Popular US Steam Locomotives With Images & Descriptions

 

The Best Friend of Charleston (1830) –  The first American-built steam locomotive for revenue service, operated in South Carolina. It had a 0-4-0 wheel arrangement.

John Bull (1831) – Imported from England, John Bull became one of the oldest operable steam locomotives. It ran on the Camden and Amboy Railroad, with a 4-2-0 wheel arrangement.

The General (1855) – Famous for its role in the Great Locomotive Chase during the American Civil War. The General, a 4-4-0 locomotive, was used by the Western and Atlantic Railroad.

The Jupiter and No. 119 (1869) – Prominent locomotives at the Golden Spike ceremony, completing the First Transcontinental Railroad. Both were 4-4-0 locomotives.

The 999 (1893) – Built by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, the 999 set a speed record of 112.5 mph in 1893. It featured a 4-4-0 wheel arrangement.

The Norfolk & Western Class A (1905) – Renowned for design and performance, Class A locomotives were powerful freight haulers with a 2-6-6-4 wheel arrangement.

The Union Pacific Big Boy (1941-1944) – One of the largest steam locomotives, the Big Boy had a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, designed for heavy freight over mountainous terrain.

The Pennsylvania Railroad T1 (1942-1946)- A high-speed passenger locomotive with a distinctive streamlined design, featuring a 4-4-4-4 wheel arrangement.

The Southern Pacific Daylight (1937) – 4-8-4 steam locomotives used for Southern Pacific’s Daylight passenger trains, known for their colorful and eye-catching appearance.

The Chesapeake & Ohio Allegheny (1941) – Massive articulated locomotive with a 2-6-6-6 wheel arrangement, designed for hauling heavy coal trains over the Allegheny Mountains.

The New York Central Hudson (1927) – A successful passenger locomotive with a 4-6-4 wheel arrangement, known for its speed and efficiency.

The Reading T1 (1927-1934) – High-speed locomotive designed for hauling passenger trains on the Reading Railroad, featuring a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement.

The Baldwin 60000 (1926) – Experimental locomotive built by Baldwin Locomotive Works, featuring a duplex drive system and designed for high-speed service.

The Milwaukee Road Class A (1935) – Designed for high-speed passenger service, Class A locomotives had a 4-4-2 wheel arrangement.

The Lima Superpower (1929) – Lima Locomotive Works’ Superpower locomotives were designed for heavy freight service, featuring various wheel arrangements.

The Southern Railway Ps-4 (1923) – Ps-4 was a class of Pacific-type locomotives used by the Southern Railway for passenger service, with a 4-6-2 wheel arrangement.

The Great Northern S-2 (1923) – The S-2 was a successful 4-8-4 Northern-type locomotive used by the Great Northern Railway for both passenger and freight service.

The Baltimore & Ohio EM-1 (1944) – A powerful articulated locomotive with a 2-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, designed for hauling heavy coal trains on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.

The Santa Fe 3751 (1927) – A 4-8-4 Northern-type steam locomotive preserved and operated by the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society.

The Wabash Blue Bird (1935) – The Blue Bird was a streamlined Hudson-type locomotive used for passenger service on the Wabash Railroad, with a 4-6-4 wheel arrangement.

The Norfolk & Western Y6 (1942) – The Y6 was a powerful articulated locomotive used by the Norfolk & Western Railway for heavy freight service, with a 2-8-8-2 wheel arrangement.

The Illinois Central 4-8-2 (1912) – A successful class of Mikado-type locomotives used by the Illinois Central Railroad for freight and passenger service.

The Central Pacific Jupiter (1868) – One of the locomotives that met the Union Pacific No. 119 at the Golden Spike ceremony, marking the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad.

The New York, Ontario and Western Railway 4-8-2 (1925) – A Mountain-type locomotive used by the NYO&W for freight service, with a 4-8-2 wheel arrangement.

The Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad 2-10-4 (1937) – Known as “Yellow Jackets,” these locomotives were used by the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad for hauling heavy iron ore trains, featuring a 2-10-4 wheel arrangement.