The 5 Largest Steam Locomotives Operating in the USA!

9/8/2020

The largest, biggest, and most powerful steam locomotives operating in the USA!

Here is a list of the 5 largest steam trains currently in operation as of 2020.
"Largest" for this list is determined on locomotive weight.

Be sure to check out Mainline Steam for more information on these and other large steam locomotives operating in the United States. (Hint - There are 2 locomotives on that list that are currently being rebuilt that will take the #4 & #5 position when they are returned to operation.)

Here we go! -

5. Milwaukee Road #261
Built by ALCO - Schenectady in 1944.
#261 is a 4-8-4 Northern type Steam Locomotive with 74" driving wheels.
Now owned and operated by the Friends of the 261 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Steam Locomotive #261 weighs in at 460,000 lbs. (1)

Southern Pacific Steam Locomotive #4449 inside the Oregon Rail Heritage Center.

4. Southern Pacific "Daylight" #4449
Built by Lima Locomotive Works in 1941 for the Southern Pacific Railroad.
#4449 is a 4-8-4 steam locomotive with 80" driving wheels.
Owned by the City of Portland, Oregon; maintained and operated by the Friends of SP 4449, and on public display at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland, Oregon.
Steam Locomotive #4449 weighs in at 475,000 lbs. (2)

Union Pacific #844 Steam Locomotive in Wyoming.

3. Union Pacific #844
Built by ALCO - Schenectady in 1944 as the last steam locomotive built for the Union Pacific. #844 is a 4-8-4 steam locomotive with 80" driving wheels.
Owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad and based in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Steam Locomotive #844 weighs in at 486,340 lbs. (3)

N&W Steam locomotive #611 at Spencer North Carolina.

2. Norfolk and Western "J" #611
Built by the Norfolk & Western Roanoke Shops in 1950.
#611 is a 4-8-4 steam locomotive with 70" driving wheels.
Now owned by the Roanoke Transportation Museum in Roanoke, Virginia.
Steam Locomotive #611 weighs in at 494,000 lbs. (4)

1. Union Pacific "Big Boy" #4014
Built by ALCO - Schenectady in 1941 for the Union Pacific Railroad.
#4014 is a 4-8-8-4 articulated steam locomotive with 68" driving wheels.
Owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad and based in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Steam Locomotive #4014 weighs in at 762,000 lbs. (5)

(1) - https://261.com/fleet/milwaukee-261/ (2) - https://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=996
(3)-https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/844/index.htm
(4)-https://www.vmt.org/collections/rail/steam-locomotives/steam-locomotive-norfolk-and-western-class-j-611/
(5)-https://www.up.com/heritage/steam/4014/index.htm

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Amtrak Flexible Dining Car Service - Photos and Review

8/30/2020

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Amtrak Dining Car service has had a variety of ups and downs since Amtrak began in 1971. On October 1, 2019, Amtrak introduced "Flexible Dining" on most routes east of the Mississippi including the Crescent, Silver Meteor, Lake Shore Limited, Capitol Limited and, the City of New Orleans trains. This was a pretty drastic Amtrak Dining Car Change as it eliminated the on-board chef, waiters and, waitresses and replaced them with pre-made dinners that were simply re-heated and delivered take-out style.

Amtrak changes due to Covid-19 restrictions have resulted in all Amtrak long-distance trains reverting to this new "Flexible Dining" menu. While I personally hope that Amtrak's "Traditional Dining" returns, I thought it would be helpful to provide a short review of my experiences along with current pictures of Amtrak Dining Cars in the Flex Dining setup to set your expectations when planning an Amtrak long-distance train ride.

Amtrak's Flexible Dining Menu is only offered for Sleeping Car Passengers, which means that Coach Class Amtrak passengers only have the Cafe Car Menu to choose from for food and beverage service. (Previously, Coach Passengers could also eat in the dining car).

