Southern Railway

Steam Locomotives

The steam passenger locomotives of the Southern Railway are probably best remembered for their bright colors of green, gold and silver. Freight and switch engines were also known for their well kept look. However, even though a pleasing appearance made a favorable impression upon the public, something more than just paint was required to produce efficient steam power. Unlike many other American railroads, the newest steam locomotive that the Southern owned was built for the company in 1928, prior to the days of the railroad roller bearing and cast steel bed frame. Although hardly considered modern by later steam standards, the motive power of the Southern was among the best maintained in this country. To sum this up in one sentence: "The Southern took pride in its steam locomotives."

Richard Prince

0-6-0 Six-coupled

Southern #6512

Pittsburgh 0-6-0 (1906) / Meridian, Ms / Apr 1938 / collection

Southern #6510-6518

builders:Pittsburgh, Richmond
arrangement:0-6-0 Six-coupled
class:A-7 (9 in AGS series)
built:1905-07
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
20x26" cylinders, 50" drivers
sublettered Alabama Great Southern
all retired by 1949

6500 series switcher / Meridian, Ms / collection

0-8-0 Eight-coupled

Southern #6536

Lima 0-8-0 (1926) / collection

Southern #6534-6537

builder:Lima Locomotive Works
arrangement:0-8-0 Eight-coupled
class:As-11 (4 in AGS series)
built:1926
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
25x28" cylinders, 51" drivers
sublettered Alabama Great Southern
all retired by 1954

Southern #6849

Brooks 0-8-0 (1918) / Atlanta, Ga / Aug 1951 / collection

Southern #6849

builder:Alco Brooks
arrangement:0-8-0 Eight-coupled
class:As-11 (1 in NO&NE series)
built:1918
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
25x28" cylinders, 51" drivers
sublettered New Orleans & Northeastern
retired 1952

2-8-0 Consolidation

Southern #105

Baldwin 2-8-0 (1887) / Selma, Al / Jun 1947 / collection

Southern #1-173

builders:Baldwin, Alco Schenectady
arrangement:2-8-0 Consolidation
class:G (173 in series)
built:1885-90
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
20x24" cylinders, 50" drivers
acquired from affiliated SOU predecessors

Southern #542

Baldwin 2-8-0 (1903) / Spencer, NC / May 2001 / JCH

Southern #505-548

builders:Alco Pittsburgh, Baldwin
arrangement:2-8-0 Consolidation
class:J (44 in series)
built:1903
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
21x28" cylinders, 56" drivers
all retired by 1951

Southern #599

Baldwin 2-8-0 (1903) / collection

Southern #555-883

builders:Pittsburgh, Baldwin, Richmond
arrangement:2-8-0 Consolidation
class:Ks (318 in series)
built:1903-10
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
22x30" cylinders, 56 or 57" drivers
Southern's largest class of steam
all retired by 1953

Southern #698

Baldwin 2-8-0 (1903) / collection

Southern #747

Baldwin 2-8-0 / Marion, NC / Mar 1948 / collection

Southern #822

Baldwin 2-8-0 / collection

Southern #6591

Richmond 2-8-0 (1905) / New Orleans, La / May 1943 / collection

Southern #6565-6595

builders:Baldwin, Richmond
arrangement:2-8-0 Consolidation
class:K (31 in series)
built:1905-09
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
22x30" cylinders, 56 or 57" drivers
sublettered Alabama Great Southern
all retired by 1953

Southern #6922

Baldwin 2-8-0 / Jun 1946 / collection

Southern #6922-6926

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:2-8-0 Consolidation
class:Ks4 (5 in series)
built:1914
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
24x30" cylinders, 57" drivers
sublettered New Orleans & Northeastern
all retired by 1952

2-8-2 Mikado

Southern #4501

Baldwin 2-8-2 (1911) / Jul 1967 / JCH

Southern #4501-4635

builders:Baldwin, Alco Richmond
arrangement:2-8-2 Mikado
class:Ms (135 in series)
built:1911-14
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
27x30" cylinders, 63" drivers
all retired by 1953
#4501 survives

See also our complete Southern Railway #4501 collection

Southern #4503

Baldwin 2-8-2 (1911) / Birmingham, Al / Sep 1946 / collection

Southern #4615

Baldwin 2-8-0 (1912) / collection

Southern #6626

Alco-Richmond 2-8-2 (1926) / Birmingham, Al / Dec 1937

Southern #6622-6629

builder:Alco Richmond
arrangement:2-8-2 Mikado
class:Ms-4 (8 in AGS series)
built:1926
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
27x32" cylinders, 63" drivers
sublettered Alabama Great Southern
all retired by 1954

