37983-SP Berkshire 2-8-4 stm loco

The Special “Coffin Berkshires”:
There aren’t many steam locomotives in the USA that have achieved legendary status like the “Big Boy,” for example. The powerful “Berkshires” certainly belonged to that category. They were a child of the Roaring Twenties and embodied the spirit of optimism that swept through the United States after World War I. At that time, the economy was booming, and the railroads had to transport ever-increasing quantities of goods ever faster to all parts of the country. The thousands of “Mikado” steam locomotives built were often no longer sufficient for these tasks. This led to the birth of the first super-power steam locomotive in 1925. Developed by the Lima Locomotive Works, they brought a massive increase in power to the rails through the installation of a two-axle trailing bogie and the associated enlarged firebox . And because the first route used by these powerful locomotives ran through the Berkshire Mountains on the East Coast of the USA, these locomotives were henceforth called “Berkshires.” With an output of up to 4,000 hp and top speeds well over 100 km/h, these machines, advertised by LIMA as super-powered locomotives, conquered many American railroads, with over 600 units built. A truly unique-looking version was the 25 “Berkshires” delivered to the Boston & Maine Railroad. They featured so-called coffin heaters, which were U-shaped and mounted upside down on the smokebox. “Coffin” was derived from the manufacturer and not from the actual meaning (coffin). Ten of these unusual-looking “Berkshires” eventually ended their careers with the Southern Pacific Railroad in the years after 1945. Unfortunately, none of these coffin locomotives have survived. Nevertheless, two of these giants can still be seen under steam today. The Michigan-based “Berkshire” 1225 even became an international film star in 2004. It played one of the main roles in the animated children’s film “The Polar Express,” which captivated millions of viewers in Germany as well.

Southern Pacific 2-8-4 ” Berkshire ” steam locomotive . Deep black livery. Road number 3505. Operating condition between 1945 and 1950. One of 25 locomotives built with the distinctive coffin feedwater heater.

Highlights