Another post that will have as many different ideas and reasons for a favorite.
My pick is a Narrow gauge engine, of course. It is the ALCO, D&RGW K–28, nicknamed “th’ sports model” by engineers on the railroad at the time. 10 of these little 2-8-2 mikes were ordered and received in 1923.
This diminuative little 3 foot gauge loco was unique in that it had an odd shaped smoke box door to make room for the large compound air pump on the front. As originally built, it had the classic shotgun stack so common to many smaller early 1900’s locos. The K-28 originally sported 5 number boards on front and a unique forward hand-rail/grab-iron that was a closed piece from the cab forward to the front, wrapping around under the pyle headlight and then back along the boiler to the cab on the other side. As with most all later D&RGW mikes, it was the classic outside frame design allowing for a lot of interesting “monkey motion” in the valve gear and eccentric counterweight. It is a joy to watch this marvel of mechanism do its thing when in motion.
Almost always seen with a brakeman’s “dog house” fitted on the tender and a water bag hanging just under the cab’s window sill or on the side of the front of the tender, the K-28 is a sweet little piece of railroad engineering.
Oddly, a significant number of the fleet, 7 of the10 originals, were “requistioned” from the D&RGW during WWII and sent to Alaska for use on the White Pass and Yukon. At the end of the war, they were promised to be returned, but due to typical government snafu they were all scrapped! Today, all the remaining 3 “sports models” survive on the Durango and Silverton and are either fully funtional or being rebuilt. A couple do almost daily service.
You can’t say this about a Big Boy, Y6B, Niagra or other famous steamer.
Two images are seen here. The first is a Sunset model showing 5 number bo
I’m far from being a steam expert (or any other kind of expert for that matter) but my favorite is the 2-8-0 by any manufacturer. Same was with my diesel pick, it’s for the everyday, working world that it seems to cover. The not so glamourous, everyday, work that get’s overlooked by so many people. Kind of the “Mike Rowe” of locomotives if you will.
My favorite locomotive is Sneaky Falls and Western’s 2-8-0 #1 built in 1867 and sold off in 1868 when the SF&W went belly up and was abandoned. It took a work crew the better part of an afternoon to salvage all of the roadbed after which they repaired to the local saloon for a session of elbow bending and to engage in lying about their experiences in the recently concluded War of the Rebellion. Show me a more exciting life than that of a railroader!
Number one was the only locomotive the SF&W ever owned: there is a famous photo of this locomotive sitting in front of the Sneaky Falls depot with the company’s only three pieces of rolling stock coupled on behind.
Now answer me this: how many of youse people out there can boast that your favorite prototype had a locomotive so powerful that it could pull every piece of rolling stock on the property?
My favorite steam locomotive would be the 2-10-4 Texas type. These were the ultimate in heavy hauling on the railroads that avoided articulated locomotives during late steam.
Steam is neat, but I was born after it had left most of the standard gauge rails. I am a D&RGW fan but standard gauge. As much as I’d love to have a favorite steam, we are talking expensive brass for a challenger (non UP type of course) so …
Northern Pacific W3 2-8-2 Mikado. Sorry for the poor photo quality! I would have deleted this post if I could; however, a better photo was posted on page 2.
Gidday, my avatar, the New Zealand Government Railway Ja class, a 3"6" gauge 4-8-2. Remember them, as a young fellow, tearing through the village hauling the “South Island Limited” express. Later read that to make up time speeds of 70 mph were not uncommon. Last steam hauled express was November 1970.
Why you may well ask, do I not have a model one?, alas the expense.
Even though I’m very prone to big articulateds, I have to admit that one of the prettiest steam locomotives I’ve ever seen are the Rio Grande 1700 series 4-8-4’s. The road had 14 of these beauties from Baldwin and used them in both passenger and fast freight service.
In fact I like them so well I’ve got 3 of them on my layout. Here’s two of them.
One of my favorite steam locos is JNR class C62, a 3 1/2 ft. narrow gauge Hudson, built in 1948/1949 by companies like Kawasaki, Hitachi and Kisha Seizo.
On the picture she can be seen crossing Kibuneguchi Falls Bridge on my N scale mini-modular layout.
Bob, (Iron Goat), noted the D&RGW, K-27, “Mudhen” was one of his favorites. Right after the K-28 it would be my second favorite. These engines had a long history and were much modified over their many years of use. Their story is well told in this great You tube video. Rare to see such a complete history. (tells how the engine got the nickname “mudhen”)
I still don’t know how anyone can choose A favorite. I like too many prototypes and have too many cool models thereof. Best I could do would be a list.
LNER Gresley Classe A3 Pacific. The most beautiful locomotive, much nicer than its faster cousin the A4. There is a model of a rather famous one in the background
Oh come on Texas Zephyr…There has to be one…Let’s take it the final step… If you could have only one single steam loco on your pike for the rest of your days, what would it be? What about if you would actually be allowed be the engineer on that real loco? What if you could actually own the real thing without paying one dime for fuel, storage or upkeep? What would you choose? Remember only one choice for all three cases.
It would still be a K-28 for me to be my only model loco if forced to the decision. It would also be the one I’d like to muscle into action as a real engineer and to own as a full sized engine.
With these criteria could you make a single choice, now?
Hopefully a little better photo of the N.P. W-3 Mikado 2-8-2, sitting over the ash-pit. This is a Rivarossi Mikado that was bashed into a Northern Pacific W-3 Mike via an article written in Model Railroader about doing so. The conversion was a fun project. The tender was shortened by quite a few feet, many detail parts were added, most are brass parts from Precision Scale and other manufacturers. The Dome with “1800” was turned on a drill motor and hand fitted to the boiler. I really enjoy these types of projects. This is a great runner also, but still needs to be converted to DCC. Cost of the loco and conversion back in the mid 1990s when I did this project was probably around $150.00. I’m unsure in Rivarossi still offers this loco.
