KnowThyNiagarasFINAL

The Production Engines
6001-25

Overview The profile of the railroad between Buffalo and Cleveland
is characterized by a series of gently rising and falling
The first of the production Niagaras, engine 6001, was de- grades of no more than 0.3%. Based on the industry used
livered in October, 1945. This was the same month that locomotive and train resistance equations, and assuming
prototype Niagara 6000 was undergoing stationary boiler no operation of the car mounted axle generators, it would
tests at Selkirk, New York. With no time to make any major require approximately 6047 cylinder horsepower and
design changes as a result of testing, Kiefer nevertheless 3248 drawbar horsepower to haul a fifteen car, 1200-ton
did make some changes to the locomotive and principally heavyweight Commodore Vanderbilt at 120 mph down a
to the boiler. The decision must have been made very early 0.3% grade. Operating at 290 psi, the 6000 was capable of
that the boiler pressure of 290 psi could be reduced with- this performance,as on test it was about 2% better than the
out significantly affecting performance, and a pressure of S-1B ’s. (The same calculation for a S-1B Niagara operating
275 psi for the production engines was adequate. Original at 275 psi shows a balance speed of 118 mph with this
Niagara 6000 evidently retained its 290-psi boiler pressure train down a 0.3% grade. During this performance, the S-1B
until the “Schedule of Safety Equipment, drawing T-36060 would generate 3125 drawbar HP at 120 mph, based on a
Revision H was made 4/23/52. When prototype Niagara carefully drawn extension of the S-1B Test Curves.) The
6000 entered service, it had been equipped with 75-inch run of this heavyweight 6 axle Pullman train at night and
driving wheels and was advertised as a dual service lo- in September, when the 6000 was assigned to this train,
comotive. As a precaution, a spare set of 79-inch driving may have made the electrical generation requirements of
wheels was delivered with the locomotive, and they were the axle mounted generators minimal. The official estimate
installed in July, 1945. for top speed with a fifteen car 1005 ton test train for an
S-1B Niagara at 275 psi was 102 mph on level track, but this
Performance Reports-Original Niagara 6000 included the use of all of the axle mounted belt driven
14-20 kw generators used for train lighting and air condi-
When 6000 entered revenue service and after clearance tioning at an average 60% demand factor.
checks, it was assigned to the Commodore Vanderbilt, with
a schedule similar to that of the 20TH Century Limited. Re- Another old “head” told the author that Niagara 6000 still
ports may have filtered back to Kiefer regarding some as- holds the speed record on the old Erie Division, with a
tounding performances. There was one report that 6000 start to pass trip from Buffalo Terminal to a pass at Erie,
on a westbound Train 67 had pegged its 120-mph speed- PA in exactly one hour with a Commodore Vanderbilt in
ometer seven times between Buffalo and Cleveland. The tow. The distance from Buffalo terminal to Erie Union
fireman on that run repeated this story to the author. The Station is exactly 87.78 miles. Speeds in steam days were
engineer explained that he ran it just like a Hudson, with always high from Buffalo to WX Tower at Wesleyville, PA
full throttle operation and use of the wheel reverse for on the outskirts of Erie, but a start to pass average speed
slight grades, and he just “let it have its head”. of slightly more than eighty-seven miles per hour with a
fifteen-car heavyweight Pullman passenger train puts this
performance in another realm.

Left Page Photo - Front view of Niagara No. 6008, new at Alco, in November, 1945. (AHP)
39

Production Niagara No. 6008 was selected for the official photographs of the S-1B class. In many
respects this engine appears identical to the prototype, but there were changes. (AHP)

