Anyone Else Fascinated By Old Locomotives?

Big Boy 4014 was caught hauling freight in Kansas during the dead of winter.

The Union Pacific Railroad originally ordered 20 class 4000 engines in 1941 and then 5 more in 1944 at $265,174 per engine. Adjusted for inflation, it is estimated that this would have totaled a whopping $107,620,056 or more in today’s dollars, each engine individually running $4,304,802!

Quick Facts about UP Big Boy 4014​

  • Rail Line: Union Pacific
  • Driver diameters:-68 inches
  • Power type: 4-8-8-4 Steam Locomotive Class 4000
  • Builder: American Locomotive Company 1941
  • Coal Consumption: 22,000 lbs per hour (converted to oil)
  • Locomotive and tender weight: 1,250,000 lbs
  • Max Speed: 80 MPH !


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Union Pacific 4-12-2 No. 9514, a member of the bold and innovative UP-5 class, represents a remarkable chapter in American steam locomotive history. Built in 1930 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO), No. 9514 was originally numbered 9077 and later renumbered to reflect its place in Union Pacific’s expansive fleet of three-cylinder giants. These locomotives were designed for power and endurance, with two massive outside cylinders and a third center cylinder that drove a crank on the second axle—an uncommon and technically ambitious configuration. The locomotive’s 67-inch drivers and the use of “blind” center axles without flanges helped it manage tight curves, though later operational experience showed that the lateral motion devices on the first and sixth axles provided better results. Captured on film by Henry R. Griffiths Jr. in September 1948, No. 9514 is seen battling the grade of Medbury Hill in Idaho—a testament to its strength and the challenging terrain it routinely faced. These 9000-series engines became icons of Union Pacific’s steam era, admired for their size, complexity, and performance. Though they are long gone, their legacy lives on in photographs and the memories of those who witnessed their thunderous passage.

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Seventy-five years ago, on November 3, 1950, Reading Company T-1 2120 was captured at Darby Creek, Pennsylvania, operating on the Philadelphia & Chester Branch. The T-1 class, designed for heavy freight service, was a staple of the Reading Company’s roster, known for its reliability and power. In this photograph, the locomotive is seen moving along the creek, its massive boiler and driving wheels dominating the scene, while the surrounding Pennsylvania landscape provides a serene contrast to the industrial might of the engine. These locomotives played a critical role in hauling coal, freight, and other goods, supporting both local industry and broader regional commerce. By 1950, steam was still a dominant force on the Reading lines, although dieselization was beginning to emerge in other parts of the country. The image serves as a historical snapshot, preserving a moment when steam locomotives like T-1 2120 were the backbone of American railroading. The Darby Creek setting highlights the blend of natural and industrial elements that typified mid-20th-century rail operations in the Northeast. Today, photographs like this allow enthusiasts and historians to appreciate the scale, design, and significance of these engines.

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On May 24, 1957, CN 4-8-2 No. 6069 was captured westbound near West Toronto, freshly returned from service at the Stratford, Ontario shops. This locomotive, part of the Canadian National Railway’s fleet of heavy passenger and freight engines, exemplified the power and reliability of mid-20th-century steam. At Stratford, 6069 underwent maintenance that ensured her performance and longevity, a testament to the meticulous care afforded to steam engines of this era. After several more years in active service, she returned to Stratford once more in 1963 for a thorough cleaning and fresh paint, preparing her for a new life as a preserved exhibit. Today, she rests on display at Point Edward in Sarnia, Ontario, offering the public a tangible link to Canada’s rich railroading heritage. Photographs like this one, taken during her operational days, provide insight into the locomotive’s robust design, the skill of railway crews, and the vital role of steam engines in mid-century Canadian transportation. CN 6069 stands as a symbol of industrial achievement and the era when steam ruled the rails, bridging communities and fostering commerce across the nation.


