2-6-2 "Prairie" Steam Locomotives in the USA

In 1885 six locomotives with a 2-6-2 wheel arrangement were built by Baldwin for New Zealand Railways. In October 1898 Baldwin built a 2-6-2 for the McCloud River Railroad that was similar to 2-6-2s that they built for southern loggers in the previous two years.. In 1900 Brooks built several of this type Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. They were planned to be used on the mid-western prairies. However, they did not find favor with the Class I railroads. Only 1500 Prairies were built with many of them destined for short lines.

Railroads that used 2-6-2 "Prairie" Steam Locomotives in the USA


Surviving Examples of 2-6-2 "Prairie" Steam Locomotives in the USA

No.ClassF.M. WhyteGaugeRailroad LineLocationStatusBuilder InfoNotes
110810502-6-24'-8½"AT&SF near Ardmore depot, Ardmore, OK
display
Baldwin #20691, 1903
2968 (5245)2-6-224"Byron RR (USATC) Norgrove Gardens, Arroyo Grande, CA
stored
Davenport Locomotive Works #1700 From Monroe, WA, then Watertown, NY. Rebuilt in Creston, IA by Byron Hiatt.
72-6-236"Eureka Nevada Silverwood Theme Park, Athol, ID
operational
H.K. Porter #5724, 1915
9032-6-215" Hanson Technology Center, Lake Michigan College, Benton Harbor, MI
display
House of David Stored off site.
72-6-215"Redwood Valley Railway Redwood Valley Railway, Berkeley, CA
operational
Named The Oak; Drive wheels were borrowed to build model of Sierra Railway #3 used in filming Back To The Future III.
109610502-6-24'-8½"AT&SF Beatty Rogers Park, Blackwell, OK
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #20579, 06/1902
1102-6-24'-8½"Cliffside (Swamp Rabbit) New Hope Valley Railway, Bonsal, NC
restoration
Vulcan Iron Works (Wilkes-Barre) #3738, 07/1927From Stone Mountain where is was named Yonah II. Restoration to operation (and to burn oil) began in 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2026.
22-6-24'-8½"Manatee Crate (Taylor Country LUmber) Manatee Historical Village, Bradenton, FL
display
Baldwin #40861, 1913
108010502-6-24'-8½"AT&SF Santa Fe Depot, Brownwood, TX
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #20376, 1902
1002-6-24'-8½"FSMAlger-Sullivan Historical Society, Century, FL
display
Baldwin #52261, 1919 From the Whitewater Valley Railroad, Connersville, IN.
7862-6-214"TMRJimmie Thomas Miniature Railroad, Cheraw, SC
display
1940s
107910502-6-24'-8½"AT&SF Walter Johnson Memorial Park, Coffeyville, KS
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #20375, 1902
52-6-2T4'-8½"Coronet Phosphate Colfax Railroad Museum, Colfax, WI
display
H.K. Porter #4874, 1911 From Annandale, MN.
42-6-236"WP&Y (Klondike Mines) South Park Rail Society, Como, CO
out of service
Baldwin #37564, 1912 From the Petticoat Junction Railroad, then El Reno, OK, then Dry Gulch USA, Adair, OK, then Silver Plume, CO. Wood-fired. Out of service for boiler repairs. To be restored by the D&S, Durango, CO.
2622-6-218"Snug Harbor NRHS Oregon Coast Chapter, Coos Bay, OR
display
Oscar Coffman, 1946 From Malibu, CA then the Alton & Pacific Railroad, Eureka, CA, then David Stare.
113910502-6-24'-8½"AT&SF Boot Hill Museum and Front Street, Dodge City, KS
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #21506, 1903 Displayed with builder plate (21617) from 1144.
114010502-6-24'-8½"Southern Pine Lumber (AT&SF) Louisiana National Guard Camp Minden, Doyline, LA
stored
Baldwin, 1902 From Shreveport.
