steamers, which were better? UP's or N&W's? OR ???????

[NW Mailing List]

This topic will ALWAYS come up and there are always facts and figures and
tests to often-times prove this one or that one was better at doing this or
that. The Big Boy 4000 vs. what at the N&W? N&W J vs. UP FEF-3 800 series.
Of course the Allegheny and its Virginian similarity will typically
dominate the occasion as will those who really know, the DM&IR
Yellowstones. They were all great and especially in their native
environment.

But an unheralded one might really be one for which there are sadly no
surviving examples: I think it was the GN or NP Yellowstones. Why, you ask
-- check out the size of their firebox! It was humongous and for a reason;
those babies used lignite for fuel in there and in case you didn't known,
the heat qualities of lignite and dirt are not terribly far apart. Okay,
there is an exaggeration there but lignite has terrible heat exchange
properties, hence the reason for the large firebox. Some have suggested
that if you ever put some really good stuff in there from eastern coal
mines, it would have given the Big Boy, Allegheny and any other comers a
good run for their money. But alas we shall never know, will we?

Ed King, care to chime in on this one? You are quite well-read on this
little topic.

Bob Cohen
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