The Museum’s nonoperable model (figure 69) of the famous _999_, long the
holder of the world’s speed record, was built especially for the
Museum’s collection (USNM 313161), and was the gift in 1947 of the New
York Central System. Constructed by Edwin P. Alexander of Yardley, Pa.,
it is about 15 inches long with tender and is accompanied by a train of
four model cars of the period. Locomotive and cars are built to a scale
of ¼ inch to the foot.
[Illustration: Figure 69.—Model of New York Central American-type
locomotive _999_, 1893.]
One of the best known of all locomotives, the New York Central and
Hudson River Railroad’s _999_, with engineer Charles H. Hogan at the
throttle, reached a speed of 112½ miles an hour over a measured mile on
May 10, 1893, while pulling the Empire State Express westward between
Batavia and Buffalo, N. Y. This was a new world’s record, and the _999_
was shortly withdrawn from active service and placed on exhibition at
the World’s Columbian Exposition at Chicago.
At the conclusion of the exposition it was again placed in service with
the Empire State Express, but was later withdrawn because, although
having great speed with a light train, it lacked the pulling power
required for the larger and heavier trains then coming into use. Today,
the _999_, altered somewhat, and with smaller driving wheels than when
built, is preserved by the New York Central System as one of its
historic relics. It is usually to be seen at the Collinwood shops near
Cleveland, Ohio, but it still occasionally appears at fairs and
expositions.
Designed by the superintendent of motive power, William Buchanan, and
constructed at the West Albany shops of the New York Central, the _999_
is of the 4-4-0, or American, type and was fitted originally with
86-inch driving wheels. The bore and stroke of the cylinders are 19 and
24 inches, respectively, and a steam pressure of 180 pounds per square
inch was used. The fuel was bituminous coal. The extreme wheelbase is
287 inches, and the distance between the two driving axles is 102
inches. The weight of the locomotive is 124,000 pounds, that of the
loaded tender is 80,000.