2435T2-6-24'-8½"NP Lake Superior Railroad Museum, Duluth, MN
display
Alco (Brooks) #42250, 1907Cosmetic restoration in 2019.
12-6-218"Venice Miniature Railwayunknown, El Monte, CA
stored
Johnson Machine Works (Los Angeles), 1905
101510142-6-24'-8½"AT&SF Fremont Park, Emporia, KS
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #19642, 1901
62-6-24'-8½"CIC Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad, Escanaba, MI
stored
Baldwin #43340, 1916
112-6-24'-8½"Everett Railroad (Morehead & North Fork) H&BT Depot, Everett, PA
display
Baldwin #33333, 04/1909 From the Williams Grove Amusement Park, Dillsburg, PA. Used for excursions in the 1960s.
262-6-236"SS&S NJ Museum of Transportation, Farmingdale, NJ
display
Baldwin #53796, 1920
9012-6-215" NWORRP, Findlay, OH
operational
House of David, 1948
52-6-236"Argent Lumber Ardenwood Railroad, Fremont, CA
display
Lima #1116, 1910From the Nevada County NG Railroad Museum, Nevada City, CA.
19022-6-2ST24"USATC National Infantry Museum, Ft. Benning, GA
display
Davenport Locomotive Works #1682, 1918
12-6-24'-8½"WBT&S Galveston Railroad Museum, Galveston, TX
display
Baldwin #53413, 1920
252-6-24'-8½"MCR Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, Garibaldi, OR
operational
Alco (Schenectady) #66435, 1925From the McCloud Railway Co., McCloud, CA. Appeared in 'Stand By Me' (1986 movie). Taken out of service in early January 2023. Returned to operation on July 18, 2024.
1022-6-212"WF&P Wabash, Frisco & Pacific Railroad, Glencoe, MO
out of service
Ted Young, 1983Modeled after CS&CCD Railway 102; Awaiting new boiler.
25010-34-D2-6-24'-8½"Bonhomie & Hattiesburg Southern Grafton & Upton Railroad, Grafton, MA
stored
Baldwin #59239, 05/1926 From WK&S, then Hobo RR, Lincoln, then Concord, NH, then Edaville USA, South Carver, MA.
12-6-24'-8½"LA Cypress Lumber Co. Roosevelt Railroad Museum (defunct), Griffin, GAunknownH.K. Porter #6663, 1921 Acquired by Warren Frye. Only the cab remains at this location. Current location unknown.
961 ton2-6-2T4'-8½"GP Wynoochee River Gorge, Grisdale, WA
sunk
Baldwin #57709, 1924
72-6-24'-8½"Prescott & Northwestern (Caddo & Choctaw) Black Hills Central Railroad, Hill City, SD
display
Baldwin #51771, 1919 Named The General Custer.
1032-6-2T4'-8½"PT Black Hills Central Railroad, Hill City, SD
stored
Baldwin #55482, 1922 Used as a spare parts source for sister PT locomotive 104.
1042-6-2T4'-8½"PT Black Hills Central Railroad, Hill City, SD
operational
Baldwin #59137, 1926
452-6-24'-8½"Rayonier (Polson Logging) Polson Museum, Hoquiam, WA
restoration
Baldwin #27311, 01/1906From Mineral, WA.
105010502-6-24'-8½"AT&SF Independence Riverside Park, Independence, KS
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #20132, 1902
7 (8)2-6-24'-8½"Amador Central (MCR) Police Department Park, Main St, Ione, CA
display
Burnham, Williams #1895, 1901
42-6-24'-8½"Cypress Lumber (Lee Tidewater Cypress Co) WK&S Railroad, Kempton, PAdisassembledBaldwin #41652, 1914From Monee, IL then purchased disassembled from Hardin Southern Railroad, Hardin, KY in 2008. Listed for sale in July 2025.