An Optimized Design sure of 275 psi could generate almost 118,000 lb of steam
per hour, and develop 6680-cylinder horsepower. The con-
Hearing these performance reports and perhaps receiving trolled test using six different Niagaras in Harmon to Chi-
advance information that the maximum boiler evaporation cago service showed that a modern steam locomotive in
of 6000 was 157,000 lb per hour, Kiefer may have made high speed passenger service with preferred attention at
some decisions to pull down the performance curve of terminals could operate 25,300 miles per month or over
the production engines to a performance envelope that 800 miles per day, with an availability exceeding 75%. In
would be more useful and cost effective for the railroad. the month of October, 1946, the six Niagaras in Harmon
On the production engines, boiler pressure was reduced to to Chicago service averaged 27,221 miles per locomotive.
275 psi. The combustion chamber was shortened by one One of those six, Niagara 6024, ran 288,000 miles in eleven
foot, and this change in turn increased tube length a like months. As a result of this testing, the Niagara type holds
amount and also increased the size of the superheating sur- the record for the highest monthly mileage and availability
face. There were several advantages with these changes, of any steam locomotive in the world. No other steam lo-
including a stronger boiler, a slight redistribution of weight comotive ever combined the power, reliability, availability,
to the lead and trailing truck of the production engines, and economy that the Niagaras exhibited.
the ability to use 41” diameter wheels for the trailing truck
and the tender, and an increase in ashpan capacity from 86 With a reduction in boiler pressure from 290 psi to 275 psi,
cubic feet to 98 cubic feet. The cylinder size was increased Kiefer and his team made some additional changes. Some
from 25” diameter to 25-1/2” diameter to maintain starting of these were the direct result of the boiler pressure and
tractive effort. driving wheel diameter change, and some were designed
to decrease service requirements and improve maintain-
The production Niagaras could develop more power than ability.
the New York Central would ever need for passenger ser-
vice. The increased use of lighter weight cars, combined Height
with the ICC mandated reduction in speed limit of pas-
senger trains to 79 mph, may have played a role in Kiefer’s Original S-1A 6000 had a maximum height of 15’-1-3/4”,
design decisions. That these decisions were correct was and a height from top of rail to boiler centerline of 10’-7-
borne out by over the road test results of Niagara 6023 1/2”. The production Niagaras had a maximum height of
in late 1946, and a six-locomotive test to determine what 15’-2-3/4” and a height from top of rail to boiler centerline
the maximum performance of a modern steam locomotive of 10’-8-1/2”. Both classes of locomotives are shown in
fleet might be. The test resulted in a rated evaporation for the Locomotive Classification Book equipped with 79-inch
the Niagara boiler of 126,000 lb per hour. Over the road driving wheels, so this may be an error on the drawing.
testing showed that a Niagara operating with a boiler pres-

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Cylinder Size installed as a set. There are photographs of engines other
than S-1A 6000 with the tapered main rod, including 6009
Kiefer specified that the twenty-five production Niagaras and 6012. (N-72710, N-72681)
have a slight increase in cylinder diameter, from twen-
ty-five inches to 25-1/2-inch diameter, to maintain the same Ash Pan
starting tractive effort with 275 psi boiler pressure as the
290 psi original design pressure. The capacity of the ash pan of the original Niagara was 86
cubic feet. The change in the trailing truck of the produc-
Boiler Changes tion Niagaras permitted an increase in ash pan capacity to
98 cubic feet.
The basic geometry of the boiler was modified to make the
boiler stronger and to improve the weight distribution of Smoke Deflectors
the locomotives. The combustion chamber was reduced
in length by 11-1/4 inches, and the tubes and flues were The original Niagara was equipped with smoke deflectors
increased in length by the same amount. The superheater that resembled those applied to late Mohawks,although the
area therefore increased from 1977 to 2073 square feet. application of smoke deflectors on Niagara 6000 may have
This change in combustion chamber length also reduced preceded the application of smoke deflectors to the L-3
the length of the dry pipe, used to collect steam at the top and L-4 Mohawks, which were not delivered with smoke
of the boiler in lieu of a steam dome. (V-73477, R-74786, deflectors. The production Niagaras were equipped with
R-73478) smoke deflectors with a tapered trailing edge. No drawing
exists of the original smoke deflector design for Niagara
Driving Wheels 6000, so the reason for the change in the geometry of the
smoke deflectors is unknown. The stack on a Niagara was
The original Niagara was delivered with 75-inch diameter only seven inches above the top of the smokebox, and the
driving wheels. This was consistent with Kiefer’s thinking low restriction exhaust passages caused smoke trailing at
for a dual service, or combination type, locomotive that part throttle and short cutoffs when the engines were not
would have higher performance than the road’s most re- working hard. A smoke deflector arrangement would tend
cent dual service locomotive, the L-4B Mohawk. The fact reduce or eliminate smoke trailing, and alleviate this prob-
that the locomotive was designed during World War II lem.
when only dual service designs were considered may have
been a factor. Drawing T-72658 shows that“S-1A 6000 with Sand Box Drip Lips
79-inch drivers” was added on 6/12/45. Railway Mechani-
cal Engineer magazine noted that the original Niagara had At some point during the production of the twenty-five
79-inch drivers applied in early July, 1945. The railroad in- Niagaras, new production from Alco included vee shaped
tended to test the original Niagara with 75-inch and with drip lips on the top of the recessed sand dome. Niagara
79-inch driving wheels, extrapolate the expected perfor- 6008 has drip lips, while some lower numbered Niagaras
mance with 77-inch wheels, and select the optimum driv- do not. Adding to this mystery, there are photographs of
ing wheel size for dual service use. Niagaras consigned to scrap that do not appear to have
drip lips. (X-73300, X-73306)
Additional Changes
The end result of these changes resulted in a locomotive
Main Rod design that could compete with contemporary diesel elec-
tric locomotives in the important areas of monthly mile-
The main rod of the original Niagara was tapered. The age,reliability,extended shopping intervals,availability,and
main rod of the production Niagaras had a constant depth overall operating cost.
and cross section. There is a note on the new main rod
drawing that this rod would replace the former tapered
main rod, and the tapered rods must be maintained and

