Pennsylvania Railroad 460 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pennsylvania Railroad 460 |
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| [[Image:PRR 460 1.jpg | alt=]] | |
| Power type | Steam | |
|---|---|---|
| Builder | Altoona Works | |
| Build date | 1914 | |
| Configuration | 4-4-2 | |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | |
| Driver diameter | 80 in (2,032 mm) | |
| Length | 71 ft 11 in (22 m) | |
| Axle load | 68,000 lb (31,000 kilograms; 31 metric tons) | |
| Weight on drivers | 136,000 lb (62,000 kg) | |
| Locomotive weight | 243,600 lb (110,500 kg) | |
| Tender weight | 167,650 lb (76,000 kg) | |
| Locomotive and tender combined weight | 411,250 lb (187,000 kg) | |
| Tender type | 70P66 | |
| Tender capacity | 7,000 US gal (26,000 L) | |
| Boiler pressure | 205 psi (1,413 kPa) | |
| Heating surface: Firebox | 218 sq ft (20 m2) | |
| Superheater area | 613 sq ft (57 m2) | |
| Cylinders | Two | |
| Cylinder size | 23.5 in × 26 in (597 mm × 660 mm) | |
| Valve gear | Walschaert | |
| Tractive effort | 31,275 lbf (139 kN) | |
| Factor of adhesion | 4.35 | |
| Nicknames | "Lindbergh Engine" | |
| Retired | January 11, 1956 | |
| Restored | 1982–1984, 2010–2016 | |
| Current owner | Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission | |
| Disposition | On display | |
| Official name: Passenger Locomotive No. 460 | ||
| Designated: | December 17, 1979 | |
| Part of: | Pennsylvania Railroad Rolling Stock Thematic Resource | |
| Reference #: | 79002274 | |
The PRR 460 is a famous steam locomotive known as the "Lindbergh Engine". It's part of the Pennsylvania Railroad's E6s class. Today, you can see it at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania near Strasburg, Pennsylvania, in the United States.
This powerful train was built in 1914. It became super famous in 1927. That year, it raced an airplane to New York City! The train was carrying special films (newsreels) about Charles Lindbergh's exciting return to the U.S. after his first flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
Later, in the 1930s and 1950s, the No. 460 worked for other train companies. It was officially retired in 1953. It's the only train of its kind left today! Because it's so special, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Between 2010 and 2016, the No. 460 got a big makeover at the museum to make it look new again.
Contents
The E6s Locomotive Class
The PRR 460 belongs to a group of trains called the E6s class. The Pennsylvania Railroad first created an experimental E6 model in 1910. After four years of testing, they found that these trains were very fast. They could go as fast as much larger trains!
Because of their speed, the railroad ordered 80 more E6 locomotives. These new ones had special parts called superheaters, which made them even more powerful. These improved trains were then called the E6s class.
A Race Against a Plane
No. 460 was the very last E6s locomotive built. It was one of 80 trains in its class. From 1914 to 1920, these trains mostly ran between New York City and Washington, D.C.. Later, newer trains took over these routes. The E6s locomotives, including No. 460, were then used for special trips because they were so fast.
Lindbergh's Return
On June 11, 1927, Charles Lindbergh returned to the U.S. He had just completed the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean! President Calvin Coolidge honored him with a special medal.
Two companies that made news films (newsreels) wanted to be the first to show footage of the ceremony in New York. One company hired a train, and the other hired an airplane.
The Famous Race
No. 460 was the train chosen for this exciting race! It pulled only its fuel car (tender), a baggage car, and a passenger car. The train left Washington at 1:14 PM. It arrived near New York City just under three hours later.
No. 460 averaged about 82.7 miles per hour (133.1 km/h) during the trip. It even reached an amazing top speed of 115 miles per hour (185 km/h)!
Even though the airplane arrived in New York first, the train's film was shown in theaters hours earlier. This was because the train had a special lab on board the baggage car to process the film during the journey!
Later Life and Preservation
After its famous race, No. 460 went back to its regular duties. In 1937, it was loaned to the Long Island Rail Road. It returned to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1939 but was still sometimes used on Long Island.
From 1942, it pulled trains between Camden and Bay Head, New Jersey. In the early 1950s, parts from other E6s locomotives that were being taken apart were used on No. 460. For example, some of its wheels and air tanks came from other trains. Its fuel car was also replaced in 1952.
No. 460 was leased to another company in 1953. It was officially retired in 1955. After that, it became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad's collection of historic trains.
Moving to the Museum
In October 1969, No. 460 was moved to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg. It wasn't officially owned by the museum until December 1979. At that time, it was donated by the Penn Central Transportation Company.
Because of its importance, No. 460 was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
Restoration Work
From 1982 to 1984, volunteers at the museum worked hard to clean the locomotive. They replaced old window frames and doors. They also put on a special paint to stop rust and then repainted the metal parts.
In 2008, some of the boiler's outer covering was removed. On March 17, 2010, No. 460 was moved into the museum's restoration shops. This was possible thanks to donations that helped raise $100,000 for the work.
From July to August 2010, the train was "blasted" to remove many layers of old paint, including lead paint. This process revealed original marks and numbers on the train's parts. These marks showed that some parts of No. 460 had come from other E6s locomotives. The outside restoration of the No. 460 was finished in October 2016.