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n 1929, the Chicago and North Western Railroad introduced its powerful Class H locomotives, built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, during a time when railroads were symbols of American progress and industrial confidence. These massive engines, designed for both freight and passenger service, represented the technological strength of the late steam era. Their imposing size and smooth-running power made them standout machines across the Midwest. When showcased at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, the Class H locomotives were proudly promoted as the “Zeppelins of the Rail,” a phrase that perfectly captured the nation’s fascination with speed, engineering, and modern design. Much like the airships of the time, these locomotives embodied the dream of seamless, powerful movement across great distances. They reflected the optimism of an age that looked to both the sky and the rails for its vision of the future

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In March 1936, Reading Railroad B-7a switch engine Number 1346 was photographed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, capturing a unique piece of locomotive history. Built by Baldwin in 1907, this engine was a Camelback, distinguished by its unusual design featuring a centrally mounted cab straddling the boiler to accommodate the wide Wootten firebox. The Wootten firebox had been developed in the Reading Railroad shops to burn anthracite waste efficiently, making it an essential innovation for the railroad’s coal-rich region. While ingenious, the Camelback design created challenging working conditions, especially for the firemen, whose position over the firebox was hot, cramped, and exposed, leading many to describe the job as worse than having no job at all.

Number 1346, as a B-7a switch engine, primarily handled yard duties and local movements, demonstrating both power and agility within the confines of the busy Philadelphia rail yards. The locomotive represents a period when the Reading Railroad relied on specialized engineering solutions to meet operational needs while balancing efficiency and labor demands. Photographs of engines like Number 1346 preserve the legacy of Camelback locomotives, highlighting their technical innovation, unique design, and the tough conditions endured by the men who operated them.

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LE BARON said:
In March 1936, Reading Railroad B-7a switch engine Number 1346 was photographed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, capturing a unique piece of locomotive history. Built by Baldwin in 1907, this engine was a Camelback, distinguished by its unusual design featuring a centrally mounted cab straddling the boiler to accommodate the wide Wootten firebox. The Wootten firebox had been developed in the Reading Railroad shops to burn anthracite waste efficiently, making it an essential innovation for the railroad’s coal-rich region. While ingenious, the Camelback design created challenging working conditions, especially for the firemen, whose position over the firebox was hot, cramped, and exposed, leading many to describe the job as worse than having no job at all.

Number 1346, as a B-7a switch engine, primarily handled yard duties and local movements, demonstrating both power and agility within the confines of the busy Philadelphia rail yards. The locomotive represents a period when the Reading Railroad relied on specialized engineering solutions to meet operational needs while balancing efficiency and labor demands. Photographs of engines like Number 1346 preserve the legacy of Camelback locomotives, highlighting their technical innovation, unique design, and the tough conditions endured by the men who operated them.

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learn something every day.... I thought the Reading Railroad only existed on a Monopoly game board...who knew?!?!
 
Chicago & Illinois Midland 4-4-0 No. 502 was photographed at Springfield, Illinois, in 1953, near the end of its long and loyal service life. This elegant American-type locomotive had spent its entire career hauling passenger trains along the C&IM, embodying the railroad’s dependable yet understated character. When passenger service ended in May 1953, No. 502 was reassigned to freight duty—a last chapter for a machine built in an earlier era of steam. Its polished brass and driving wheels had once symbolized progress and pride for the line, connecting central Illinois towns through decades of change. Not long after this image was taken, No. 502 was retired and scrapped, marking the quiet close of an age when the 4-4-0 was king of the rails.


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Reading Company E-5sa 0-8-0 No. 1496, built by Baldwin in 1925, is pictured here handling a coal train, likely at Rutherford, Pennsylvania. This robust switcher was part of the Reading Company’s fleet designed for heavy yard work and short transfers, moving coal and freight with steady reliability. The 0-8-0 wheel arrangement provided maximum tractive effort for its duties, and locomotives like No. 1496 were essential in keeping the Reading’s industrial and coal operations running efficiently. Steam still dominated the yards in the mid-20th century, and scenes like this—puffs of smoke rising above freight cars and crews working alongside the rails—were common sights for railfans and local communities alike. While the exact date and photographer of this image remain unknown, it captures the industrial heritage of Pennsylvania and the era when coal powered both locomotives and the regional economy.


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In this rare photo from around 1968, Chesapeake & Ohio 4-6-4 locomotive #490, an L-1 class Hudson type, is seen at the Huntington, West Virginia engine shops just before its delivery to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum. This powerful and elegant steam engine, built for high-speed passenger service, was among the last of its kind in regular operation. By the late 1960s, steam locomotives like #490 had largely been retired from active duty, replaced by diesel engines, making this image a poignant snapshot of a fading era. The Huntington shops served as an important maintenance hub for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, and this moment captures both the locomotive’s final days in service and its preservation for future generations. The locomotive’s polished boiler, large driving wheels, and streamlined design highlight the craftsmanship and engineering pride of mid-20th century American railroading. Today, #490 stands as a treasured piece of railroad history, preserved to showcase the golden age of steam.


