Nickel Plate Road 779 Explained

Nickel Plate Road 779
Powertype:Steam
Serialnumber:9380
Builder:Lima Locomotive Works
Builddate:May 13, 1949
Whytetype:2-8-4
Uicclass:1'D2'h
Leadingdiameter:363NaN3
Driverdiameter:693NaN3
Trailingdiameter:433NaN3
Length:100feet
Height:15feet
Weightondrivers:264300lb
Locoweight:444300lb
Locotenderweight:808820lb
Fueltype:Coal
Fuelcap:44000lb 221NaN1
Watercap:22000usgal
Boiler:89.06252NaN2 diameter × 422NaN2 length
Boilerpressure:2452NaN2
Superheatertype:Elesco
Cylindercount:Two
Cylindersize:25x
Maxspeed:700NaN0
Tractiveeffort:641351NaN1
Factorofadhesion:4.12
Operator:Nickel Plate Road
Operatorclass:S-3
Numinclass:80 (Entire 2-8-4 fleet on the Nickel Plate Road). L-H built 10 of these S-3s for the NKP.
Fleetnumbers:NKP 779
Nicknames:"The Last S-3", "NKP's Last Steam Engine", "Last Berkshire" and "Lincoln Park's Locomotive"
Retiredate:1958
Preservedunits:1966
Currentowner:City of Lima, Ohio
Disposition:On static display

Nickel Plate Road 779 is a 2-8-4 or "Berkshire" type steam locomotive built for the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, (reporting mark NKP) completed on May 13, 1949, for use on fast freight trains. It was the last new steam locomotive to be delivered to the Nickel Plate Road, and alongside L&N 1991, another 2-8-4 for the Louisville and Nashville, is the last of 36 steam engines completed by Lima-Hamilton from 1947 to 1949, and the final 2-8-4 locomotive on standard gauge completed in the world. L-H's first diesel, A-3080 demonstrator #1000 was completed the same day as #779. NKP also received the first production A-3080, NKP #305, one of 4 delivered by Lima-Hamilton in 1949.

Before her retirement in 1958, the locomotive had logged 677,095 miles.[1]

In 1966, the locomotive was donated to the City of Lima, Ohio, and placed on display in Lincoln Park, where it remains to date.[1]

See also

External links

40.7383°N -84.0892°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NKP Berkshire Locomotive No. 779 Historical Marker.