Click Here to see Amtrak's National Cafe Car Menu

Sleeping Car Passenger "Flexible Dining" meals are included in the sleeping car ticket. This also includes 1 alcoholic drink per trip and complimentary soft drinks, coffee, tea and bottled water throughout the journey.

Amtrak sleeping car passengers may choose to eat their meal in the dining car or have it delivered to their room. All sleeping car accommodations have a small table within the room. The dining car essentially becomes a separate lounge / table car for sleeping car passengers with this operation.

Interior of Amtrak Dining Car, double row of widows and booth seating at tables.

Amtrak Dining Car in service as a Sleeper Class Lounge / Table Car on the Silver Meteor. Interior of "Viewliner Diner."

Amtrak Dining Car Breakfast with Flexible Dining.

For Breakfast, passengers are asked to go to the dining car to pick up their breakfast items. A choice of Cereal, Kind Bars, Muffins, and fresh fruit will be set out for self-service, while milk, yogurt, and a breakfast sandwich may be ordered, along with beverages, from the attendant.

Display of individual servings of cereal, muffins, and fruit bowl on a table inside an Amtrak Dining Car.

Amtrak Dining Car Breakfast with Flexible Dining Menu.

Amtrak Flexible Dining Breakfast as served on the Silver Meteor Train.

Amtrak Flexible Dining Lunch and Dinner Service.

Lunch and Dinner are both the same menu. Either your sleeping car attendant or the dining car attendant will come by your room before each meal and take your order and also ask what time you would like to eat and offer you a choice to dine in either the dining car or your sleeping car room. I will describe my experience with each type of service.

For Lunch, I ordered the "Creole Shrimp & Andouille" and requested to eat in the dining car. My sleeping car attendant took my order and at the appropriate time, I went to the diner. It was slightly confusing what I should do upon arrival since the dining car attendant was busy preparing several orders so I had a seat and asked one of the sleeper attendants who passed through. The attendant asked my name and said he would check for me, and he brought my food right to my table. After you finish your meal, you are expected to clear your own table and throw away your trash, this makes the experience similar to a fast-food restaurant.

The entrees on the flexible dining menu are comparable in both appearance and taste to a microwavable dinner bowl. A small salad is served with each meal as well as a brownie. for dessert.

Amtrak Dining Car Menu - Flexible Dining.

Amtrak Flexible Dining Car Menu "Shrimp and Andioulle"

For Dinner, I ordered the "Red Wine Braised Beef" and had it delivered to my room. My sleeping car attendant brought a small white table cloth to dress up the fold-down table in my room. That was a nice touch. She also stopped by to collect the trash from my meal afterward. A dinner roll was also served with my evening meal.

The Braised Beef was tender but the Red Wine sauce was extremely salty in taste. Polenta and vegetables were served with the beef in the same plastic bowl, again, microwave dinner style.

Menus for Amtrak Dining Cars during Flex Dining are available at -
https://www.amtrak.com/onboard/meals-dining/flexible-dining.html

Foil wrapped plates, and small salad in container sit on a white table cloth along with green can of La Croix and plastic wrapped brownie.

Amtrak Dinner presented with Room Service in Sleeping Car.

Black plastic bowl with polenta, vegetables and beef sits on a white table with wrapped brownie and can of la croix

Amtrak Flexible Menu "Red Wine Braised Beef" Dinner.

While I enjoy getting out of my room and spending time in the dining car on my journey, I think the Flexible Dining experience was much better and felt a little more like first-class service when I chose to have it delivered to my room vs. the "pick up at the counter, throw away your trash" experience in the Amtrak Dining Car.

This review of Amtrak's Dining Car is based on a train ride I took on Amtrak's Silver Meteor prior to Covid-19. Your experience may differ from mine based on your train crew, and current local health recommendations.

Amtrak's Auto Train continues to serve a traditional dining car dinner on board as of this writing.

For more photos and information on Long-Distance passenger trains by Amtrak and others, please visit Long Distance Trains

The 5 Largest Steam Locomotives Operating in the USA!

Amtrak Flexible Dining Car Service - Photos and Review

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