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46

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Fleet Assignments All E8’s on the Central, with initial deliveries in June 1951,
had a water capacity of 1950 gallons per unit. Twenty-four
For about two years, the Niagaras were used interchange- of these E8 diesels had dual Vapor steam generators, each
ably with two and three-unit EMD E7 diesels. There were with a capacity of 4500 lbs per hour, which was apparently
interruptions in steam locomotive use during this period. sufficient to solve the problem.
For example, on December 7, 1946, United Mine Workers
boss John L. Lewis ended the nation’s seventeen-day coal The Locomotive Record Cards indicate that in May, 1948,
strike, calling 400,000 miners back to work after federal odd numbered Niagaras 6001, 6003, 6007, 6009, 6011, and
intervention. Diesels were the preferred power for the 6013 were“permanently reassigned from Line West to Line
20TH Century Limited, but photographs do exist of Niaga- East”. (We suspect that Niagara 6005 was also reassigned
ras on this train. Niagaras were normally used as protec- but we do not have the Record Card to confirm it.) All of
tion engines for this assignment. During the severe winter the Niagaras were maintained at Harmon and overhauled
of 1948, the railroad determined that insufficient steam at Beech Grove, but the cycle charts made to maximize
generator and water capacity existed on the E7 diesels as- monthly mileage for the entire fleet mandated a Line East
signed to the Century, and Niagaras were used either as re- or Line West assignment. For the prewar year 1941, the
lief engines for part of the Harmon to Chicago trip, or were railroad’s passenger train-miles were more than twice as
assigned to second sections. The steam generator water high on lines east of Buffalo (Line East) than west of Buf-
capacity of the first E7“A”units, road numbers 4000-07 and falo (Line West). It is possible that these six (and possibly
the “B” units 4100-03, were 1600 gallons each, and appar- seven) odd numbered Niagaras were transferred to sup-
ently insufficient for the heating demands of the train. The port that traffic density. Additionally, we know that at least
railroad used two different types of steam generators on three of these seven locomotives had recently installed all
these early units, and neither the Vapor DRK-4530 nor the welded boilers during Class 2 overhauls, and they were in
Elesco M-2 were up to the task. The steam generator capac- excellent condition.
ity of these early E7’s was either 3250 or 4500 lbs per hour.
Vapor provided a different model steam generator for E7 The EMD diesels were also performing very well. An
units 4011-14, 4017-19, and 4021-25 but steam generator EMD advertisement appeared in mid-1948 that indicated
water capacity remained at 1600 gallons per unit, and this that since they first entered service in March, 1945, the
upgrade apparently did not completely solve the problem. twenty-two 4000 horsepower E7’s (44 units) had averaged
That problem would not be completely solved until the ad- 27,895 miles per locomotive per month, had an average
vent of the EMD E8 passenger locomotive on the Central. availability of 86.93%, and were able to meet their assign-
ments an average or better 95 percent of the time.