102410142-6-24'-8½"AT&SF Warren Ave Park, La Junta, CO
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #19684, 1901
181918002-6-24'-8½"AT&SF behind Amtrak depot, Lamar, CO
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #29425, 1906
42-6-24'-8½"Laona & Northern (Fairchild & Northeastern) Laona & Northern, Laona, WI
operational
Vulcan Iron Works (Wilkes-Barre) #2535, 1916 Never operated on the L&NE.
112910502-6-24'-8½"AT&SF Highway 329 & Grand Ave., Las Vegas, NM
display
Baldwin #21306, 1902 Restoration to operation is being considered.
1A-C-A2-6-218"Timnath Northwestern John Blue Complex, Laurinburg, NC
operational
Alex Schneider and Roger Mitchell (Loveland CO) #1, 1984From the Swetsville Zoo, Timnath, CO. For sale.
107310502-6-24'-8½"AT&SF Watson Park, Lawrence, KS
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #20333, 1902
2052-6-24'-8½"SMV Albany & Eastern Railroad, Lebanon, OR
operational
Baldwin #57613, 1924info & photo From Independence, OR. Uses the tender from sister SMV locomotive 100. Restoration work started in 2006. Restored to operation in September 2021.
7 (13)2-6-24'-8½"S&F (DV&RL) Travel Town Museum, Los Angeles, CA
display
Alco (Dickson) #26264, 12/1902Originally built as a 2-6-0 type.
22-6-218"BJWRR (Venice Miniature Railway) Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad, Oak Meadow Park, Los Gatos, CA
operational
Johnson Machine Works (Los Angeles), 1905Received a new boiler in 2005.
294 (47)2-6-24'-8½"Republic Steel (River Terminal) Lynnville Railroad Museum, Lynnville, TN
display
Baldwin #59760, 1927
1052-6-24'-8½"VSP&SSRR Modoc Northern Siding, Merrill, OR
stored
Fred Kepner collection. Being kept by the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, Garibaldi, OR for a planned museum.
12-6-2T4'-8½"OP&E Modoc Northern Siding, Merrill, OR
stored
Appeared in the movie "Emperor of the North". Fred Kepner collection. To be moved to the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, Garibaldi, OR.
1042-6-2T4'-8½"ORAMLumber Modoc Northern Siding, Merrill, OR
stored
Was the back-up engine to 105 on the Verona South Park & Sunset Railroad. Fred Kepner collection. Not being offered for sale. Being kept by the Oregon Coast Scenic for a planned museum.
32-6-24'-8½"Arkansas, Louisiana & Missouri (Brown Paper Mill) Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo, Monroe, LA
display
Baldwin #60295, 12/1927 From Graphic Packaging, West Monroe; Driven into park under its own power in 1962.
82-6-24'-8½"Feather River Art Wilson Co., Mound House, NV
stored
Baldwin #32160, 11/1907From V&T Railroad then Gold Hill. Appeared in Great American Train Rides I. Current status is not clear.
52-6-24'-8½"Nahma&No RR Nahma Township Park, Nahma, MI
display
Baldwin #38846, 1912
22-6-24'-8½"Lee Tidewater Cypress Co (Barfield Lumber) Collier County Museum, Naples, FL
display
Baldwin #53177, 05/1920Named The Deuce.
62-6-24'-8½"Skagit River east of N Cascades National Park, Hwy20, Newhalem, WA
display
Baldwin #60440, 1928Last operated in early 1980s between Sedro-Woolley and Concrete.
188018002-6-24'-8½"AT&SF Military Park, Newton, KS
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #31460, 1907
112-6-24'-8½"Reader (Caddo & Choctaw) Riney-B Park, Nicholasville, KY
display
Baldwin #58194, 01/1925 Operated until 1993.
52-6-24'-8½"Calcasieu Paper Ameristar Casino, North Kansas City, MO
display
Baldwin #38219, 1912
2-6-22'West Tocoi & Bostwick Northeast Florida Live Steamers & Railroaders, Inc., Palm Coast, FL
operational
2 (107)2-6-24'-8½"Ventura County Southern California Railway Museum, Perris, CA
out of service
Baldwin #55415, 1922 Taken out of service in October 2021. Undergoing mandated 1,472-day inspection and overhaul. To return to service in 2026.
