KnowThyNiagaras

39

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33

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 in
driving wheels and was advertised as a dual service lo- September, when the 6000 was assigned to this train, may
comotive. As a precaution, a spare set of 79-inch driving have made the electrical generation requirements of the
wheels was delivered with the locomotive, and they were axle mounted generators minimal. The official estimate for
installed in July, 1945. top speed with a fifteen car 1005-ton test train for an S-1B
Niagara at 275 psi. was 102 mph, but this included the use
Performance Reports-Original Niagara 6000 of all of the axle mounted belt driven 14-20 kw. generators
used for train lighting and air conditioning at an average
When 6000 entered revenue service and after clearance 60% demand factor.
checks, it was assigned to the Commodore Vanderbilt, with
a schedule similar to that of the 20TH Century Limited. Another old “head” told the author that Niagara 6000 still
Reports may have filtered back to Kiefer regarding some holds the speed record on the old Erie Division, with a
astounding 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)
43

The existence of Canadian Pacific power in the background indicates that this photo of the original
Niagara was taken at the West Shore roundhouse in Buffalo, NY. The date is July 14, 1953. (NYCSHS)

An Optimized Design With a reduction in boiler pressure from 290 psi to 275 psi,
Kiefer and his team made some additional changes. Some
Hearing these performance reports and perhaps receiving of these were the direct result of the boiler pressure and
advance information that the maximum boiler evaporation driving wheel diameter change, and some were designed
of 6000 was 157,000 lb. per hour, Kiefer may have made to decrease service requirements and improve maintain-
some decisions to pull down the performance curve of ability.
the production engines to a performance envelope that
would be more useful and cost effective for the railroad. Height
On the production engines, boiler pressure was reduced to
275 psi. The combustion chamber was shortened by one Original S-1A 6000 had a maximum height of 15’-1-3/4”,
foot, and this change in turn increased tube length a like and a height from top of rail to boiler centerline of 10’-7-
amount and also increased the size of the superheating sur- 1/2”. The production Niagaras had a maximum height of
face. There were several advantages with these changes, 15’-2-3/4” and a height from top of rail to boiler centerline
including a stronger boiler, a slight redistribution of weight of 10’-8-1/2”. Both classes of locomotives are shown in
to the lead and trailing truck of the production engines, the Locomotive Classification Book equipped with 79-inch
the ability to use 41” diameter wheels for the trailing truck driving wheels, so this may be an error on the drawing.
and the tender, and an increase in ashpan capacity from 86
cubic feet to 98 cubic feet. The cylinder size was increased Cylinder Size
from 25” diameter to 25-1/2” diameter to maintain starting
tractive effort. Kiefer specified that the twenty-five production Niagaras
have a slight increase in cylinder diameter, from twen-
The production Niagaras could develop more power than ty-five inches to 25-1/2-inch diameter, to maintain the same
the New York Central would ever need for passenger ser- starting tractive effort with 275 psi boiler pressure as the
vice. The increased use of lighter weight cars, combined 290-psi original design pressure.
with the ICC mandated reduction in speed limit of pas-
senger trains to 79 mph, may have played a role in Kiefer’s Boiler Changes
design decisions. That these decisions were correct was
borne out by over the road test results of Niagara 6023 The basic geometry of the boiler was modified to make the
in late 1946, and a six-locomotive test to determine what boiler stronger and to improve the weight distribution of
the maximum performance of a modern steam locomotive the locomotives. The combustion chamber was reduced
fleet might be. The test resulted in a rated evaporation for in length by 11-1/4 inches, and the tubes and flues were
the Niagara boiler of 126,000 lb. per hour. Over the road increased in length by the same amount. The superheater
testing showed that a Niagara operating with a boiler pres- area therefore increased from 1977 to 2073 square feet.
sure of 275 psi. could generate almost 118,000 lb. of steam This change in combustion chamber length also reduced
per hour, and develop 6680-cylinder horsepower. The con- the length of the dry pipe, used to collect steam at the top
trolled test using six different Niagaras in Harmon to Chi- of the boiler in lieu of a steam dome. (V-73477, R-74786,
cago service showed that a modern steam locomotive in R-73478)
high speed passenger service with preferred attention at
terminals could operate 25,300 miles per month or over Driving Wheels
800 miles per day, with an availability exceeding 75%. In
the month of October, 1946, the six Niagaras in Harmon The original Niagara was delivered with 75-inch diameter
to Chicago service averaged 27,221 miles per locomotive. driving wheels. This was consistent with Kiefer’s thinking
One of those six, Niagara 6024, ran 288,000 miles in eleven for a dual service, or combination type, locomotive that
months. As a result of this testing, the Niagara type holds would have higher performance than the road’s most re-
the record for the highest monthly mileage and availability cent dual service locomotive, the L-4B Mohawk. The fact
of any steam locomotive in the world. No other steam lo- that the locomotive was designed during World War II
comotive ever combined the power, reliability, availability, when only dual service designs were considered may have
and economy that the Niagaras exhibited. been a factor. Drawing T-72658 shows that“S-1A 6000 with

45

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)