In April 1948, the William Edson notes indicate that
Niagaras were in secondary assignments, as follows:

Harmon to Collinwood Collinwood to Harmon Linndale to Chicago
Train #5 engine off #6 Train #6 off #21 Train #35, off #290
Train #21 off #168 Train #10 off #59
Train #29 to #35 at Albany, off #40 Train #46 to #168 at Albany, off #57 Chicago to Linndale
Train #57 off #58 Train #58 off #35 Train #10, off #97
Train #59 off #90 Train #90 off #5 Train #90, off #59
Train #290, off #35
Collinwood to Chicago
Harmon to Buffalo Buffalo to Harmon Train #59, off #90
Train #63 to #33 at Albany, off #48 Train #40, off #3 Train #97, off #10
Train #47, off #10 Train #48, off #5
Train #55, off #96 Train #96, off #47

49

Fireman’s side view of Niagara No. 6008 new at Alco in November, 1945. (AHP)

Monthly Mileages cago, 925 miles, at an average scheduled speed of 56.2
mph. The Ton-Miles per Train Hour calculation shows the
The Edson notes indicate the difficulty in keeping a fleet Niagara achieving 67,436 Ton-Miles per Train Hour when
of locomotives moving and productive. His notes summa- assigned to this train. One comparison we have is that of
rized, as of 9/20/48, the performance of Niagaras. There a 4-8-4 on another eastern railroad operated an average of
were twenty-seven locomotives in the fleet, but only sev- approximately 14,000 miles per month. When hauling its
enteen were assigned at that time, with fourteen operating premier ten car lightweight train a distance of 676 miles at
out of Harmon and three operating out of Chicago. The an average speed of forty-three miles per hour, that 4-8-4
reason for this reduced number of assigned locomotives would deliver 27,900 Ton-Miles per Train Hour. Of course,
may have been the boiler replacement program that ex- Niagaras were assigned to trains of all sizes, but the com-
isted through most of 1948. The average layover for the parison provides some indication of the capability of the
seventeen assigned Niagaras was 10 hours, 21 minutes, locomotive and how hard they were used.
with some layovers as low as four hours, sixteen minutes.
Those seventeen assigned Niagaras were achiev-
ing monthly mileage of 18,090 miles in a thir-
ty-day month. He also considered the existing
Niagara fleet of twenty-seven locomotives. For
the entire fleet, the average mileage per month
was 11,400. As the fleet size increases, there is
considerable difficulty in realizing high month-
ly mileages and high utilization. The boiler re-
placement program also adversely impacted the
monthly mileage of the fleet.

Duty Cycles

Monthly mileage is not the best way to deter- This industry ad quotes the first assignment of the original
mine the success of a locomotive design. The Niagara on the Commodore Vanderbilt. Monthly mileage and
best indicator of a successful design is how trip times reveal the intensive utilization that this locomotive
much work the locomotive has performed and the production Niagaras would see in their first two years
during each month. That work would consist of of service. (RME/TRG)
how much weight was hauled, the distance trav-
eled, and at what speed. There is a calculation
that includes these factors, and it is Ton-Miles
per Train Hour. The Niagaras were worked so
hard during the first two years of service that
they were scheduled for Class repairs approxi-
mately every year, and this schedule appears to
support a 200,000-mile overhaul interval and
approximately 18,200 miles per month. During
that interval, the Niagaras performed more work
than any other steam locomotive ever used in
passenger service. One example we have is the
performance of the original Niagara on the Com-
modore Vanderbilt. Contemporary advertising
by Alco quoted the Commodore Vanderbilt as
a fourteen to fifteen car heavyweight Pullman
train, running from Harmon, New York to Chi-

51

Builder’s photograph of Niagara No. 6008 new at Alco. (AHP)

Delays and Cutouts

In a report of “Delays Chargeable to Engine” for the month
of October, 1948, the relative weakness of the railroad’s
maintenance and shop forces was on display. Diesel as-
signed trains logged ten road failures with a total of 139
minutes of train delays, with two cut-outs. There were var-
ious reasons, including engine not loading, overheated en-
gine, ground relay, and steam generator not working. The
diesels were less than one year old, and probably had not
seen the shop except for routine maintenance.
The record for the S-1’s and the poppet valve Niagara in
October,1948,and the reason for the delay,were as follows:

