Thank you garg.....I suppose to add on to this.........Has everyone noticed that the engine number in the report and the song (and on other account) don't match?????? The song say 1262 but the report is 1282...hmmm????? My best guess is that the song may have come from a news account but the report is accurate. 1262 was an engine numberr to a type not used on the Pittsburgh Division whereas the 1282 was a Mikado, by far the biggest choice of the day on the Pennsy for hauling freight.

The engine involved here was a PRR Mikado Class L1 Locomotive with Mikado wheel arrangement 2-8-2. Built betweem 1914 and 1919, they were built by the PRR at their Juanita shops and also by Baldwin Locomotive Co. A few were built by Lima Loco Works as well.The L1 's were built as freight haulers and shared the same boiler with the passenger type K4 Pacifics (4-6-2). Both classes used the same PRR exclusive (and classic looking) Belpaire firebox (see the photo-the firebox is the very squared off section next to the cab. The flat-sided squared off design made both the Belpaire firebox and most PRR engines readily identifiable).

The wrecked #1282 and oddly enough, the #520 in THIS picture were BOTH built in 1916 at Baldwin. I say oddly because the #520 is the only surviving PRR Mikado L1.

The engines came in at about 60,000 pounds and the PRR used 62 inch drivers so you have some idea of the size. Here is another shot of a PRR Mikado "back in the day." Over 61,000 pounds of startup tractive force made them a powerful hauler but they had no stoker which put a lot of excessive work and effort on the fireman and they often were not fired to capacity. They were retired in the 30's but used some during WWII because of need.

Spaw