37

79-inch drivers” was added on 6/12/45. Railway Mechani- Smoke Deflectors
cal Engineer magazine noted that the original Niagara had
79-inch drivers applied in early July, 1945. The railroad in- The original Niagara was equipped with smoke deflectors
tended to test the original Niagara with 75-inch and with that resembled those applied to late Mohawks,although the
79-inch driving wheels, extrapolate the expected perfor- application of smoke deflectors on Niagara 6000 may have
mance with 77-inch wheels, and select the optimum driv- preceded the application of smoke deflectors to the L-3
ing wheel size for dual service use. and L-4 Mohawks, which were not delivered with smoke
deflectors. The production Niagaras were equipped with
Additional Changes smoke deflectors with a tapered trailing edge. No drawing
exists of the original smoke deflector design for Niagara
Main Rod 6000, so the reason for the change in the geometry of the
smoke deflectors is unknown. The stack on a Niagara was
The main rod of the original Niagara was tapered. The only seven inches above the top of the smokebox, and the
main rod of the production Niagaras had a constant depth low restriction exhaust passages caused smoke trailing at
and cross section. There is a note on the new main rod part throttle and short cutoffs when the engines were not
drawing that this rod would replace the former tapered working hard. A smoke deflector arrangement would tend
main rod, and the tapered rods must be maintained and reduce or eliminate smoke trailing, and alleviate this prob-
installed as a set. There are photographs of engines other lem.
than S-1A 6000 with the tapered main rod, including 6009
and 6012. (N-72710, N-72681) Sand Box Drip Lips

Trailing Truck At some point during the production of the twenty-five
Niagaras, new production from Alco included vee shaped
The original Niagara trailing truck used a pair of 36-inch drip lips on the top of the recessed sand dome. Niagara
wheels and a pair of 44-inch wheels. The trailing truck 6008 has drip lips, while some lower numbered Niagaras
on the production Niagaras used two pair of 41-inch di- do not. Adding to this mystery, there are photographs of
ameter wheels. The axle size of the 44-inch wheelset of Niagaras consigned to scrap that do not appear to have
the original Niagara was 10-1/2 inches in diameter. The drip lips. (X-73300, X-73306)
use of two pairs of 41-inch wheels permitted an axle size
reduction to 8-3/4 inches, optimized the axle loadings of The end result of these changes resulted in a locomotive
the locomotive, and standardized the trailing truck wheels design that could compete with contemporary diesel elec-
with those of the PT-5 tender, which also used 41-inch di- tric locomotives in the important areas of monthly mile-
ameter wheels. age,reliability,extended shopping intervals,availability,and
overall operating cost.
Ash Pan

The capacity of the ash pan of the original Niagara was 86
cubic feet. The change in the trailing truck of the produc-
tion Niagaras permitted an increase in ash pan capacity to
98 cubic feet.

47

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

39

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

49

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

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

Harmon to Collinwood Collinwood to Harmon
Train #5 engine off #6 Train #6 off #21
Train #21 off #168 Train #10 off #59
Train #29 to #35 at Albany, off #40 Train #46 to #168 at Albany, off #57
Train #57 off #58 Train #58 off #35
Train #59 off #90 Train #90 off #5

Harmon to Buffalo Buffalo to Harmon
Train #63 to #33 at Albany, off #48 Train #40, off #33
Train #47, off #10 Train #48, off #55
Train #55, off #96 Train #96, off #47

Linndale to Chicago Chicago to Linndale
Train #35, off #290 Train #10, off #97
Train #90, off #59
Train #290, off #35

Collinwood to Chicago
Train #59, off #90
Train #97, off #10

Monthly Mileages and Duty Cycles Duty Cycles

The Edson notes indicate the difficulty in keeping a fleet Monthly mileage is not the best way to determine the
of locomotives moving and productive. His notes summa- success of a locomotive design. The best indicator of a
rized, as of 9/20/48, the performance of Niagaras. There successful design is how much work the locomotive has
were twenty-seven locomotives in the fleet, but only sev- performed during each month. That work would consist
enteen were assigned at that time, with fourteen operating of how much weight was hauled, the distance traveled,
out of Harmon and three operating out of Chicago. The and at what speed. There is a calculation that includes
reason for this reduced number of assigned locomotives these factors, and it is Ton-Miles per Train Hour. The Ni-
may have been the boiler replacement program that exist- agaras were worked so hard during the first two years of
ed through most of 1948. The average layover for the sev- service that they were scheduled for Class repairs approx-
enteen assigned Niagaras was 10 hours, 21 minutes, with imately every year, and this schedule appears to support a
some layovers as low as four hours, sixteen minutes. Those 200,000-mile overhaul interval and approximately 18,200
seventeen assigned Niagaras were achieving monthly mile- miles per month. During that interval, the Niagaras per-
age of 18,090 miles in a thirty-day month. He also con- formed more work than any other steam locomotive ever
sidered the existing Niagara fleet of twenty-seven locomo- used in passenger service. One example we have is the
tives. For the entire fleet, the average mileage per month performance of the original Niagara on the Commodore
was 11,400. As the fleet size increases, there is consider- Vanderbilt. Contemporary advertising by Alco quoted the
able difficulty in realizing high monthly mileages and high Commodore Vanderbilt as a fourteen to fifteen car heavy-
utilization. The boiler replacement program also adversely weight Pullman train, running from Harmon, New York to
impacted the monthly mileage of the fleet. Chicago, 925 miles, at an average scheduled speed of 56.2
mph. The Ton-Miles per Train Hour calculation shows the

