MTH ELECTRIC TRAINS

While many railroads has switched to diesel power by the 1950's, Norfolk and Western was profitably using steam power until the 1960's. No other railroad fought dieselization for so long. The locomotive that led the fight was the "J" class 4-8-4. The J was so successful because in its design, N&W addressed one of the main problems that railroads had with steam locomotives: maintenance. The J's axleboxes had roller bearings. Its mechanical lubricators oiled other bearings, the steam cylinders and oil pumps. With these and other advancements, J's only had to visit the repair shops once every 1 ½ years.

Even though N&W built their J's in their own Roanoke, Virginia shops, outside sources supplied many necessary parts. Many of these outside suppliers were rapidly going out of business. The parts supply shortages, a changing coal market, changing horsepower needs and other factors finally caused the end of the last steam program in 1960.

Today, the Norfolk and Western J is alive and well and returns to the RailKing line of steam engines with the incredible Proto-Sound 2.0 digital command system.