The ‘ugly’ thread got me thinking. Which prototype steam engines do you think were the best looking. I like a bunch of them.
N&W J and A classes… and yes, even the Y6b’s.
VGN 2-8-4’s
C&O 614
B&O EM-1’s
SP GS-4’s
UP Challenger (without the ears)
Southern PS-4’s
Milwaukee F-7’s
SP AC-9 (non-cab forward)
UP Big Boy
C&O T-1’s
i think the best looking steam engine is the Flying Scotsman which is a 4-6-2!
many thanks
pavariangoo
Me too
Jon
NYC 999
William Mason’s Phantom
The Tiger
The Peter Sweeny
C.P.R. 4-8-4 Northern Type K-1-a #3100 A real locomotive !
I think they’re ALL pretty darned handsome!! If stretched on a rack, though, I’d probably divide them into non-articulated and articulated, and go from there.
Non-articulated:
SP GS-series 4-8-4
Rio Grande 1700 series 4-8-4 (the ‘prettiest’ northern I’ve ever seen)
Southern Ry 4-6-2
N&W J 4-8-4
C&O 2-8-2’s (especially the ones with ‘eyebrow’ Elesco FWH’s).
ATSF 3800 2-10-2
CB&Q 4-6-4 (Without the ‘Aeolius’ shrouding)
GN S-1 4-8-4 (the one with the Belpaire firebox)
Pennsy J-1 2-10-4
Articulated:
Missabe Road M-3/4 2-8-8-4
SP AC-6 4-8-8-2
C&O H-9 2-6-6-6
N&W A 2-6-6-4
Rio Grande L-105 4-6-6-4
NP Z-8 4-6-6-4
Rio Grande L-131 2-8-8-2
N&W Y6-b 2-8-8-2
B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4
Not in any particular order, but I think they’re all particularly handsome representatives of their particular wheel arrangements.
Oh, yah, and lest I forget: Southern Pacific #1–“C.P. Huntington” 4-2-4.
Tom [:P][:P][:P]
UP’s FEF class 4-8-4s
UP’s Big Boys
SP’s GS class 4-8-4s
PM’s N class 2-8-4s
C&Os J class 4-8-4s
ATSF’s 3700 and 2900 class 4-8-4s
SP’s AC class Cab Forwards
let’s see, the NYC’S Dreyfuss 4-6-4, SP’s GS-2…6 4-8-4, NW’s J-4-8-4, PRR’s
4-4-4-4, PRR’s K-4 4-6-2, B&O’s royal and SF’s goose 4-6-4’s, LINER’s 4-6-2’s,UP’s
4-8-8-4’s, RG&W’s 2-8-2’s, CP’s royal 4-6-4’s, LINER’s flying scotsman 4-6-2, B&O’s
2-8-8-4’s, You gotta love steam.
BEST looking by far is 6233 “Duchess Of Sutherland”
LMS is still king, look at the picture below,another reason is that 6233 has been picked to haul the royal train on Tuesday, YESSSSSSSSSSSS
I have always thought the Mliwaukee Road shrouded 4-4-2 ‘Hiawatha’ the prettiest thing on wheels, with the SP 4-8-4 ‘Daylight’s’ a close 2nd.
'Prettiiest diesel was Santa Fe’s ‘shovel nosed’ E-1’s - for which the ORIGINIAL war bonnet was designed - was it EMC or D?
Articulateds
Southern Pacific AC-6
DM&IR M-4
Union Pacific 4000 class
Norfolk & Western Y3
Non-articulated
Southern Pacific GS-4
Southern Pacific P-10
Santa Fe 2900 class
Santa Fe 3800 class
While some of the late articuleds rate right up there. The Big Boy, Challenger, and the Allegheny all are impressive, but my personal favorite of all time is the USRA 2-8-2 Mikado. Beautifuly balanced, graceful, and just exemplifies the classic looks of the period. Like this 1917 CN 3254:
Got admit CN’s Mikes with Elesco Feedwater Heaters wer a hansome looking engine. I would also go with there 6100 class Northerns. Along with CV’s 700 class Texans. C&O’s Kanawha’s, Heck they were all nice!
Fergie
I like the V&T Inyo and similar locomotives.
Enjoy
Paul
What, no N.P. locos? This poll can’t be right!
In my personal opinion, Santa Fe’s 4-8-4 3700s with their huge tenders, NYC 4-8-4 Niagaras and UP’s 4-8-4 FEF3s were brutishly handsome. The GS-4 4-8-4 Southern Pacific more refined and elegant either in black or daylight colors. 4-6-4 non-streamlined Hudsons were well balanced and graceful in appearance.
As far as articulated, not much beats a UP Challenger in gray & yellow livery for looking sharp. Big Boys were just plain tough looking. SP’s cab forwards were unusual enough to make them look cool. Allegany 2-6-6-6’s seem unbalanced to me.
Southern pacific Daylights, but the GS-3 is the best looking to me, the GS-4’s closed cab just losses some appeal.
NYC 4-8-4 NIagara’s
N&W J-Class 4-8-4s
UP FEF 4-8-4
SF 3700 Class 4-8-4
SP GS-4 Daylight 4-8-4
All of the above were incredible machines. A few still are!
I like all steam, some more than others. I saw my first ever 4-8-4 AT&SF Northern on static display near Bullhead City in Feb, and that monster made me develop unnatural feelings for it. [:P]
The articulated big guys are very impressive; they just command respect.
But…but… the K-4 just has that certain something…