is a 1926 Lima product. Both are USRA clones, but not true USRA engines.

The SP/T&NO 2-10-2 at IRM is a true USRA engine, though heavily modified in service. The sister 2-10-2 in Houston may be as well.

David -

I don't know if the SP/T&NO 2-10-2's are genuine USRA engines or not. I will have to take your word on it. But speaking of 2-10-2's, I believe that the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range engine at the museum in Green Bay is a genuine USRA locomotive. The Missabe heavily modified the 506 even giving it a big round Elesco feedwater heater, that was, unfortunately, removed when the engine was donated.

Les

Interesting at the 26:40 mark they rerail the 2nd axle of the pilot truck by lifting up the entire locomotive. I've looked over this engine several times and I'm still not clear on why the drivers don't roll, though as pointed out rust could have done it. The pilot axles don't roll either, though it looks like they tried to when sliding over the rail joints. Next time I'm in Jacksonville, I'll have to look inside the frame, because nothing is visible on the crosshead guides that would restrict movement.

Got to do a little looking around, and found this (sometimes questionable) source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_standard

Partial set of delivery lists from the same source (certain wheel arrangements are missing):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_0-6-0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_0-8-0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_Light_Mikado

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_Heavy_Mikado

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_Light_Santa_Fe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_Heavy_Santa_Fe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_Light_Pacific

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_2-6-6-2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_2-8-8-2

Just looking at these lists seems suggests the ex-SP 2-10-2s are not original USRA, but he DM&IR 2-10-2 is. It also would seem that NKP 587 is an original light 2-8-2, delivered the Lake Erie & Western when that road was a New York Central subsidiary (so she's also ex-NYC!) And of course, there were a lot of copies, particularly among the switchers; based on appearance and dimensions that would include the two W&LE homebuilt 0-6-0s that survive today. Another confirmed copy is the ex-N&W Y-3a, No. 2050, preserved in Union, Ill. And a rather serious error that keeps turning up is that the B&O's EL-5 2-8-8-0 is a USRA 2-8-8-2 that was modified. Photos of that series reveal a locomotive that doesn't look at all like a USRA engine, but instead looks like the other machines in classes EL-1, 2, and 3 (EL-4s were former LL-1 0-8-8-0s). Apparently the B&O somehow got an exemption to using a standard USRA design, perhaps because patterns were available from the previous engines.

I believe that Grand Trunk Western 2-8-2 4070 (1918) stored in Cleveland and in pieces is an original USRA engine.

Steve

It was the 3734 originally, built in 1918 by Alco, renumbered in 1956. See my photo of it while still in service as 3734 on the GTW: http://www.railarchive.net/rlsteam/gtw.htm (scroll to bottom of page).

Richard - Nice photo of the 4070 (3734). Your caption says she's been out of service since 1990. Wow, has it really been that long?

Les