Engine numbers and Railroads

Generally speaking, no.  Many railroads used unique cast number plates on their steam engines that incorporated the railroad's herald.  I'm thinking specifically of UP, NYC, PRR and B&O to name four. 

Some railroads added their initials or name to either the tender or engine but, again, no single number would have been unique to only one railroad.

Curt

No, but some cab numbers referred to type of class of locomotive on a certain railroad.

i.e. 5000 series engines on the Northern Pacific Railway referred to a NP class Z-5 2-8-8-4 yellowstone

You may find a few by web searching the wheel configuration and the road number

 

Like this: 4-8-4 #844   or  2-8-4 #1225

Thanks for the info.  I will have to find out more info on the cards from her.

Some railroads put the locomotive number on the tender and railroad name/initials on the cab and/or sand dome (for example: Illinois Central and Wabash). Don't know if it was just railroad practice or ICC directive, but all railroads identified their locomotives with the company name and herald (when one existed) and locomotive number. This facilitated the control of the movement of trains so each could be identified en route, plus it kept locomotives identified when they mixed in terminal situations (union stations, joint locomotive facilities, junctions, transfer freights, etc). 

I believe technically any piece of railroad equipment used in "interchange service" (meaning it wasn't restricted to it's own railroad's tracks) had to have the reporting marks - the RR name or initials, and a unique (for that railroad) number. On locomotives, how they were displayed varied from one railroad to another, and from one time period to another.

 

In the early 20th century, many US railroads put the railroad name (or more commonly, initials) on the cab, with the engine numbers on the tender side. Over time, many railroads reversed that and had the engine no. on the cab, with the railroad name spelled out or a herald on the tender side.

 

So for example in 1920 a Chicago & NorthWestern steam engine would have "C.& N.W." or "C.& N.W. Ry." on the cab side, and the engine number in large numbers on the tender side. By the late 1930's, CNW engines had the engine no. on the cab side, with the "ball and bar" CNW herald on the tender side.

All good information thanks a lot!!