Southern Railway 1401
Encyclopedia
Southern Railway 1401 is a steam locomotive
that is the sole survivor of Southern Railway's Ps-4 class. Today it is on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution
in Washington, D.C.
. It has a Pacific-type or 4-6-2
(Whyte notation
) wheel arrangement and was built in 1926 by the American Locomotive Company
(ALCO) at their Richmond works
. It pulled Southern's highest-level passenger trains from 1926 until Dieselization
in the early 1950s, mostly on Southern's Charlotte Division. Its most famous and historic use was as one of the locomotives that pulled President Franklin Roosevelt
's funeral train from Warm Springs, Georgia, to Washington in April 1945. The Smithsonian Institution gathered information on two of 1401's engineers from a 1962 Greenville, SC newspaper interview with one of the Southern's fireman nicknamed "Box Car". "Box Car" (fireman for "DC") accidentally confused the engineers, who happened to be brothers. Oscar "OC" Surratt was one of the engineers on the train that took Roosevelt to Warm Springs. His brother Cleve "DC" Surratt was one of the engineers that brought Roosevelt's body back to Washington. In the 1950s, war hero and outside legal counsel to Southern Graham Claytor
(who would later become Southern's president) convinced then-Southern president Harry deButts
to donate one of the retired Ps-4s to the Smithsonian instead of scrapping it. In this way 1401 was saved, and has been on display at the Smithsonian since the early 1960s.
traveled to the United Kingdom
, where he saw the London and North Eastern Railway
and its green-painted steam locomotives. Admiring these locomotives' appearance, he returned to the United States and decided that the next batch of Ps-4s should be painted mostly green (a somewhat different shade), with gold trim and silver smoke-boxes. The 1926 group of Ps-4s, including 1401, caused quite a sensation when they appeared. Over time, the Ps-4s gained larger tenders, which further enhanced their appearance of speed and power, without taking away any of their mechanical appearance (unlike streamlined
locomotives). Third, different locomotives had different feedwater heaters, which changed over time, but 1401 ended up with what most observers consider to be the type that gives the most powerful-looking appearance.
in Washington, D.C.
. Southern cosmetically restored the locomotive just before sending it for display at the Smithsonian, and it was probably stored serviceable when it was retired from active service, but it has not operated in more than half a century. When Graham Claytor was a Southern executive in the mid-1960s, he attempted to lease 1401 from the Smithsonian for operational use in Southern's steam excursion program. The Smithsonian refused, and Claytor leased Southern Railway 4501 (originally a freight locomotive with a 2-8-2
wheel arrangement) and painted it in the green, gold, and silver scheme instituted for the Ps-4s. Accordingly, it seems unlikely that 1401 will ever again steam. Because it is believed to have been in good condition when retired, and has spent most of the time since inside, it is probably in relatively good internal and mechanical condition. Cosmetically, it is in excellent shape.
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
that is the sole survivor of Southern Railway's Ps-4 class. Today it is on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. It has a Pacific-type or 4-6-2
4-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
(Whyte notation
Whyte notation
The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early twentieth century encouraged by an editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal...
) wheel arrangement and was built in 1926 by the American Locomotive Company
American Locomotive Company
The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:...
(ALCO) at their Richmond works
Richmond Locomotive Works
Richmond Locomotive Works was a steam locomotive manufacturing firm located in Richmond, Virginia. It began operation in 1887 and produced approximately 4,500 engines during its 40 years of operation...
. It pulled Southern's highest-level passenger trains from 1926 until Dieselization
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
in the early 1950s, mostly on Southern's Charlotte Division. Its most famous and historic use was as one of the locomotives that pulled President Franklin Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
's funeral train from Warm Springs, Georgia, to Washington in April 1945. The Smithsonian Institution gathered information on two of 1401's engineers from a 1962 Greenville, SC newspaper interview with one of the Southern's fireman nicknamed "Box Car". "Box Car" (fireman for "DC") accidentally confused the engineers, who happened to be brothers. Oscar "OC" Surratt was one of the engineers on the train that took Roosevelt to Warm Springs. His brother Cleve "DC" Surratt was one of the engineers that brought Roosevelt's body back to Washington. In the 1950s, war hero and outside legal counsel to Southern Graham Claytor
W. Graham Claytor Jr.
William Graham Claytor, Jr. was an American lawyer, naval officer, and railroad, transportation and defense administrator for the United States government, working under the administrations of three US presidents....
(who would later become Southern's president) convinced then-Southern president Harry deButts
Harry A. deButts
Harry Ashby deButts was a former president of Southern Railway in the United States. He was succeeded by D. William Brosnan in 1962....
to donate one of the retired Ps-4s to the Smithsonian instead of scrapping it. In this way 1401 was saved, and has been on display at the Smithsonian since the early 1960s.
The Queens of Steam Locomotives
The first class members were built in 1923, and were certainly handsome, but three notable changes awaited. First, in the mid 1920s, Southern president Fairfax HarrisonFairfax Harrison
Fairfax Harrison was an American lawyer, businessman, and writer. The son of the secretary to the Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Harrison studied law at Yale University and Columbia University before becoming a lawyer for the Southern Railway Company in 1896...
traveled to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where he saw the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
and its green-painted steam locomotives. Admiring these locomotives' appearance, he returned to the United States and decided that the next batch of Ps-4s should be painted mostly green (a somewhat different shade), with gold trim and silver smoke-boxes. The 1926 group of Ps-4s, including 1401, caused quite a sensation when they appeared. Over time, the Ps-4s gained larger tenders, which further enhanced their appearance of speed and power, without taking away any of their mechanical appearance (unlike streamlined
Streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
locomotives). Third, different locomotives had different feedwater heaters, which changed over time, but 1401 ended up with what most observers consider to be the type that gives the most powerful-looking appearance.
Current status
Today Southern Railway 1401 is one of the attractions at the Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. Southern cosmetically restored the locomotive just before sending it for display at the Smithsonian, and it was probably stored serviceable when it was retired from active service, but it has not operated in more than half a century. When Graham Claytor was a Southern executive in the mid-1960s, he attempted to lease 1401 from the Smithsonian for operational use in Southern's steam excursion program. The Smithsonian refused, and Claytor leased Southern Railway 4501 (originally a freight locomotive with a 2-8-2
2-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
wheel arrangement) and painted it in the green, gold, and silver scheme instituted for the Ps-4s. Accordingly, it seems unlikely that 1401 will ever again steam. Because it is believed to have been in good condition when retired, and has spent most of the time since inside, it is probably in relatively good internal and mechanical condition. Cosmetically, it is in excellent shape.