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| Engine #999 in its as built appearance Image Retrieved From: wikipedia.org |
Engine #999 has a special place in the history of land transportation. Once the pinnacle of locomotive development of its era, it became world famous when it reached a speed that had never been achieved on the face of the Earth. However, the years after this magnificent feat saw #999 fade from the limelight. Like a retired racehorse, the engine lived out its twilight years plodding through the mountains of central Pennsylvania. Though outclassed by modern locomotives, the #999 still had the heart of a speedster when it was recalled for one last glamorous run down the high iron. This is the fascinating story of Engine #999.
Railroads in the late 19th Century were obsessed with speed. The faster a train went, the more publicity the railroad received. This of course translated into more passengers and increased revenue. As technology progressed, locomotives became faster, but one milestone had yet to be conquered, reaching 100 miles per hour. If a railroad could achieve this feat, it would become world famous overnight.
In 1893 the New York & Hudson River Railroad (later New York Central), set out to do just that. Renowned locomotive designer William Buchanan was commissioned to develop a locomotive that was capable of reaching such an incredible speed. Buchanan selected a tried and true design for his locomotive, a 4-4-0, commonly called an “American” type. Breaking down that classification, the engine had four small lead wheels that helped guide the locomotive around curves and four drive wheels that received power from the cylinders. The zero denotes that there are no wheels behind the drivers. The drive wheels themselves were 86” (7’ 2”) in diameter and dwarfed the average person. Their remarkable size was required to reach high speeds.
Speed wasn’t the only factor that had to be taken into consideration. All eyes would be watching this locomotive do something that had never been accomplished before. An austere looking engine would never do. The engine would have to elegant in every sense of the word. No expense was spared on accomplishing this.
Metal surfaces were polished from the steam dome down to the frame. Written in gold leaf on the tender was the name of the railroad’s premier passenger train, the Empire State Express. Form and function had come together to produce a rolling work of art built for breaking records. #999 was chosen as its number because it “had a nice ring to it.” #999 emerged from the shops in April 1893. Trial runs in early May confirmed that the engine was capable of what it was built to do.
On May 10, 1893, word had gotten out that #999 was going to do something earth-shattering. Railroad officials and passengers crowded the three car train with stopwatches in hand. On a straight stretch near Batavia, New York, Engineer Charles Hogan opened the throttle and let the engine really show what it could do. Seconds between mileposts were chipped away until only 31.5 seconds were elapsing between each. #999 was racing down the rails at 112.5 miles per hour, making it the first land vehicle in the world to crack the coveted 100mph record. Soon after this famous run, the No. 999 was displayed at the Chicago Worlds Fair. It was the spaceship of its time and all the world was enamored with the “Queen of Speed.”
On May 10, 1893, word had gotten out that #999 was going to do something earth-shattering. Railroad officials and passengers crowded the three car train with stopwatches in hand. On a straight stretch near Batavia, New York, Engineer Charles Hogan opened the throttle and let the engine really show what it could do. Seconds between mileposts were chipped away until only 31.5 seconds were elapsing between each. #999 was racing down the rails at 112.5 miles per hour, making it the first land vehicle in the world to crack the coveted 100mph record. Soon after this famous run, the No. 999 was displayed at the Chicago Worlds Fair. It was the spaceship of its time and all the world was enamored with the “Queen of Speed.”
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| Engine #999 pulling the Empire State Express Image Retrieved From: wikipedia.org |
Though the “record breaking” run of the #999 was truly spectacular, we really don’t know for sure if it did in fact break the 100mph record. Speed was calculated by timing the seconds between mileposts, which inevitably has degrees of error. There was no speedometer or special equipment onboard. We may never truly know how fast #999 was traveling on May 10th, 1893. It wasn’t until 1934 that a locomotive was officially clocked at 100mph using calibrated measuring equipment.
