Peter, I read what you wrote, and will concede that Thomas was based in reality on the class that you described. You have a much better knowledge of that than I. My point is that based on the criteria being a single locomotive, not class, not train, nor American and definition of famous provided by the prof there, the most famous locomotive would be Thomas in it’s current blue form. I would venture to guess that hands down, it would be the most widely recognized single locomotive, fictional or not, taking into consideration that most people are not railfans.
I would also consider the K4 Pacific that was displayed at Horseshoe curve for many years by the PRR. If by most famous you mean the one most people would name if asked randomly, then the answer is Thomas. My guess is that outside the railfan community and a couple of historians, no one knows any of the other ones.
Enjoy
Paul
Tom Thumb was the fore father of all commercial railroading.
Maybe the grandson.
The first commercially sucessful steam locomotive was built and used on the Middleton (coal) Railway in Yorkshire England in 1812.* It was also the first railway authorized by Parliament (1758). The engines in question were in continued service until 1835. The Tom Thumb first ran in 1830.
- The Guinness Book of Rail Facts and Feats
Has to be the Rocket. It started it all.
…I believe the general public might answer: “The General” of Civil War fame…
Great choice, and if this was an American-only question, you just might be right. Although I think NYC 999 and the Jupiter (Promontory, 1869) might give it a good run.
But alas, outside of the US I doubt if many would know much about the “General.”
My bet still goes with Stephenson’s Rocket.
[bow][bow][bow]3751[bow][bow][bow]
[#ditto][#ditto][#ditto]
the engine at the joiningof the golden spike in 1869. in utah.dont know no.
I would have to say that the Flying Scottsman has to be the most widely-known locomotive in the world-both among railfans and the general public. Even railfans who know absolutely nothing about Briti***rains have heard of the Flying Scottsman.
In response to the previous posts about Thomas, the Rev. Awdry was a real stickler for prototypical accuracy in his characters. I read an article talking about it and apparently he had an extremely nasty relationship with the first illustrator of his books because he didn’t draw the trains realistically enough. Henry was drawn so bady that when he got a new illustrator, he wrote a story about Henry being involved in a big wreck and getting rebuilt with a new firebox and then looking different for the sole purpose of him being able to look like an actual locomotive type.
To add to the previous post, in later Awdry books the “Flying Scotsman” made a guest appearance on the Sodor railway. I think it was illustrated in such a way that it didn’t have a smokebox “face” (presumably so children would not be disappointed on seeing the real locomotive).
So if “Thomas” is the best known, and the “Thomas” creator included “Flying Scotsman” in the stories, I think we have an indication of the most famous real locomotive. The “City of Truro” was also included in the “Thomas” stories, but is by no means as well known.
Peter
I would say the Flying Scotsman, but maybe because I just saw a tape on it.
I second Peter for the Thomas/Scotsman ticket.
And this morning’s vote for US-centric post of the day goes to…
Come on guys
Kev UK
Being that I must admit to a U.S. leaning on such things, I would vote Flying Scotsman, that excellent example early 20th century British mechanical engineering , but only after U.P.'s Big Boy and the N&W’s Y6b’s, greatest heavyweights of the rails, hands down
The Big Boys and the Y6b’s are locomotive classes. My question pertains to an individual locomotive - a single unit. e.g. the Flying Scotsman or the Rocket.
Good start, poor finish. Pay attention, class!
Very well Locomotive 4100 U.P. Big Boy # 1 and the EMD FT Demonstrator #1. Please forgive my loss of propriety and breach of etiquette.,
Dear piouslion,
The first Big Boy was no. 4000, not 4100 (sorry) [:(].
The EMD demonstrator #1 might raise some interest in the US, but is a non-starter world-wide. As to the Big Boy, well you couldn’t even get its number right, so that says all that needs to be said.
Again, this is not a “my favourite locomotive” thread, it was started to try to ascertain the “most famous locomotive in HISTORY.” Like many of the other posters, you are mostly off the topic.
wasatch mtn handlers-union pacific 4000 series-big boys!