SkunkyArt | mrbill6ishere — The PRR R class engines

The R2: The first 4-8-4 steam engines. These were built in the 1930s when the PRR wanted a larger engine than their I1 decapods to haul heavy trains on branchlines without any assistance whatsoever. The result was to simply extend the M1 4-8-2's trailing truck to allow for more weight distribution. Though more powerful then the I1s, they did not do exceptionally well on branchlines. But they did marvelously on the mainline, which justified their continued production. They were mainly referred to as "Rhinos", similar to how the I1s before were called "Hippos"

The R3: While the R2 did well in mixed traffic, the PRR mainly assigned them to fast freights and branchlines like the M1s. The PRR wanted a faster engine for their passenger trains. So, their solution was to create a design from scratch. The end result was the strong R3 class. These engines could run up to 110 mph (with some rumors saying they went beyond 125 mph) from Philadelphia to Chicago via Ft. Wayne, IN with only one stop for fuel, typically at Pittsburgh. They were mainly nicknamed "Keystones" by the railroad.

The R4: When the first T1 duplexes arrived in 1942, the PRR was annoyed by their frequent maintenance issues. As a backup plan, the PRR ordered 6 similarly designed 4-8-4s, which were numbered 6112- 6117. They were mainly seen on New York- St. Louis trains like "The Spirit of St. Louis". Which is how they received the nickname "Panhandles."

The R5: After the C&O's T1 Texas type was tested, leading to the conception of the J1, the PRR decided to do similar tests with other C&O engines. These included a Kanawha 2-8-4, a Greenbrier 4-8-4, a Hudson, and one of the new Lima type 4-8-6s. In the end, the PRR decided to use the Kanawha and the Greenbrier to create a pair of new, strong engines. The U2 and the R5 were the results of these ideas. The R5 mainly became a mixed traffic engine, but was mostly used on short- length passenger and freight trains through all of the PRR. Though the were especially prominent on joint operations such as The Pocahontas (with PRR subsidiary Norfolk and Western), or The South Wind (with the Louisville and Nashville, and its parent company Atlantic Coast Line), with some R5s even going all the way down the Louisville & Nashville to Montgomery, AL. The R5 engines were mainly referred to simply as "Northerns" after the division point on the PRR.

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