NYC #999
Engine 999 in Syracuse
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder NYC West Albany Shops Build date 1893
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-4-0 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 86.5 in (2,197 mm) later: 70 in (1,778 mm) Adhesive weight 84,000 lb (38.1 tonnes) Loco weight 124,000 lb (56.2 tonnes) Fuel type Coal Boiler pressure 180 lbf/in2 (1,241 kPa) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 15 in (381 mm)
Career Operators New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Numbers 999, renum 1086 in 1913, 1021 in 1920 First run May 1893 Retired 1952 Current owner Chicago Museum of Science and Industry Disposition On static display, based in Chicago, Illinois

New York Central and Hudson River Railroad No. 999 is a 4-4-0 “American” type steam locomotive built for the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad in 1893, which was intended to haul the road's Empire State Express train service. It was built for high speed and was the first steam locomotive in the world to travel over 100 mph. It was officially clocked by railroad officials when it ran a world record of 112.5 mph on May 10, 1893. The locomotive was then exhibited in the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. There was a two cent US stamp issued representing the world speed record event. Thousands of miniature replica ridable No. 999 locomotives were made for amusement parks worldwide. Manufacturers of electric toy trains designated some of their models No. 999. The original 999 locomotive has been restored and is now a permanent exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

Development

In the early 1890s, the competition between the New York Central and the Pennsylvania Railroad was growing fiercely. Their rivalry was particularly noticeable along their Chicago to New York corridors in the years leading to the Chicago World's Fair, with both railroads trying to provide the swiftest service to the fair. The Pennsylvania had upgraded its Pennsylvania Limited with the most modern and efficient rolling stock of the time. The New York Central similarly upgraded its Empire State Express train's rolling stock; however, knowing that this would not be enough, the railroad began exploring other options so as to outperform its rival.^[1] To this end came George Henry Daniels, the railroad's chief public representative officer.^[2] He proposed a new locomotive be designed capable of exceeding the 100-mph speed barrier.^[3]

New York Central's Chief Superintendent of Motive Power & Rolling Stock, William Buchanan, had designed a class of 4-4-0 locomotives known as the Class "I", which were already capable of reaching high speeds, so it was simply a matter of making some modifications to an existing design. In 1893, locomotive #999 was rolled out of the New York Central's West Albany Shops.^[4]

The 999 was designed from the beginning for speed. It mounted 86-inch (220 cm) diameter driving wheels rather than the 70-inch (180 cm) wheels mounted on other engines of the class, and had its brakes mounted to the front truck, which was a new approach. The bands, pipes, and trim were highly polished; the boiler, smokestack, domes, cab, and tender were given a satin finish of black, and "Empire State Express" was applied to the sides of the tender in 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) high gold leaf lettering.^[4]

World's fair and later service

No. 999 entered service in 1893, making the trip from Syracuse, New York. The Empire State Express carried in April 1893 a speed recorder that peaked at 86 miles an hour.^[5] The train was operated by engineer Charlie H. Hogan on May 9 when it reached 101.5 miles per hour (163.3 km/h) going from Rochester to Buffalo, at a distance of 69 miles traveled in 68 minutes.^[3] Word spread quickly of this high speed event and when Hogan operated the train the next day going back to Buffalo large crowds gathered all along the route. This time railroad officials with hand-held stop watches were aboard the train. When the train traveled between Batavia and Buffalo,^[6] it was recorded by those with stop watches that had clocked off mile posts.^[7][8][9] The speed of 112.5 miles per hour (181.1 km/h) run on May 10 was a new world speed record for a steam locomotive.^[4][10][11] There were 75 to 100 witnesses.^[4] The train kept this speed traveling for over a mile.^[12][13][14] Historian Stewart Holbrook says that all railroad historians agreed that no train had ever gone this fast before.^[3] The 112.5 mile per hour world speed record had not been exceeded yet until 1904.^[15][16][17] This record made No. 999 the first object on wheels to exceed 100 mph.^[18][19][2]

The locomotive was the first power-driven vehicle to travel faster than 100 mph and was described as the "railed rocket" by Daniels.^[2] He informed the major city newspapers of the 112.5 speed record and it was published nationwide by hundreds of other newspapers.^[3][20][21] Daniels informed the United States Postmaster General of this feat and a two cent stamp came out picturing the Empire State Express displaying the event with horizontal smoke from the locomotive.^[3] The locomotive engine and the train of railroad cars it pulled was known as the "world's most glamorous train"^[22] and the "world's most beautiful locomotive ever built."^[4]

Daniels arranged to have the 999 locomotive and the Empire State Express train at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.^[3] Engineer Hogan and the No. 999 locomotive were the "star attractions".^[4] After the fair the engine continued to pull the Empire State Express between Buffalo and Syracuse until 1899. When the engine was sent to other parts of the railroad system it was found to be slippery and hard to handle when pulling more than five cars. It was rebuilt with the same 70 inch drivers as the other engines of the class. In the 1920s it was given a new boiler and tender, operating local and branch line trains until 1924, when it was restored for exhibition at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's "Fair of the Iron Horse" the following year.^[23][4]

Retirement

Advances in locomotive design, particularly the advent of diesel-electric power, eventually rendered No. 999 obsolete. It was decided as early as 1923 that the locomotive was not going to be scrapped and would be preserved in some manner because of its speed record.^[24][25]

After touring the nation and making appearances at numerous expositions including the 1948-49 Chicago Railroad Fair, the unit was retired from service in May, 1952 at which time it was relegated to yard switching service in western New York shuttling express service refrigerator railroad cars. At this time, the railroad appeared to turn its back to steam power, and consequently, the majority of their steam engines, including all of their famed Hudsons, had been scrapped. However, the railroad decided to preserve the 999. The New York Central donated the locomotive to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry in 1962, though it did not arrive at the museum until 1968.^[26]

Once there, while its preservation was assured, the engine was displayed outside where exposure to elements had taken its toll over the years. In 1993, the museum underwent a major renovation. This project included a cosmetic restoration of number 999, and it was placed inside the museum's main hall. The locomotive is displayed with its later 70" drivers, rather than the original 86" wheels that earned it its claim to fame.^[27] There are about two million visitors annually that see No. 999 at the museum.^[4]