So basically if you had to go to Equestria which one of these steam locomotives would you bring to rail on the Equestrian railway?

Union Pacific 4014?

Or Norfolk and Western 2174

4014. i feel like i can turn it into a fortress on wheels.

I'd probably pick the 4014.

6620603 4014, with a portrait of my ugly mug emblazoned upon the front!

6620628
That's is because it got scrapped

6620638
Nothin' wrong with being a nerd. Lol /)

Why not both????? Huh? Huh??? 😏😏😏

4014

6620695
You do know that 2174 has 170,000 horsepower!

I take the one with the right empennage to fit on equestrian railway.
The other belong the a museum, no need to disturb it's slumber.

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6620616
I'd bring Schwerer Gustav.

2174.

6620603
The 4014. Especially since it’s undergoing restoration.

4014 since it is soon to be restored

Union Pacific

I pick the armored train.

4014

4014, though I'd be afraid of wrecking Equestria's economy just to provide coal for it...

I'd have to go with 4014, as one of her sister engines, Big Boy 2025, or as you all would know her, 4009, aka the engine that pulls the Battleship Express, has already BEEN to Equestria! Big Boy means big pull, and yes, one could turn her into a war train as well. The Big Boys were the best locomotives that the Union Pacific ever produced, and I'm SO happy that 4014 is nearing the end of her restoration, and will soon ride the rails again!

LOVE the Big Boys!

Uhh... Whichever one's more modern.

Early steam engines were generally poorly designed.

6620833
nice to now we have the same way of thinking.

6620962
Actually these where the later ones, the last for there respective companies

6620987
Well close you chose a train car mine has a engine lol

I'd go with the 4014.
It's probably capable of towing every last piece of rolling stock the Equestrian Railways have. All at once.
Though both of these beasts might have issues with ER's lightweight rail, sharp curves and tight clearances.
Polson Logging #70 might be more appropriate.
Or maybe Hammond Lumber #17.

Eh... can I pick the NKP 765 instead?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjEzExukNMs

(The video owner apparently disabled playback on other sites, so embedding it didn't work here)

2174

please

6620603
I’d rather take the British Mallard.

S&P 4449, the original Freedom Train!

I'd prefer the dlm 52 8055 , otherwise the 4014 is in „better condition”

From what has been shown of the Equestrian Rail line a Galloping Goose would just about the max human rail that could work

Doing some research; I'd probably take the 1404. Assuming we're taking them in their current state, 1404 is going to be much easier to actually bring to operational condition; and the 1404 is both faster and stronger than the 1218 (6,290hp compared to 5,400hp). Though; they may be equally too much for operating at full speed (or even at all); unless the ER actually employs larger trains; or has some sort of magic involved that could keep these larger engines on the tracks.

Plus if I got sent to some war-torn Equestria; the 1404 will be easier to turn into a mobile bunker I can hide in and shoot .50cals and 127mm out of.

4104.

Its simply the apex of American Steam Locomotives, and arguably stream locomotives in general.

It would catch the eyes of the Equestrians for sure. Though, coal consumption would huge.

That's not to say the 2174 isn't formidable, it is but it doesn't catch the quite like the 4104.

As others pointed out, 4104 is close to being restored.

6620773
id add that as a extra car. id also try to add a rail gun and gauss cannon

6621307
good advice. Thanks. *scribbles upgrades on blueprints*

6621294
Eh I guess people don't understand the real power of 2174.

6621338
If we don't, so be it. You asked us. If you want the 2147, pick it. But 4104 is what we choose.

6621505
Ok I know that these are the two most powerful engines ever

6621508 listen to those in the tread, we like the 4104.

6621526
4014, yes I do as well, also 2174 is around because it was scrapped by someone who didn't care about its preservation

I wonder if equestria uses narrow-gauge or standard rail gauge -- and how sturdy the railstock is. If it take the UP Big Boy, that would be pretty awesome.

6620603
Neither, because almost certainly both are far too heavy to be supported by Equestria's rail infrastructure. However if I were, probably 2174, as a lighter engine it would probably be ever so less likely to destroy most of the rail network.

Remember, Equestria runs what is generally a cartoon American 4-4-0 standard type of locomotive, assuming a rail infrastructure equivalent to the time those were in service, expect things like wooden truss bridges and not the strongest of steel for the rails.

Personally I'd take something more modest, if it were an articulated engine probably a double fairlie because they're pretty neat.

I prefer singles though, in my opinion the most elegant of locomotives.

6620962
Define "poorly designed," as steam locomotives had pretty much settled into a standard design pattern by the mid Victorian period.

For example the 0-6-0 goods locomotive pattern remained in British service from the late 1870s till the end of steam, with the Dean Goods engines in particular not being replaced until the 40s despite being built in the 1880s and 90s.

(1870s engine)

(1930s engine)

Unless by early you mean the pioneering engines of 1800 to 1850, in which case sure... but even the non-train nerd should be able to recognise that these are not those engines.

That is not to say you can't find silly things post 1850...

...but they weren't the norm.

Sure, engines got more powerful and more efficient through the decades as material sciences advanced and new auxiliary equipment was fitted, much the same way cars of the 30s were advanced later on, but that doesn't make the older engines, with the same general design, poorly designed.

4014, because auto stokers are a must.

6620603

6620603
A more important question would be, are their railroads of the same width as ours.

6621788
Yeah, the Friendship Express engines seems to be base very loosely of the 4-4-0 American class

6621790
Yes, but think ponies aren't as big as horses so width could be smaller due to that.

6621796
Magic, and the tracks don't seem to that small

6621796
Plus the American railway gauge is only 4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂

6621799
Plus are their tracks able to handle such heavy trains.

6621812
Well again magic, and their both strong articulated steam locomotives so getting around turns aren't a problem.