51

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)

Niagara achieving 67,436 Ton-Miles per Train Hour when Delays and Cutouts
assigned to this train. One comparison we have is that of
a 4-8-4 on another eastern railroad operated an average of In a report of “Delays Chargeable to Engine” for the month
approximately 14,000 miles per month. When hauling its of October, 1948, the relative weakness of the railroad’s
premier ten car lightweight train a distance of 676 miles at maintenance and shop forces was on display. Diesel as-
an average speed of forty-three miles per hour, that 4-8-4 signed trains logged ten road failures with a total of 139
would deliver 27,900 Ton-Miles per Train Hour. Of course, minutes of train delays, with two cut-outs. There were var-
Niagaras were assigned to trains of all sizes, but the com- ious reasons, including engine not loading, overheated en-
parison provides some indication of the capability of the gine, ground relay, and steam generator not working. The
locomotive and how hard they were used. 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 12” 6024 Stoker steam pipe disconnected

10/7 6” 6016 Cold water pump steam pipe broken

10/8 34” 6022 Bad roller bearing

10/12 54” 6007 RMCP lateral washer gone

10/17 24” 6013 Water scoop dipper bent

10/18 6” 6011 Obstruction in stoker

10/19 20” 6022 Low steam, bad coal

10/19 30” 6012 Hopper slide rod dragging

10/20 19” 6013 Rear coupler too high

10/21 9” 6002 Generator governor valve stuck

10/22 15” 6013 Three arch tubes leaking

10/25 17” 6014 Feedwater pump gasket gone, injector bad

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

53

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

between Detroit and Chicago starts with the westbound The reduced utilization of the Niagaras in 1948 compared
Twilight Limited, leaving Detroit at 4:45 p.m. and arriv- with the fleet of passenger diesels was reflected in the
ing at Chicago at 8:45 p.m. Then the diesel pulls the east- difference in monthly mileages between the two types of
bound Motor City Special, which leaves Chicago at 11:30 motive power. In December, 1948, the nineteen Niagaras
p.m. and arrives in Detroit at 7:15 a.m. Then the tireless assigned to Line East ran 270,153 miles, and the eight Niag-
diesel is ready to start the haul back to Harmon, New aras assigned to line West operated 114,332 miles. Average
York for mileage checkup, pulling the eastbound Empire monthly mileage per locomotive was 14,240 miles. The
State Express leaving Detroit at 8:20 a.m.” The shortest highest mileage Niagara during this month was 6010, with
layover time of this cycle is one-half hour! 20,854 miles.

The Central Headlight magazine of June, 1948 noted that The diesels, assigned in twenty-six sets to long distance
twenty-nine mainline passenger trains were dieselized. It first class trains, ran 683,990 miles, or an average of 26,308
also noted that since the start of 1948, the Central had re- miles per locomotive. The highest mileage pair was 4029
ceived eight new 4,000 horsepower passenger locomo- with 29,467 miles and 4113 with 29,013 miles. Five other
tives, consisting of two units each. units ran in excess of 28,000 miles. The diesels, most of
them less than one year old and all in premier assignments,
were establishing an outstanding performance record.

55

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

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

57

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

Back head view of Niagara No. 6008. Drawings confirm that the fireman’s seat included
a seat box for storage. The engineer’s seat was mounted on a pedestal. (AHP)

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
housands 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)

62

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)

63

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)

No. 6002 was at Rensselaer engine terminal on September 2, 1946.
Locomotive was one year old. (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)

66

Two of the Central’s best, Niagaras 6003 and 6018, are on the ready
track at Chicago and ready to take trains east, in the early 1950’s. (RJS)

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)

69

Niagara No. 6004 with a westbound mail and express train near
Westfield, New York on February 24, 1951. (DS/TRG)

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)

71

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 summer
1948 date for this image.
(NYCSHS)

73

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 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 exposure by one of the
masters of roster photography, Richard Felstead. (RF/TRG)

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)

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

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)
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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 and a Super Hudson and 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)

Coaled up and ready for its train, Niagara No. 6009 is at Rensselaer. This image shows the recessed tender
ladder, the choke in the last tender overflow pipe, and the cab taper front to rear, along with the seam in the
cab side sheet for clearance on curvature. Image probably dates from 1952 or 1953. (RB)

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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)

Niagara No. 6010 departs Rensselaer with a missing turret cover and one half load of coal, in this
industrial scene of the New York Central in the steam era. (RB)

Niagara No. 6010 is ready to depart Chicago in this scene dated May 24, 1947. At this time all of
the Niagaras were in first class assignments, and achieving high monthly mileages. (RF/TRG)