arnstg
practice makes perfect.
welcome to the forums!!!
stay safe
Joe
I think it was one of the challengers with an excursion!
The results of the voting, so far… Remember, some people mentioned several locos.
I had to do a little research. I’m not intimately familiar with all the types & locos mentioned, so needed to have a way to quantify them. Much of that has to do with the railroad’s propensity to give their own name to a wheel arrangement, as you’ll see in a moment.
So far, 20 locomotives have been mentioned, If I read my notes right.
Based on specific mention of a locomotive or class, the Berkshire leads with 5, followed by N&W J’s (including 611) with 4. The K4 and the Hudson are tied at 3.
However, based on wheel arrangement, the 4-8-4, referred to here in 8 different ways, is the hands-down leader with 14 mentions, out of a total of 35[bow]. A check on the Whyte System on the web showed that the 4-8-4 had more different designations than any other loco type, with at least 12, most reflecting a significant feature of the railroad that used them. Probably the purest was the UP FEF (Four Eight Four).
I’d have to surmise that the bulk of the responses are the result of personal contact or a favored road. To that end, it might have been interesting to see what a similar poll, had it been possible in, say 1935 (Al hadn’t invented the Internet yet.[:P]), would have turned up.
With admitted prejudice C&O 614 is far and away the best looking steamer in the USA and the loudest to boot!!
sorry guys it’s the u.p. challenger 3985 hands down, imho. beauty ,super power and never off the roster. as tim the toolman taylor would say. oh oh oh.
What about the baby that built this country? The American 4-4-0. It has to rank up there on anybodys list.
I did say anything after 1802, so the 4-4-0 is listed (Silently)
Ok, first vote goes to the SP GS-4’s In Daylight colors. [bow] Second goes to the L.N.E.R. Mallard. [tup] Soon you’ll be able to buy a live steam H.O. scale model in the states. [:D] Anyone else interested has to line up behind me. [:p] I got first dibs!!! [:-,]
Hence my comment about most of the favorites resulting from personal contact. While I still like the Berks, it is hard to dispute that the classic high wheeled American, especially if all brass and bright paint, is a true beauty to behold. Classy, stately, proud. Not that any of our choices are in any way bad, but I’ll bet that if you lined all of them up side by side, the 4-4-0 would get a lot of the attention, even from us.
I JUST FOUND OUT THAT I GET TO RIDE IN THE CAB OF THE 3985 ON THE SUPER BOWL SPECIAL!!! 
like, i’d have to go with the good old American 4-4-0’s because of my interest in the time period in which they served.
The 3985 schedule is at http://www.up.com and http://www.upsteam.com…happy rails.
I don’t know. 2-8-0s, Reading T1s, I mostly follow diesels.
Not easy!!!
My favorites are N&W “A”, UP´s Bigboy´s, Challenger´s and the ATSF “Northern” 3751.
My numberone: I think the Challenger ! When I saw Challenger 3985 hauling that APL doublestacktrain across Archer Hill, I think it was in 1990, wow, this was pure power!
By the way: I saw ther LNER “Mallard” at the museum in York!
She was fast, have a beautiful design but, oh my god, it´s a little engine!!!
The last one I saw and the next one I see!!!
Amen…lol
Though question, and after reading the posts I see everyone has an opinion, you know what they say about that! The best post ---- “The last one I saw and the next one I see”!!!
Maybe the best line of the new century guys. You ought to be real today, if your favorite locomotive were the last one in service its over for everybody. Variety is the spice of life. But my personal favorite, Northern Pacific 4-8-4 2626, should have gone to the Smithsonion. For shear lines Southern Pacific 4-8-4 Daylights. As for the best, hang it up everyone today will tell you thier favorite engine was the Biggest, Fastest, Best, EVER, even if it was a yard goat, and there you go.
The REAL UP 3985 went by our house today on it’s way from Cheyene to the Super Bowl. Neat ole train!
How about the WESTERN PACIFIC # 94 at Rio Vista Junction, Ca. --or-- Roaring Camp & Big Tree’s “DIXIANA” a Shay Locomotive…they’re awesome!!!
Split between the New York Central streamlined J3a Hudsons and the 4-8-4 NIagras. Super machines! Tragedy that none were saved. Stark reminder that the business world’s first priority is profit followed by minimizing expenses.