New York Central 3001
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New York Central 3001 is a 4-8-2 "Mohawk", (Mountain), type steam locomotive built in 1940 by the American Locomotive Company for the New York Central Railroad. Normally known as "Mountain" types, New York Central 4-8-2 steam locomotives were dubbed "Mohawk" types after the Mohawk River, which the New York Central followed. Built for dual service work, the 3001 was used heavily for freight and passenger trains until being retired in 1957. Today the locomotive is currently on display at the National New York Central Railroad Museum in Elkhart, Indiana. It is the largest New York Central steam locomotive still in existence and is one of only two surviving New York Central "Mohawks"; the other, No. 2933, is currently on display at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, MO.
History
In the late 1930s, when looking for heavier steam power to move freight and passenger trains swiftly, the New York Central looked at a dual service steam locomotive. The modern 1940 L3a from ALCo was able to move both heavy passenger trains and freights with relative ease. So, the NYC acquired both the L-3 and L-4 classes of Mohawks from the American Locomotive Company and Lima Locomotive Works from 1940 to 1943.
Service Life
New York Central No. 3001 is a member of the class L-3a. Based in Ohio after the NYC dieselized east of Cleveland on August 7, 1953, the mighty Mohawk powered many general freight and passenger trains, such as the 20th Century Limited. Until dieselization of that division in 1949, No. 3001 could often be seen hauling passenger trains on the Boston & Albany. No. 3001 was often used to haul freight trains due to many NYC Hudsons being occupied pulling passenger trains; in later years, diesel-electric locomotives hauled the passenger trains. In the final years of steam on the New York Central, the No. 3001 and other modern Mohawks were demoted to lighter trains, due to Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad (NYC subsidiary) 2-8-4 "Berkshires" and NYC 4-8-4 Niagaras handling increasingly heavier freight and passenger trains on the system. As diesels flooded the NYC, the No. 3001 and its sisters saw the end coming nearer and nearer. No. 3001 was finally retired on February 14, 1957.
Preservation
The New York Central sold L3a No. 3001 to the City of Dallas, Texas in March of 1957, to replace heavily vandalized Texas & Pacific 2-10-4 No. 638 on display at the Texas State Fairgrounds there. The sale to the Texas & Pacific railroad is the reason why No. 3001 was not scrapped in 1957. The city of Dallas, TX donated No. 3001 (disguised as Texas & Pacific No. 909) to the Museum of the American Railroad in Dallas. In May of 1984, after trading Pennsylvania Railroad GG-1 No. 4903 to the Museum of the American Railroad, No. 3001 made its way east to Elkhart, IN after being acquired by the Lakeshore Railroad Historical Foundation.
Today, No. 3001 is on display at the National New York Central Railroad Museum.
See also
PRR 6755- This is the Pennsylvania Railroad's version of the Mohawk that survives. Just like the 3001, the 6755 was a dual service locomotive.