#2528

Baltimore and Ohio class N-1

🇺🇸 United States ·built by Mount Clare Shops· from 1937· class of 1 American 4-4-4-4 locomotive

2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. Baltimore and Ohio N-1 No. 5600 Locomotive at the 1939 NY World's Fair (cropped): Richard· CC BY 2.0
2. Baltimore and Ohio N-1 No. 5600 Locomotive at the 1939 NY World's Fair: Richard· CC BY 2.0

what is it?

The Baltimore and Ohio class N-1 steam locomotive, #5600 (named "George H. Emerson"), was the first duplex locomotive and the first 4-4-4-4 locomotive ever built. It was unique in the fact that it had a water tube firebox, which was much larger than a normal firebox. It was designed and built by the railroad's own shops in 1937.

who runs it

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad

base stats

power 2.9 MWpower output
weight 175 tin working order
built 1made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 89 years ago, in 1937.
2.9 MW is about 35 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
Weighs about as much as 29 African elephants (~6 t each).
35.7 m long: about 8 cars parked nose to tail.
Served for 6 years (1937–1943).

steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.

spec sheet

built: 1937
in service from: 1937
retired: 1943
status: retired
number built: 1
kind: Steam
traction: steam
origin: 🇺🇸 United States
builders: Mount Clare Shops
operators: Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
top speed: —
power: 2.9 MW
gauge: 1,435 mm standard gauge
wheel arrangement: 4-4-4-4
length: 35.7 m
weight: 175 t

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q4852952, Wikipedia: Baltimore and Ohio class N-1 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.