Date Minutes delayed Road Number Reason
10/1 8” 5500 Exhaust valve
10/2 6024 Stoker steam pipe disconnected
10/7 12” 6016 Cold water pump steam pipe broken
10/8 6” 6022 Bad roller bearing
10/12 6007 RMCP lateral washer gone
10/17 34” 6013 Water scoop dipper bent
10/18 54” 6011 Obstruction in stoker
10/19 24” 6022 Low steam, bad coal
10/19 6012 Hopper slide rod dragging
10/20 6” 6013 Rear coupler too high
10/21 20” 6002 Generator governor valve stuck
10/22 30” 6013 Three arch tubes leaking
10/25 19” 6014 Feedwater pump gasket gone, injector bad

9”
15”
17”

Delays totaled 254 minutes, with thirteen failures and nine helps make possible the extension of diesel power to the
cut-outs. The Niagaras were two to almost three years old additional trains. Under the plan, a Diesel locomotive
at this time, and had received Class 2 repairs in 1948 for leaving Harmon, New York, enters a cycle consisting of
boiler replacement and any other work required. a trip to Detroit, three round trips between Detroit and
Chicago, and a return trip to Harmon in time for routine
The Competition mileage inspection. The first part of the cycle consists of
a run from Harmon to Detroit pulling the westbound
One major reason for the ability of a diesel-electric to ac- Detroiter, arriving at 8 a.m. From there it takes the west-
cumulate very high monthly mileages is the minimal main- bound Chicago Mercury, leaving at 8:30 a.m. and arriv-
tenance required that, in turn, permitted rapid turns. One ing at Chicago at 12:45 p.m. At 4:15 p.m., it returns from
good example of this high degree of utilization appeared in Chicago with the Twilight Limited, getting back to Detroit
the Central Headlight magazine in May, 1949. “An involved at 10:15 p.m. That same night at 11:30 p.m., it leaves for
and ingenious turnaround arrangement, designed to Chicago again with the Motor City Special, arriving at
provide maximum utilization of the Central’s Diesels, 7:30 a.m. the following morning, in time to turn around

53

The fireman’s side of Niagara No. 6008 was not widely distributed, but is interesting,
and it shows the modern appearances of this outstanding design. (AHP)

and head back to Detroit with the eastbound Chicago The reduced utilization of the Niagaras in 1948 compared
Mercury, due in Detroit at 2:45 p.m. The final shuttle with the fleet of passenger diesels was reflected in the
between Detroit and Chicago starts with the westbound difference in monthly mileages between the two types of
Twilight Limited, leaving Detroit at 4:45 p.m. and arriv- motive power. In December, 1948, the nineteen Niagaras
ing at Chicago at 8:45 p.m. Then the diesel pulls the east- assigned to Line East ran 270,153 miles, and the eight Niag-
bound Motor City Special, which leaves Chicago at 11:30 aras assigned to line West operated 114,332 miles. Average
p.m. and arrives in Detroit at 7:15 a.m. Then the tireless monthly mileage per locomotive was 14,240 miles. The
diesel is ready to start the haul back to Harmon, New highest mileage Niagara during this month was 6010, with
York for mileage checkup, pulling the eastbound Empire 20,854 miles.
State Express leaving Detroit at 8:20 a.m.” The shortest
layover time of this cycle is one-half hour! The diesels, assigned in twenty-six sets to long distance
first class trains, ran 683,990 miles, or an average of 26,308
The Central Headlight magazine of June, 1948 noted that miles per locomotive. The highest mileage pair was 4029
twenty-nine mainline passenger trains were dieselized. It with 29,467 miles and 4113 with 29,013 miles. Five other
also noted that since the start of 1948, the Central had re- units ran in excess of 28,000 miles. The diesels, most of
ceived eight new 4,000 horsepower passenger locomo- them less than one year old and all in premier assignments,
tives, consisting of two units each. were establishing an outstanding performance record.

55

The official Alco photographer photographed the engine less tender,
and it is reproduced here for those who crave detail. (AHP)

56

New Diesels Cover More Assignments

By December 5, 1948, Edson listed the schedules for Niagaras, as follows:
#34 Harmon #5 Collinwood #90 Harmon #81 Buffalo #34 (#34 possible L-3A)
#14 Linndale #5 Chicago #14
#48 Harmon #21 Collinwood #14 Harmon #47 Buffalo #96 Harmon #55 Buffalo #48
#168 Harmon #35 Collinwood #58 Harmon #57 Collinwood #46 Albany #168
#290 Linndale #35 Chicago #290
#10 Harmon #59 Collinwood #10
#90 Linndale-Collinwood #59 Chicago #90

