1940's era PRR Steam Locos?

Hello. I am new to the forum and model railroading in general. I am interested in modeling a PRR line near where I live in Southeastern PA.

I have only one good quality loco in my collection, the K-4, and I would like to build a collection around it, focussing on Southeastern PA PRR lines of the mid-forties through early fifties and featuring both steam and diesel motive power, passenger and freight.

From what I have read, this loco ran as late as 1954. What other steam locos were in use by PRR during this time period?

Also, what diesel engines would have been in use by PRR during this time period (both freight and passenger)?

Thanks in advance!

Christian, take a look here. http://kc.pennsyrr.com/motiveops/ It's a pretty good list of what's where when.

Where do you live and what do you plan on modelling?

Thanks for the reply and link. I live not too far from Strasburg and would like to model soomething in this area.

Welcome Christian to the PRR fourm.
A real good place that you could get some real helpful advice is at the Reailroad Museum of Pennsylvania located across the street from Strasburg Railroad. I`m a member there.

Christian do you live near the PRR main line? Now known as the Keystone Division of Amtrak.

On my HO layout I modeled the Schuylkill Division and the Reading`s main line. Just bits and parts of both. I have Stowe railyard which is in Pottstown. and I have Birdsboro Jct. which is where the Reading`s main line met the Wilmington & Northern branch with the wye track at the Reading`s Birdsboro passenger station. I also have the PRR`s East Reading repair shops and round house. The funny thing with the East shops they were located in west Reading.

My layout is 18` x 6`

Locomotive stock:

PRR K-4 5404 Bachman
PRR B-6 ???? Bachman/ smoker
Reading Co. 1820 Riverosi 2-6-6-0
Reading & Northern 425 Mantura home built 4-6-2 class G-1
Gulf Moble & Ohio 582 Mantura home built 4-6-2 class G-1
two Camelbacks both dicast
Indania Harbor Belt Riverosi 0-8-0 with tender
UP Big Boy Riverosi 4-8-8-4
Wanamaker Kempton & Southern No. 2 0-4-0 and No. 65 0-6-0 both Riverosi tankengines
Reading T-1 2123 Sun set models

That`s all my steam power. I have just as much diesel power.

Leonard

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania website: Http://www.rrmuseumpa.org

Christian,
you can prototypically run any of the big late PRR steamers.
K4
M1
I1
Q1
T1
etc..
(maybe not the T1 that late..)

the I1 2-10-0's were among the last PRR steamers running..
I know they ran up here in NY as late as 1957!

http://www.byz.org/~morven/Railway32/steam/

first generation diesels are a large catagory! lots to choose from!
here are a few PRR diesels that would have run in that era:
these are all considered "transition era" diesels..the diesels that basically replaced steam, and would have operated in late 40's into the 50's..
EMD GP7
EMD F3
EMD F7
EMD SW1
EMD E7,E8
EMD SD7
Alco S1,S2,S3,S4
Alco RS1,RS2,RS3
Alco FA
Alco PA
Baldwin sharks
etc..and many more!

Scot

Didn't the PRR run the T-1's they borrowed from the Reading that late? Or was the earlier? They would be a nice touch

The T1 and Q2 types were almost all out of service by 1954, although the Q2's were stored, mostly at Crestline, for a time. The extra maintenance cost of the duplex-drives doomed them, as it had the S2 turbine.

The Pennsy's last show of steam involved M1's and I1's in the dominant role, with L1's and Consolidation types in several classes filling things out, and the K-4's handling short-haul passenger runs to which they were well-suited.

The J-1 Texas also held out, becasue its simpler configuration was less costly to maintain. It never operated east of Altoona due to clearance restrictions, with the exception of a couple of experiments.

The Pennsy also borrowed both Reading T-1 4-8-4's, used mostly on the Williamsport Division, and Santa Fe 2-10-4's, which mingled with J-1's in lake coal service between Columbus and Sandusky, Ohio, in the summer of 1956.

What is generally recognized as PRR's last revenue run with steam is reported to have taken place in November of 1957, and involved a routine coal drag between Cresson and Altoona, with I1 power, if memory serves me correctly.