| The Milwaukee Road took delivery of 6 st4eamlined, high speed 4-6-4 "Baltics" (MILW name for Hudsons) in Augsut of 1938 from Alco-Schenectady. These were major contenders for the fastest steam locomotives ever built, as they ran at over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) daily. Baron Gérard Vuillet, a French railroading expert, once recorded a run between Chicago and Milwaukee where the locomotive reached 125 mph (201 km/h) and sustained an average 120 mph (190 km/h) for 4.5 miles (7.2 km). Sadly, after serving for nearly 23 years, the loco was retired and scrapped in June of 1951. Specs - class F7, 84" drivers, impressive 300 psi boiler pressure, 23.5x30" cylinders, engine weight of 415,000 lb, tractive effort of 50,294 lb. No date, location or photographer was listed for this photo so approximates were used. |