Right front 3/4 view

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Right front 3/4 view

Steam Locomotive

While the J-engines (the J-1s in particular) were the bellwethers of the NYC's fleet of high-speed passenger engines, the L-engines (especially the L-2s) were the workhorses of its roster of freight power. There were 300 L-2s, all turned out by Alco in the years from 1925 through 1930. The 2700 series, class L-2a, was Line East power, and the 2800 series, class L-2c, and 2900 series, classes L-2b and d, were parceled out among the other three districts. All were basically similar in design and appearance. They were compact engines, in the middleweight category as 4-8-2s go, and were snappy, fast runners on manifest trains of 3000 tons or so in reasonably level territory. Unfortunately, due to their mere presence and availability, they were often used as drag engines in hilly country, a service for which they were not really intended. In this picture, the veteran 2803 poses at Shelby Street.

Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor

2-1/4x3-1/4 neg

5/1956

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4-8-2

424

L-2c

#2803

Alco-Schen

Shelby St., Indianapolis, IN