Engine #999’s story was far from over after its famous run, however progress was quickly catching up with it. In the years after the Worlds Fair, passenger trains became longer and heavier. #999 had been built for speed, not pulling power. Its large drive wheels were prone to slipping when starting heavy trains. To rectify the problem, the New York Central replaced the 86” drivers with 70” ones in 1899. This made starting trains easier, but drastically reduced its speed. No longer able to pull top-tier passenger trains, the engine was relegated to the branch lines after just six years of mainline service. By 1901, #999 was assigned to upstate New York where it hauled milk trains for the next several years.
Not only did #999 lose its high-stepping drive wheels, but on October 30, 1913 had its iconic road number changed; #999 was renumbered #1086. From outward appearances, the engine hardly looked like the hot shot thoroughbred that it once was. By this time, it had been rebuilt several times and modern appliances added to the exterior. Its lavish paint and gold leaf was long gone, now replaced by the railroad’s standard black with white lettering. Dirt and grime covered the engine, giving it a well worn appearance.
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| Engine #999 now renumbered to #1086 Image Retrieved From: wikipedia.org |
Shortly after being renumbered, the engine was assigned to the rails of the former Beech Creek Railroad, now under New York Central management as part of their Pennsylvania Division. The Beech Creek Railroad started in Jersey Shore and ran west through Bald Eagle Valley until reaching the borough of Beech Creek. There, it began its ascent by following the natural corridor carved by the waters of Beech Creek. Passing through the industrial villages of Monument, Orviston, and Kato, the track continued through Clarence, Peale, and other small communities before reaching its terminus near Clearfield. Twice a day, #1086 could be seen plodding along this scenic stretch of rails with a short passenger train.
Worth noting is that the railroad had received “a large number of inquiries” concerning the engine before it was even retired. A trade publication revealed that the public had not forgotten about the legendary engine and had heard rumors that the railroad had scrapped it. The railroad quickly assured that the locomotive was not scrapped and was still performing its duties out on the rails of the Pennsylvania Division.
In the summer of 1920, #1086 was pulled from service, however this wasn’t the “end of the line” as many feared. In contrast, the engine was taken to Avis, Clinton County and restored to its former glory and iconic number, albeit still sporting 70” drivers. This refurbishment was in preparation for the Pageant of Progress fair being held in Chicago next summer. When the time came to set out for Chicago, at the throttle was none other than Charles Hogan, now 70 years old, who had run the engine on its famous sprint in 1893.
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| #999 at Avis after returned to its famous appearance Image Retrieved From: The Lock Haven Express |
After 30 years of service, the engine was formally retired from the railroad in 1923. In the years after the pageant, #999 toured around the New York Central’s system as a rolling publicity agent. In 1953, the engine returned to its former stomping grounds on the Beech Creek Railroad. Pulled by a diesel to the station at Mill Hall, Clinton County, the engine was placed on public display so young and old alike could have the chance to behold the “Queen of Speed” for themselves.
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| Engine #999 on display at Mill Hall station Image Retrieved From: The Lock Haven Express |
The New York Central donated #999 to the Museum of Science and Industry in 1962 where it still resides today. Its location is a fitting one, as the display building is the last remaining structure from the 1893 fair in Chicago, the place where #999 was introduced to the world.
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| #999 on display at the Museum of Science and Industry Image Retrieved From: www.msichicago.org |
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Remington, H. (1920, January). Number 999. Rock Island Magazine. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=W3enjFQUv9UC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company. (1923). N.Y.C locomotive 999 not to be scrapped. Railway Age, 74, 4. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?id=hJlRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA300&lpg=PA300&dq=1921+pageant+of+progress+chicago+%2B+999&source=bl&ots=Zh39iMfUCF&sig=ACfU3U19IEQ9ZUXDTo2MYrGj8gYdKbSQxg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiB2dmOlZPnAhX0dc0KHfEqB0MQ6AEwD3oECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=1921%20pageant%20of%20progress%20chicago%20%2B%20999&f=false
Withuhn, W. (2019). American steam locomotive: design and development 1880-1960. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
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