On 30 November 1934 his Flying Scotsman, an A1 Pacific, was the first steam locomotive to officially exceed 100mph in passenger service, a speed exceeded by the A4 Mallard on 3 July 1938 at 126mph, a record that still stands.
The class J-1 and J-3a Hudsons of 1927 had 79 inch drivers. They were fast, powerful, very well proportioned, good looking, and may have been the best known steam locomotive. Honorable Mentions: CMStP&P Class F7.
The Flying Scotsman: How the first 100mph locomotive became the most famous train in the world. The first train to officially hit 100mph may not even have been the first, and didn't hold the rail speed record for long; yet a century later its legend is undimmed.
The Flying Scotsman: World's most famous steam train returns home after 100 years. The Flying Scotsman made a historic journey to celebrate its 100 year anniversary. If you know anything about trains, you've probably heard of The Flying Scotsman.
It was on 30 November 1934 that Flying Scotsman achieved the first properly authenticated 100mph for a steam engine. This was while she was running between Leeds and London. The Flying Scotsman was saved for the nation this year and is now - like City of Truro - in the ownership of the National Railway Museum.
The new Acela will operate at top speeds of 160 mph vs. today's fleet, which operates at top speeds of 150 mph. Amtrak's new Acela fleet is scheduled to enter service on the NEC in 2024.
Puffing Billy is the world's oldest surviving steam locomotive, constructed in 1813–1814 by colliery viewer William Hedley, enginewright Jonathan Forster and blacksmith Timothy Hackworth for Christopher Blackett, the owner of Wylam Colliery near Newcastle upon Tyne, in the United Kingdom.
Intercity 125The stalwart of the British rail network merits its place on the list by being the fastest diesel train in the world, a record it achieved in 1987 and still holds today for travelling at a speed of 148 mph.
The “Tom Thumb” has been known as the first successful American steam locomotive. It hauled passengers until at least March 1831 but was never placed into regular service. The “Tom Thumb” was salvaged for parts in 1834.
The Centennials were the largest diesel-electric locomotives ever built. Actually comprising two engines on one frame, they delivered 6,600 horsepower.
The largest number of total driving wheels was 24 (twelve axles) on the 2-8-8-8-2 and 2-8-8-8-4 locomotives. The largest number of coupled driving wheels was 14 (seven axles) on the ill-fated AA20 4-14-4 locomotive.
One of the most beautiful steam locomotives ever built, the S1 was designed by Raymond Loewe. Poor balancing caused wheel-spin and only one was ever built, for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1939.
Big Boy No.4014. Twenty-five Big Boys were built exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. The locomotives were 132 feet long and weighed 1.2 million pounds.
The Big Boy has the longest engine body of any reciprocating steam locomotive, longer than two 40-foot buses. They were also the heaviest reciprocating steam locomotives ever built; the combined weight of the 772,250 lb (350,290 kg) engine and 436,500 lb (198,000 kg) tender outweighed a Boeing 747.