Nickel Plate S2 Berks

Have you tried Google, or maybe the Nickel Plate Historical Society?

According the www.steamlocomotive.com. There are six surviving NKP 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type locomotives.

They are:

1. 755 at the Conneaut Railroad Historical Museum in Conneaut, OH
2. 757 at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, PA
3. 759 at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, PA
4. 763 at Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, OH
5. 765 at the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society on Edgerton Rd in New Haven, IN
6. 779 at Lincoln Park in Lima, OH

#779 is an S3, so that means there are five surviving S2s.  Funny how out of the NKP 80 Berks, plus the inherited W&LE Berks, five of the six survivors come from a very narrow group of ten.  One wonders if 779 hadn't been the last Lima steamer built if it even would have survived.  While I am quite partial to the Limas, it's kind of a shame that none of the earlier Alco built units survive.

Is the 1225 an S2?

Bobby Ogage posted:

Is the 1225 an S2?

The 1225 is/was not a Nickel Plate locomotive.

Bobby Ogage posted:

Is the 1225 an S2?

1225 is An N1 class berk for the Pere Marquette.

I'm going to speculate that it's because the later built engines of the S-2 class were some of the last to be shopped in '57-58 waiting for a surge in traffic to be returned to active service. Many were stored serviceable but were never fired up again.

Actually there were 30 S-2 Berkshires.  The first order of 15, 740-754, weren't even delivered when the NKP doubled the order to include the 755-769.  

Thanks all for the great info regarding Berks. Since converting my Rail King 2-8-4 to mimic the 765, that engine has become one of my favorites.

NKP Berks were not a favorite of mine, while I was g rowing up.  I always thought that the placement of the drive wheels was too close to the front of the engine.   I always thought that the relatively balanced appearance of, say a Pacific, Mikado or a Hudson was better looking.  In more recent years I learned that the secret to Lima's "Super Power" was directly tied to that driver location.  These engines were built with a huge firebox, requiring the four wheel trailing truck to support all that weight out there.  Hence the more forward location of the drivers.

And, understanding that point, and having seen the #765 as well as some of her sisters, I have grown to appreciate the solid, powerful appearance of those engines, and their looks became much more appreciated.  I think the engines are beautiful!

Paul Fischer