112-6-24'-8½"St Joe Lumber & Exp The Centennial Bldg, Port St. Joe, FL
display
Baldwin #45365, 1917
4 (22)2-6-24'-8½"WTCarter Lumber Reader Railroad, Reader, AR
stored
Baldwin #40958, 1913 From the Reader Railroad. Later leased to the Tavares, Eustis & Gulf Railroad, Tavares, FL.
72-6-24'-8½"Long Leaf Lumber (VF&W) Reader Railroad, Reader, AR
stored
Burnham, Williams #31063, 1907 Paritally dismantled.
22-6-2T4'-8½"SV&E Shasta Cascade Rail Preservation Society, Redding, CA
display
Baldwin #32651, 1908 From Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder City, NV.
101010002-6-24'-8½"AT&SF California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento, CA
restoration
Baldwin (Burnham) #19630, 1901Scott Special Featured in the TV series 'Death Valley Days' (1952-1970). Restoration to operating condition began in early November 2023.
1903 (233)2-6-2T4'-8½"SP (Central Pacific) California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento, CA
stored
CP (Sacramento), 01/1882From the Niles Canyon Railway, Sunol, CA.
32-6-24'-8½"ST&E (Delbeer & Carson Lumber) Timber Heritage Association, Samoa, CA
stored
Baldwin #55248, 01/1922From the California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento, CA.
292-6-24'-8½"Pacific Lumber Timber Heritage Association, Samoa, CA
stored
Baldwin #34484, 1910From Eureka, then Timber Heritage Association, Glendale.
3 (1)2-6-236"Laurel Valley Plantation (Barker & LePine) Pacific Coast Railroad, Santa Margarita, CA
operational
H.K. Porter #1790, 1897 Named Melodia. From Space City USA then Carowinds Amusement Park, Charlotte. Converted from an 0-6-2RT to 2-6-2 in 1964 by Crown Metal Products.
122-6-215"Paradise & Pacific RR McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, 7301 E Indian Bend Rd, Scottsdale, AZ
display
12-6-24'-8½"Brooks Scanlon Steamtown National Historic Site, Scranton, PA
display
Baldwin #41649, 1914
12B-3-E2-6-236"GL (Kahului Railroad) Georgetown Loop RR, Silver Plume, CO
stored
Baldwin #60690, 1928 From Hawaii, then the C&TS, then Mt. Pleasant, IA, then Silverwood Amusement Park, Athol, ID, then Georgetown, CO, then Midwest Central Railroad from 2012 to 2019. Parked near engine house partially dismantled.
182-6-24'-8½"Florida & Alabama Sioux City Railroad Museum, Sioux City, IA
restoration
Baldwin #52850, 01/1920 From White Sulfer Springs, MT then Pelgas Propane Co., Atlantic, IA then Freemont & Elkhorn RR, Hooper, NE. Cosmetic restoration only.
180918002-6-24'-8½"AT&SF W Lubbock & S 8th, Slaton, TX
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #29281, 1906
5 (19)2-6-24'-8½"Rosco Snyder & Pacific (Harbeson Lumber) Scurry County Coliseum, Snyder, TX
display
Baldwin #52918, 01/1920
9022-6-215"Black River Michigan Flywheelers Museum, South Haven, MI
restoration
House of David From Eden Springs Park, Benton Harbor, MI. Railroad and locomotive to be completed by 2026.
92-6-24'-8½"Amador Central (MCR) Age of Steam Roundhouse, Sugarcreek, OH
display
Baldwin #18596, 01/1901Sold to YWRR in 1939, then to ACRR in 1944, then to NP&I in 1945, then to Mid-Continent RR Museum in 1966, then to Kettle Moraine RY and operated until 2001, then to Jerry Jacobson in 2015. Awaiting restoration.
