Pennsylvania Railroad 7002 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids PRR 7002 |
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| PRR No. 7002 on static display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania | |
| Power type | Steam |
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| Builder | Altoona Works, Altoona, Pennsylvania |
| Build date | August 1902 |
| Configuration | 4-4-2 |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Driver diameter | 80 in (2,032 mm) |
| Length | 68 ft 6 in (20.9 m) |
| Weight on drivers | 127,200 lb (57,700 kg) |
| Locomotive weight | 175,400 lb (79,600 kg) |
| Tender weight | 72,350 lb (32,820 kg) |
| Fuel type | Coal |
| Boiler pressure | 205 psi (1,413 kPa) |
| Heating surface: Firebox | 187 sq ft (17 m2) |
| Superheater area | 412 sq ft (38 m2) |
| Tractive effort | 27,419 lbf (122 kN) |
| Factor of adhesion | 4.64 |
| First run | August 1902 (revenue service) August 1, 1983 (excursion service) |
| Last run | December 20, 1989 |
| Retired | 1934 (revenue service) 1939 (as No. 8063) 1989 (excursion service) |
| Restored | 1983 |
| Current owner | Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission |
| Disposition | On indoor static display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania outside Strasburg, Pennsylvania |
| Official name: Passenger Locomotive No. 7002 | |
| Designated: | December 17, 1979 |
| MPS: | Pennsylvania Railroad Rolling Stock Thematic Resource |
Pennsylvania Railroad No. 7002 is a special type of steam locomotive called an "Atlantic" (which means it has a 4-4-2 wheel setup). It was built in August 1902 for the Pennsylvania Railroad at their own Altoona Works in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
Today, you can see this amazing train on display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania near Strasburg, in the United States. This locomotive was originally known as No. 8063. The Pennsylvania Railroad changed its number to 7002 because the first No. 7002, which was said to be a record-breaker for speed, had been taken apart. This No. 7002 is the only one of its kind left. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 because of its importance.
The Story of PRR 7002
This locomotive has an interesting past! It's not just one train, but two different ones that shared the same number.
The First No. 7002
The original No. 7002 was an E2-class locomotive. It was also built in August 1902 by the Pennsylvania Railroad at their Altoona Works.
On June 15, 1902, the Pennsylvania Railroad started a new fast train service. It went from New York City to Chicago in just 18 hours! This train was called the Pennsylvania Special. Later, it became the famous Broadway Limited.
No. 7002 was connected to this train in Crestline, Ohio. The train was running 25 minutes late when it left Crestline. It was claimed that No. 7002 reached an amazing speed of 127.1 miles per hour (204.5 km/h) near Elida. However, this speed was only guessed from two different people recording the train's passing times. It's hard to know the exact speed from just those notes. Even with the delay, the train arrived on time in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This original No. 7002 was taken apart in 1935.
The No. 7002 You See Today
The No. 7002 you can see now was originally No. 8063. It was also built in 1902 by the Altoona Works. In 1916, it was updated to become an E7s-class locomotive.
No. 8063 was later renumbered and changed to look like the famous No. 7002. It was put on display as the "world's fastest steam engine" at the 1939 New York World's Fair. It was also shown at the Chicago Railroad Fair in 1948 and 1949.
In December 1979, No. 7002 was moved to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. It came from the Pennsylvania Railroad's historical collection. On December 17, 1979, No. 7002 was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1982, the Strasburg Rail Road borrowed No. 7002. It often took the place of their own No. 89, which was being fixed. No. 7002 mostly ran on the short trips at Strasburg. But it also made two special trips with another locomotive, PRR 1223, in 1985. They traveled to Harrisburg. It even went to Philadelphia on May 8, 1986.
On November 19, 1988, No. 7002 ran between Hanover Junction and Gettysburg. This trip celebrated 125 years since Abraham Lincoln traveled the same route. He went there to give his famous Gettysburg Address.
Both No. 1223 and No. 7002 stopped running in December 1989. The Strasburg Rail Road got a special device that could check the metal of the trains. It found that the metal sides of the locomotives' fireboxes were too thin to be safe. So, the trains were moved across the street to the museum.
Today, No. 7002 and No. 1223 are displayed side-by-side. You can see them at the entrance to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania's Rolling Stock Hall.
Images for kids
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PRR 7002 still on static display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.
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