Passenger Locomotive Assignments effective 4/29/51 show reduced utilization
of Niagaras, and their continued use on secondary trains:
#21 Harmon to Buffalo, off #6
#35 Harmon to Collinwood, off #140
#43 Harmon to Collinwood, off #96
#55 Harmon to Buffalo, off #52
#57 Harmon to Collinwood, off #14
#59 Harmon to Collinwood, off #44
#59 Linndale to Chicago, off #90
#99 Harmon to Buffalo, off #90
#44 Buffalo to Harmon, off #55
#52 Collinwood to Harmon, off #57
#90 Chicago to Linndale, off #59
#90 Collinwood to Harmon, off #43
#96 Buffalo to Harmon, off #99
#140 Collinwood to Harmon, off #35

There are indications that the odd numbered Niagaras be- train miles of the railroad. The railroad advised in a May,
ginning with engine 6011 were, except for a brief period 1953 Central Headlight that delivery of 164 new diesels
in mid-1948, always assigned to Line West. A January, 1952 would enable the railroad to dieselize all lines east of De-
tabulation of locomotives equipped with train control, troit and Cleveland. At that time the railroad would have
by road number, that were assigned to Line West includes 2,113 diesels, more than any other railroad. The railroad
these eight Niagaras. calculated that this number of diesels, with a total horse-
power of 2,758,900, amounted to about 60% of the horse-
Dieselization of the railroad was proceeding rapidly. By the power necessary for complete dieselization of the System.
end of 1952,diesels were providing 60.9% of the passenger

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Engine only, fireman’s side, Niagara No. 6008, November, 1945. (AHP)

Top view of Niagara No. 6008 shows the addition of drip lips on the top of the sand dome casing,
and the addition of a whistle shield. The prototype Niagara was not equipped with these. (AHP)

Back head view of Niagara No. 6008. Drawings confirm that the fireman’s and breakman’s seats included a
seat box for storage. The engineer’s seat was mounted on a pedestal. Cab interior, except for the locomotive
back head and wood roof lining, was painted in “J-3A Green, the NYC color for “Safety Green”.(AHP)

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Broadside view emphasizes the engine and tender
length of the greatest 4-8-4. (RS/TRG)

The first S-1B, 6001, rests at Harmon, New York prior to dispatch. (RPH/JWS)

A movie of this publicity event, made to publicize the low rolling resistance of Timken bearings, was shown in
thousands of movie theaters across the USA. Girls were obviously used to maintain viewer eye contact. (NYCSHS)

The dual sealed beam headlight indicates that this photograph dates from 1949 and possibly later.
Engine looks like it was just shopped. (WR/JCS)

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This might be the first trip west for Niagara No. 6002, photographed at Chicago.
Locomotive appears to be new. This image confirms that Alco striped running
boards and driver tires. (NYCSHS)

Niagara No. 6001 was almost new in this photograph, taken at Chicago on Oct 26, 1945. (WR/JCS)

A picture that bears repeating, Niagara No. 6001, double headed with Hudson 5445, departs Buffalo Terminal with
M&E Train X-35 in August, 1953. TH&B Hudson passes as the doubleheader gets under way. (JT)

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No. 6002 was at Rensselaer engine terminal with a date of September 2, 1946.
Date is suspect as sealed headlights were not applied until late 1948. (TRG)

No. 6002 was photographed at Harmon on July 2, 1950. The railroad had not yet received its complement
of “E” series passenger diesels, so Niagaras are being chalked up for first class assignments. (TRG)

Niagara No. 6002. Harmon, New York. Some minor changes in appearance
allow us to estimate the date as 1952. (JCS)

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A 1948 Class 2 shopping resulted in this exquisite view of No. 6003 at Harmon
in July. Beech Grove has turned out their own beautiful work. (RJ/TRG)

In the 1946-48 time
period, Niagaras
operated systemwide on
first class assignments.
Here is No. 6003 at
Chicago on August 22,
1946. (RF/JCS)

No. 6004 was seldom photographed,
but this locomotive did operate
systemwide. This image was
taken at Westfield, New York
on August 28, 1949. (DS/TRG)

Niagara 6004 was
photographed some
time after 1949,
backing to its
train in Chicago.
(NYCSHS)

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Niagara No. 6005 is at Indianapolis, Indiana. Date is not available but is probably
1954, based on the transfer date for Niagaras to the Big Four. (NYCSHS)