1082-6-24'-8½"A&NR Church St., Sulphur Springs, TX
stored
Baldwin, 1920 From Reader, AR, then North Conway, NH. Owned by Robbins Rail Museum. Currently stored in pieces and awaiting restoration.
302-6-24'-8½"Sierra Niles Canyon Railway, Sunol, CA
restoration
Baldwin #55412, 05/1922Operated as the primary locomotive on the Castro Point Railway. Being restored to operation.
22-6-2T4'-8½"Quincy RR Niles Canyon Railway, Sunol, CA
stored
Alco #66032, 12/1924Taken out of service in 2017. Stored while awaiting restoration.
32-6-2T4'-8½"Robert Dollar Niles Canyon Railway, Sunol, CA
operational
Alco (Schenectady) #67544, 11/1927Traded to PLA from the Western Railway Museum, Suisun City, CA.
1002-6-24'-8½"Weyerhaeuser Central Park, Sutherlin, OR
display
Alco (Cooke) #62965, 1921photo & info
1032-6-24'-8½"Sumter & Choctaw RMNE Yard, Thomaston, CT
stored
Baldwin #58754, 1925 From the Valley Railroad, Essex, Connecticut. Fund raising campaign announced in 2023 to restore to operating condition.
103510142-6-24'-8½"AT&SFKaw River, Topeka, KS
sunk
Baldwin #19764, 1901 Retired in 1950 and placed in a dead line. Moved to the stabilize Kaw River bridge on July 13, 1951 with 9 other retired locomotives. May have been partially salvaged and scrapped during a dry spell in 1956.
2072-6-24'-8½"DFI Tulsa Fairgrounds, Tulsa, OK
restoration
Baldwin #45549, 05/1917 Being restored by the Oklahoma Heritage Railway Association. To be moved to another location in Tulsa for restoration to operation. Restoration halted in 2025 but then possibly resumed.
1012-6-24'-8½"Tuskegee Illinois Railway Museum, Union, IL
display
Baldwin #58057, 1924Served as the museum's mainline locomotive until 1989 when it was retired and placed it on static display. It is currently partially dismantled in barn 9.
92-6-2T4'-8½"Coronet Phosphate Illinois Railway Museum, Union, IL
display
H.K. Porter #6992, 1925From the Thompson Winery, Monee, IL.
12-6-224"Rome & Fort Bull Railroad Railstar, Black Clawson, Watertown, NY
stored
Nolan From Erie Canal Village, Rome, NY.
106710502-6-24'-8½"AT&SF Sellers Park, Wellington, KS
display
Baldwin (Burnham) #20268, 1902
42-6-24'-8½"Long Bell Lumber Baldo Locomotive Works, Willits, CA
stored
From Gene Autry, Melody Ranch, Newhall, CA, formerly part of the Fred Kepner collection, Merrill, OR. Slope-back tender.
2 (7)2-6-2T4'-8½"Port of Olympia (Mason County Logging) Roots of Motive Power, Willits, CA
private operational
Baldwin #34666, 1910Restored to operation by the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad, Elbe, WA.
142-6-2T4'-8½"CA Western Roots of Motive Power, Willits, CA
display
Baldwin #58050, 1924 From Fort Bragg, CA. Awaiting restoration back to operation.
1042-6-24'-8½"WW Cummer & Sons Cypress Florida Railroad Museum, Willow, FL
display
Baldwin #53141, 1920From Leesburg.
162-6-24'-8½"Lee Tidewater Cypress CoClyde Schurman Machine Shop, Woodland, WA
display
Baldwin #51871, 1919From North Lake, WI.
22-6-24'-8½"Yakutat & Southern Y&S RoW near school, Yakutat, AK
display
Lima #1057, 1907 Only successful locomotive to work for the Y&S Railroad. Worked there until 1949, before attempts to modernize motive power failed. Awaiting future cosmetic restoration.
72-6-24'-8½"Brooks Scanlon Pioneer Park Museum, Zolfo Springs, FL
display
Baldwin #41650, 1914 May possibly be returning to Wauchula.
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