Southern #6910

Baldwin 2-8-2 (1920) / Chattanooga, Tn / Oct 1967 / collection

4-4-0 American

Southern #3841

Baldwin 4-4-0 (1887) / Selma, Al / collection

Southern #3859

Alco Schenectady 4-4-0 (1889) / Meridian, Ms / Jun 1938 / collection

4-6-0 Ten Wheeler

Southern #903

Rogers 4-6-0 (1890) / collection

Southern #903-906

builders:Rogers, Alco Pittsburgh
arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
class:F-2 (4 in series)
built:1889-90
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
19x24" cylinders, 66" drivers
all retired by 1935

Southern #947

Baldwin 4-6-0 (1894) / collection

Southern #902, 942-968

builders:Baldwin, Richmond, Rogers
arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
class:F-1 (27 in series)
built:1890-95
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
20x24" cylinders, 66" drivers
all retired by 1951

Southern #1092

Baldwin 4-6-0 (1903) / collection

Southern #1085-1112

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
class:F-14 (28 in series)
built:1911-14
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
21x28" cylinders, 68" drivers
all retired by 1947

Southern #6890

Baldwin 4-6-0 (1912) / Laurel, Ms / Apr 1941 / collection

Southern #6889-6891

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
class:Es-23 (3 in series)
built:1912
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
21x28" cylinders, 58" drivers
sublettered New Orleans & Northeastern
all retired by 1948

Southern #6892

Baldwin 4-6-0 (1904) / Meridian, Ms / Oct 1940 / collection

Southern #6888, 6892, 6893

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-6-0 Ten Wheeler
class:E-22 (3 in series)
built:1911-12
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
21x28" cylinders, 58" drivers
sublettered New Orleans & Northeastern
all retired by 1948

4-6-2 Pacific

Southern #1339

Baldwin 4-6-2 (1913) / collection

Southern #1325-1359

builders:Baldwin, Richmond
arrangement:4-6-2 Pacific
class:Ps-2 (35 in SOU series)
built:1912-14
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
24x28" cylinders, 72.5" drivers
all retired by 1951

Southern #1387

Alco Schenectady 4-6-2 (1924) / collection

Southern #1366-1409

builders:Baldwin, Richmond, Schenectady
arrangement:4-6-2 Pacific
class:Ps-4 (135 in series)
built:1923-28
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
27x28" cylinders, 73" drivers
all retired by 1953

Southern #6690

Alco Richmond 4-6-2 (1926) / collection

Southern #6684-6691

builders:Alco Richmond, Schenectady
arrangement:4-6-2 Pacific
class:Ps-4 (8 in AGS series)
built:1923-26
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
27x28" cylinders, 73" drivers
sublettered Alabama Great Southern
all retired by 1953

Birmingham, Al / Aug 1938 / collection

Southern #6978

Baldwin 4-6-2 (1914) / Meridian, Ms / collection

Southern #6975-6979

builder:Baldwin
arrangement:4-6-2 Pacific
class:Ps-3 (5 in NO&NE series)
built:1914
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
22x28" cylinders, 68" drivers
sublettered New Orleans & Northeastern
all retired by 1947

Southern #6979

Baldwin 4-6-2 (1914) / New Orleans, La / Jan 1939 / collection

4-8-2 Mountain

Southern #1457

Baldwin 4-8-2 (1917) / Chattanooga, Tn / Aug 1946 / collection

Southern #1450-1472

builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
arrangement:4-8-2 Mountain
class:Ts (23 in SOU series)
built:1917
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
27x28" cylinders, 69" drivers
all retired by 1953

Southern #1482

Baldwin 4-8-2 (1919) / Birmingham, Al / Apr 1948 / collection

Southern #1475-1499

builder:Baldwin, Alco Richmond
arrangement:4-8-2 Mountain
class:Ts-1 (25 in SOU series)
built:1919
fuel:soft coal/water
notes:
27x30" cylinders, 69" drivers
all retired by 1953

Links / Sources

George Drury, Guide to North American Steam Locomotives (Kalmbach, 1993) 372-4
Richard Prince, Southern Railway System Steam Locomotives and Boats (Prince, 1970)
Southern Steam classification table
American Rails Southern Steam page
Southern Steam Locomotives