What do you think the most famous locomotive is? I think it’s the NYC Hudson or the SP GS4. Maybe the Big Boy or FEF-3, or maybe the ever obiqtious SD40-2? Who knows. What do you think??
Jonathon[:D]
I think it’s either Tootles from the Golden Books, or the little engine that could.
Hello 4884BigBoy[:)]
VERY GOOD choices, but the question leaves the field Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiide open![:0][;)][8D]
There’s also:
New York Central 999 (world speed record holder of the late 1800s)
Pennsylvania GG1 (Lowey design made news)
Pennsylvania K4 (New York Central Hudson’s rival)
Union Pacific Gas Turbine (experiment to decrease oil dependency - made news)
Union Pacific DDA40X (Longest diesel locomotive in the world)
Alco PA 1 (famous among railfans)
EMD GP20 - (first mass produced turbo charged EMD)
EMD SD45 - (first EMD 20 cylinder locomotive, most powerful at the time)
EMD FT - (first F-units. Toured America. Much publicized)
Union Pacific Big Boy (overall the largest steam locomotive in the world, though not in tractive effort & grate area)
Burlington Pioneer Zephyr
As for a “single” most famous locomotive, it would again depend on who or what group is inquiring: The general public, railfans, railroad companies, hollywood producers, authors, manufacturers, artists, etc.
We could also base this on notoriety, history, speed, public popularity, etc.
Just a thought! Peace out!
[:)][;)][C):-)][swg][:D][^][8)]
Thomas the Tank Engine is probably the most famous right now
Gordon
My grandson votes for Thomas!!![:)][:)]
don’t forget the Mallard, american 4-4-0, Deltic, and the TGV
Wrong on all counts, everyone know it has to be those lovable Streamlined Steam Turbines of the UP, Famous for scattering the most parts along the right-of-way between California and Utah. By the time they were shut down in Utah, it would have cost too much to replace the parts that the lokies left along the right-of-way[:D][:D][:D][:D]
If by famous you mean a locomotive that most people on the planet are aware of, Thomas would win hands down. The others would be the record holders.
I don’t think America has built anything that was noticed outside of the country due to the completely unique requirements of the American RR industry. The only exceptions I can think of would be the railway on the space station and if I remember correctly didn’t the Saturn V arrive at the launch pad on tracks? A lot of people have seen pictures of these.
The Flying Scotsman for one
But here’s the rub Everyone one would probably consider the “Orient Express” to be one of the most famous passenger trains but what pulled it?
Stevenson’s ‘Rocket’, because it was the first practical application of motive power on rails other than putting a horse in front of the cars or on a treadmill in one of the cars. It only lost because a belt slipped off a pulley, but it proved that it worked.
Nope, the Saturn V was transported on a via a catapiller type system under the launch platform. The device is called the “crawler” because it only moves at about 1 mph it has 4 very large catapiller tracks one at eack corner and looks very much like the Jawa Sandcrawler in the first STAR WARS movie. The rocket rests on top and the whole thing is slowly, (very slowly) rolled from the Vehicle Assembly Building out to the launch tower. The crawler carries the lauch platform to the tower at the launch pad where it is the hydrolicly lowered onto mounts then the crawler rolls out from under the launch platform back to the VAB. All the ambilicle power, fuel, data, everything else lines are then attached to the launch platform. A really good view of this beast slowly rolling with the Saturn V can be seen in the movie “Apollo 13” with Tom Hanks. This beasty is still used today for every Shuttle mission to carry the Shuttle from the VAB to the Launch Pad.
And I would also have to say Thomas, at least outside of railfan and modeler circles.
Thanks Vsmith,
I know the shuttle crawled but I thought NASA used a track for early rockets. So much for thought. I just found out that America has the fastest train. It doesn’t carry passengers, or freight come to that, but it gets there fast…mach 9!
Stopping is messy.
A fan of Hudsons, I’m casting my vote for it in the steam category. Diesels? The E6 rules!
I agree, this would vary depending on what group of people you are asking.
But, I’d say the UP 4-8-8-4.
I’d say City of Truro - the first loco to hit 100mph back in the late 1800’s. “Truro” is a 4-4-0 tender loco and is thought to have reached 100mph on a mail train from Plymouth to London. The story goes that the GWR hushed this feat up for years as they felt that it would scare passengers away…
City of Truro is still in existence - it’s being restored by the NRM in York and will be returned to working order for fan trips, etc. Another chance to see this elegant racer in action! Interestingly, this isn’t the first restoration - the loco has been in working order, on and off, ever since it was operated by the GWR.
I have to go with the ‘Flying Scotsman’. It is probably the most recognizable name around the world.
It’s official. My daughter agrees with me that Thomas is the most famous locomotive there is!!!
Gordon