Niagara No. 6005 was
in Chicago with an
eastbound train on
May 11, 1947. White
striped driver tires
indicate a recent
shop visit. (RF/JCS)

Niagara No. 6005 with a
Hudson Division passen-
ger train. Image is un-
dated but is the 1946-47
era. (NYCSHS)

Locomotive 6005
poses with another
Niagara at an
unknown location.
The Niagara still has
cylinder covers but
the tender front over-
flow pipe has been
eliminated, placing
the date in the 1949-
52 time period. We
have no record of this
locomotive receiving
this Lima PT-4 tender.
(NYCSHS)

73

Niagara No. 6006 waits at the tower at the entrance to Albany station. Mechanical condition of the engine, the
open cab windows, and the mature ferns seem to indicate a summer, 1946 exposure date for this image. (GB/RB)

Either a dad and his son, or a boy
and his uncle, this photo shows the
photographer’s pride in the boy
and the motive power. The boy’s
black sneakers and the wonderful
condition of the engine allow us
to estimate a 1950 date for what
appears to be a family snapshot.
(NYCSHS)

No. 6006 and an uniden-
tified J-1D Hudson are at
Chicago. There is no date
on the image, but a little
detective work reveals
that the Lima PT-4 tender
serial T-4105 trailing
No. 6006 was applied
in February, 1948. This
Niagara received a PT-5
tender T-3470 in October,
1951. Condition of the
Lima tender permits us
to estimate a 1948 date
for this image. (NYCSHS)

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New Niagara No. 6007 is at Englewood, Il. As-built condition reveals an error in the
negative date of November 15, 1950. A date of November 15, 1946, right after the
engine was placed in service, is more likely. (TRG)

The NYC star of the 1948 Chicago Railroad Fair was Niagara No. 6007. The engine is in perfect condition, having been outshopped
by Beech Grove on July 10, 1948. Bare aluminum cylinder head and valve covers are an anomaly since they were painted by the
railroad. The locomotive has received some updates. The headlight turbogenerator has been relocated to the fireman’s side of the
locomotive as indicated by the smokebox conduit, but the engine still has a single filament headlight. (RF/TRG)

No. 6007 is at Chicago, IL on May 11, 1947 in this excellent image by
one of the masters of roster photography, Richard Felstead. (RF/TRG)

Niagara 6007 is at Roa Hook, NY in 1948. (JWS)

The two best examples of motive power in the USA, Niagara 6007 and Super Hudson 5426, pose side by side on outbound tracks
during a ceremony that included the figurine on the pilot footboard of the Hudson. The differences in hue of the number plates and
ovals of the two engines match the Niagara and Hudson number plate and oval painting drawings. (NYCSHS)

81

Niagara No. 6007 rolls through Vermillion, OH with a short M&E Train 157 in this scene dated March, 1952. (NYCSHS)

Niagara No. 6008, in the company of Niagara 6020, rests between assignments at Harmon,
New York on August 4, 1949 in this image by another master, Don Hayward. (DH/TRG)

Niagara No. 6008 is at Rensselaer in 1952. (RB)

Niagara No. 6008 is at Rensselaer, New York in 1953. (RB)
84

Niagara 6008 sits in the sun at Cincinnati, OH on June 9, 1954. (NYCSHS)

Niagara 6009 has just taken coal at Chicago, in this scene that is probably dated about 1950.
Date is based on the preponderance of other steam including U-2 switchers, a Super Hudson,
a Mohawk, and an early FT freight diesel to the right in the photo. (NYCSHS)

Niagara No. 6009 rests at an unknown location in this image that dates from 1948 or 1949.
The engine has had its sealed beam headlight modification, but the bell has not yet been
moved to the top of the valve gear yoke. (AH/TRG)

Smokebox details not normally seen are visible in this view of No. 6010 under construction.Visible plates include the Alco builder’s
plate, the Ownership plate, and the Trust Plate. For this locomotive, the builder’s number on the builders plate is 73788.The Ownership
Plate reads: NEW YORK CENTRAL RAILROAD, SECOND EQUIPMENT TRUST OF 1945, J.P.MORGAN & CO., INCORPORATED, TRUSTEE,
OWNER, LESSOR.The smaller plate under the Ownership plate reads: TRUST NO. 18309. (AHP)