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The 1930s were a critical decade for the Chicago & North Western Railway, a time when steam locomotives demanded constant care and maintenance to meet the needs of both freight and passenger service. The railway shops in Chicago were centers of intense activity, staffed by skilled mechanics, machinists, and engineers who worked diligently to keep the steam fleet in reliable operating condition. Each locomotive required detailed inspections, repairs to boilers, wheel alignments, and upkeep of numerous mechanical parts to ensure safety and efficiency. This labor-intensive process highlighted the expertise and dedication of the workers during an era when railroads were vital to the Midwest’s economy and transportation infrastructure. Although the Great Depression strained many industries, the Chicago & North Western remained a key connector between urban centers and rural communities. While diesel technology began to emerge later in the decade, steam locomotives still dominated, making maintenance yards essential hubs of activity. The photographs and records from this era serve as a testament to the skill and commitment of those who kept America’s railroads moving during challenging times, preserving a legacy of hard work and industrial pride that helped shape the nation’s growth.


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n this striking builder’s photo from around 1943, Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 #262—an S-3 class steam locomotive—stands gleaming in fresh paint, fresh from the American Locomotive Company’s Schenectady works. One of ten powerful engines built that year, the S-3s were a wartime solution to increasing passenger and freight demands. With their clean lines, bullet nose smokebox front, and distinctive Milwaukee Road livery, these locomotives were built for speed and endurance. The 4-8-4 wheel arrangement, also known as a “Northern,” provided excellent balance and traction for long hauls through the Upper Midwest and beyond. These engines pulled fast passenger trains like the Olympian and the Columbian as well as time-sensitive freight, showcasing the versatility that steam technology had reached in its final years of prominence. The builder’s photo captures not just a locomotive, but a moment of industrial pride and wartime purpose—when railroads were vital arteries of American movement and morale. Today, Milwaukee Road #261, a sister engine, is preserved and operational, keeping the legacy of the S-3 class alive for new generations.

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This 1951 photograph captures New York Central Railroad's F12-class 4-6-0 "Ten-Wheeler" steam locomotives lined up at Yorktown Heights station, ready for suburban service on the Putnam Division. Built between 1907-1913 by ALCO-Schenectady, these 180,000-pound workhorses with 63" driving wheels were nearing the end of their operational lives, having been displaced by diesels on mainline routes . The Putnam Division, acquired by NYC in 1894, connected the Bronx to Brewster but struggled with low ridership due to its single-track segments and lack of direct Grand Central Terminal access . Yorktown Heights station, a modest 1877 wooden structure with Queen Anne influences, served as a crew change point and water stop, surrounded by the town's commercial center since the 1880s . The scene reflects the twilight of steam operations - the line would cease passenger service in 1958 and freight operations by 1962, with the station later preserved on the National Register of Historic Places . These F12 locomotives, though overshadowed by NYC's famous Hudsons and Niagaras, were vital for local services, embodying the everyday operations of regional railroading before the diesel era .

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Built in 1905 by the Lima Locomotive Works—an Ohio firm founded in 1877 that pivoted from sawmills to pioneering Ephraim Shay’s revolutionary geared logging locomotives—the 70-ton Class C Shay began as a workhorse for West Virginia’s G.W. Huntly Lumber Company. Renumbered **GC&E No. 1** in 1915, it hauled logs for the Greenbrier, Cheat & Elk Railroad, serving the West Virginia Pulp & Paper Company for nearly three decades. After a stint with Mower Lumber Company (repainted in red and green), it narrowly escaped scrapping in 1960, bouncing between junkyards until 1962, when the State of West Virginia rescued it. Reborn as **Cass No. 1**, it powered the Cass Scenic Railroad’s passenger excursions until retirement in 1980. In 1981, the B&O Railroad Museum acquired the locomotive, meticulously restoring its 1915–1942 GC&E livery. Today, it stands as a rare survivor among just 115 extant Shay locomotives—a testament to Lima’s innovative legacy, which ended in 1945 before corporate mergers dissolved the iconic builder by 1972.

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