Nickel Plate Road (NKP) No. 170 is a Class L1a type of 4-6-4 "Hudson" steam locomotive. It was built in 1927 by the American Locomotive Company for the Nickel Plate Road.
This special Hudson was used to haul heavy passenger trains on the Nickel Plate Road as well as occasional freight service.
History[]
The Nickel Plate L1's were amongst the first Hudson types to be built. Out shopped by the American Locomotive Company's Brooks Works in Dunkirk, New York in February 1927, about a month before class leader NKP #170, the locomotive design was developed and perfected by the NYC, which eventually rostered two hundred and seventy-five of the type.
No. 170 remained in service until 1947 when the diesels took over the Nickel Plate's passenger service, but the locomotive remained employed hauling freight trains until it's official retirement from revenue service in 1957. The locomotive was then donated by the railroad to the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri, where it remains on public display today.
Trivia[]
- No. 170 is the only remaining NKP Hudson, and the only surviving example of a Hudson with Smoke deflectors.
- No. 170 was considered for restoration but the boiler was found to be too thin.
- No. 170 can be seen in volume 2 of Steam & Diesel on the NKP from Herron Rail Video.