Pennsylvania Railroad steam locomotive numbering?

Can anyone point me to the source for a listing of PRR steamer numbering? (I've already tried the PRRH&TS site.) I'm particularly interested in the numbers of L-1 Mikados and am looking for engine numbers of the steam locomotives that may have travelled the Pope's Creek (Maryland) subdivision (Baltimore to Pope's Creek) up until dieselization.

Hi Art,

You might just check out Pennsy Power I & II. That should help out.

For what it is worth, the number of my L-1s Mikado, HO gauge by Bowser is # 3700. My Consolidation, also by Bowser is # 1260, and my Decapod, also by Bowser is # 4936. Hope that helps a bit.

The Holy Writ on this subject is "Keystone Steam & Electric", by William D. Edson, a paperback published by Bob Wayner (Wayner Publications) in New York. Long out of print, and unillustrated, but absolutely the best reference for any 20th century PRR steam or electric loco. It has a class-by-class, number-by-number accounting of every steam loco, with a numbering cross-reference. (As you doubtless know, for most classes, PRR used a random numbering "system", with each new loco simply filling some vacant number slot or series. The idea apparently was that engines would never neede to be renumbered. Thus this the cross-reference is almost mandatory.)

It doesn't say where each engine was assigned, of course-- so is there any info you need from it?

timz-The particular locomotive I'm interested in is the #39, an L-1 2-8-2 (not to be confused with the Long Island RR #39 G-5 4-6-0 currently undergoing restoration).

Builder, construction#, dates of building and scrapping would be great as well as any other information that you can provide.

I'm aware that Pennsy steam numbering was rather haphazard (done by divisions, IIRC), so a listing of L-1 numbers would also be welcome, but not nearly as of much interest as the particulars on the #39.

FYI-there was a booklet written about the Pope's Creek branch of the PRR (originally the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad) that ran from Baltimore to the shores of the Potomac here in Charles County, MD. The #39 pulled the last passenger (mixed) train in September 1949. It was misidentified as a G-5 in the booklet and I'm trying to get the particulars on the misidentified loco.

From the Gospel According to Edson:

PRR #39, built Juniata Shop 7/15, c.n. 2945, "dropped from roster" 9/54. (Edson uses the word "dropped" when the engine disappears from the record but he has no firm info. on exact status on that date, such as whether retired, sold for scrap, scrapped by RR, etc. Bill was a very precise guy.)

As for a full record of the L1's, there were 574 members of the class, with engine numbers beginning at #2 and running to #9866. You really want them all?

The PRR's steam numbering "system" was, for the most part, truly random, and had no relationship to division or region. Before 1920, however, certain number blocks were set aside for owned but technically independent subsidiaries, eg, 4000-series for Northern Central, 5000 for PB&W, 6000 for various Lines East subsidiaries (mostly WJ&S and PRSL), and 7000-8000-9000 for various Lines West. After 1920, though, the randomness was extended systemwide, but with greater use of solid number blocks (eg, for the I1's, M1's and J1's).

By the way, I have several nice 5x7 negs of the 39 on the Pope's Creek mixed, shot by Leonard Rice.

Herb Harwood

Thanks Mr. Harwood. Once again, your efforts are most appreciated!