Mfg of NKP berks

I would suspect the article is incorrect.  The locomotive is a Lima design.

Rusty

The first fifteen, #700-714, were Class S, and built by ALCO.  Even though the design was largely done by Lima, with the AMC of the van Swerigan roads, ALCO got the order because they underbid Lima.  Lima did build the subsequent 65 locos, #715-779.

Stuart

^^^ That is correct. The 1934 order was alco built. All the rest were Lima built.

I stand corrected.

Rusty

Alco was the the low bidder on the first group. They built them to Lima's design. Lima built all the rest of 'em...thank goodness.

Rich, I'm curious about the "thank goodness" at the end of your remark.  I know that Lima built steam locomotives like Cadillacs (beautiful cab interiors and backheads), but is their something about either the Alco built Class S, or Alco in general your hinting at?

Stuart

C&O 2716 was an Alco, the FWRRHS ran it for a bit, so Rich has experience with both of them first-hand...

I have read that the S and S-1s were more rough riding than their later sisters, which had cast steel frames. Both the S class from Alco and the S-1s from Lima incorporated built-up frames. Whether this factor is a major player in the riding quality of an engine, I have no experience...

DV

If alco built the berk to lima,s specs, why would it not be as good as a lima and no need for the "thank goodness" comment rich makes.  Is alco vs lima sort of a ford vs chevy thing?

Just my opinion, but I think it is more like:

Lima Locomotive Works  =  Cadillac. i.e. low volume extremely high quality & workman ship.

American Locomotive Co.   =  Buick. i.e. higher volume, same high quality & workman ship.

Baldwin Locomotive Co.  =  Ford. i.e. highest volume, acceptable quality, performance, and reliability.

East End Shops (Roanoke) - Mercedes of Steam - 'nuff said!

Quite right..!

Except their "finished product locomotives" were NOT available for sale to other railroads on this, or any other,  continent. 

BUT N&W did rebuild many another road's steam power. Plus what worked on the N&W did not seem to be what the other roads wanted anyway, judging by what they (the other roads) did buy.

And what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?

Nothing! And neither did your post about East End Shops, since the original question was about Lima vs. ALCO, anyway.

Yeah, that seems to be the way it works...Lima, ALCO & Baldwin. Everyone leaves out Roanoke Shops.

I have the utmost respect for the N&W steam power, having seen the "good old days" at track-side in the late 1950s at Roanoke and Crew.

It is just a shame that there are quit a few Lima, ALCO, and Baldwin products that still are able to operate on our U.S. main lines, but nothing from the "East End Shops"!

True, and it is a shame that there are exactly zero NYC Hudsons anywhere! Be grateful for what is still around.

Juniata Shops, too.  They built a few over the years.

Yea but, nothing of consequence. The best locomotive the PRR ever had was the C&O design J1a, 2-10-4. But, did those come out of Juniata Shops?

PRR, The Standard Railroad of the World. The key(stone) word there is "standard", as in nothing spectacular.

Yeah, that seems to be the way it works...Lima, ALCO & Baldwin. Everyone leaves out Roanoke Shops.

Juniata Shops, too.

Everyone leaves out the Hillyard Shops too.  They built larger locomotives than Roanoke or Juniata ever did.  And they were spectacular! 

So... how is Lima pronounced? Is it Leeeee -mah, or is it L EYE-mah, like the bean?

Lima.....as in Lima Ohio....or yes, like the bean.

But how can a baldwin design be better than the penn, the standard of the world.  evidently pennsy was the only builder who thought they built the best.  If I am not mistaken wasn;t the penn 2-10-4 a copy of the c&o 2=10=4?

Doesn't matter who built it, the 2-10-4 was an outgrowth of the original SuperPower 2-8-4 designed by Woodard at I believe Lima...