The Steam Engine Railfans Keep Begging Someone to Rebuild

In 1946, six New York Central Niagara 4-8-4s went head to head with brand new EMD E7 diesels between Harmon and Chicago, and the steam engines came within a few percent of matching them. Ten years later, all 27 Niagaras had been cut up for scrap. This is the story of the steam locomotive railfans keep begging someone to rebuild, why nobody has, and what it would really take. We break down Paul Kiefer's S-1b Niagara and the S-2a Super Niagara No. 5500, the real meaning of that famous 6,680 horsepower figure, the October 1946 steam vs diesel trial, the boiler steel problem that haunted the class, and Alfred Perlman's decision to scrap engines that cost about $248,000 each for under $15,000 apiece. Then we benchmark a new-build Niagara against LNER A1 60163 Tornado, the P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales, and the PRR T1 Trust's 5550 being built in Ohio right now. Corrections built into this video, because they matter: the 6,680 hp figure is indicated cylinder horsepower, not drawbar horsepower, which peaked around 5,070; the "hidden Niagara" in a barn is folklore with zero evidence behind it; the new-build Hudson project never stalled mid-construction because it never incorporated or cut steel; and Tornado cost roughly £3 million over about 14 years, so dollar figures quoted online are loose conversions. If you like deep dives into locomotive history and railroad engineering, consider subscribing to Train Curious for a new one every week.