NYC Niagara

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Niagara #6015 in Indianapolis, Indiana, June 30, 1956.

The New York Central Railroad's Niagara type of steam locomotives, named after the Niagara River and Falls, were express mixed traffic locomotives with a wheel arrangement of 4-8-4 in the Whyte notation.

The First Niagara was ordered in 1931, #800. 800 was an experimental locomotive, that had it boiler divided into three sections of different pressure. This was another failed experiment in High Pressure Steam Locomotives. The first actual Niagara ordered by the NYC was Class S-1a #6000 in 1945. In 1945 also delivered was the S-1b (6001-6025). These were built as Mixed-Purpose Locomotives. The 4-8-4 traditionally is a Passenger locomotive, as the NYC used its Niagaras for after World War II, but WPB regulation prohibited the building of Passenger engines. The NYC's last steam locomotive was a Class S-2 Niagara #5500. 5500 had Poppet Valves. One notable trait of the Niagaras was that they did not have steam domes as other steam locomotives did. This resulted in a very smooth contour across the top of the boiler.