20 of the Best Trains Ever | History in the Dark

As I suffer through a horrific cold, let us go back and revisit some of the best trains in history.
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#trains #railfan #top20

[@DrFruikenstein]

Last I checked, 3985 was in Silvis Illinois, getting the boiler rebuilt by its new owner. Also, 3985 only got cleaned up and repaired before returning to service. It wasn't properly restored.

[@weylinwest9505]

Along with 5511, and The Centennial as well if memory serves.

[@ivanelkins4086]

Came here to say this

[@ivanelkins4086]

​@@weylinwest9505yes

[@Kmwildride]

Love the Q1, was one of the reasons I went to the national railway museum this year, was great to see one in person.

[@rysestormer9184]

Is a loaf box

[@ChrisCooper312]

The 43s have almost entirely gone from British Rail now, only being used in Scotland, but they still refuse to die and along with a number that have gone into preservation, or are used on test trains, others are now being exported to Mexico and Nigeria.

[@williammacdonald3173]

3985 is at the former rock island shops in silvis Illinois actively being restored back to operation

[@BlackNovember_94]

32:00 HA! I was on that train 3 weeks ago. Also it’s good to see 3 out of my 10 favourite locomotives on this list.

[@darrengorham667]

Thank you for adding the Q1- I recently saw the last surviving example, 'Charlie 1' at the National Railway Museum in March, and I saw it at the Bluebell Railway in 1992; thanks for bringing back some happy memories of seeing steam locomotives with my late dad :)

[@srmoll]

The British Rail Class 43s are disappearing from UK rail lines now. It might interest you to know that several have been shipped to Mexico for Tren Interoceánico.

[@Davids_Hobbies]

NJ Transit has two F40PHs still in service, I've seen both them, 4119 and 4120, several times! I've taken several videos of them that can be found on my channel. Although they have Caterpillar Engines so they're designated as the F40PH-2CAT. As with Metro North, on the West of Hudson side operated by NJ Transit, they have quite a few F40PHs still in service and I've seen a few of those as well!

[@alexmichel1873]

I took ride on the Durango & Silverton and the Cumbres & Toltic RRs last year. Those K36s were amazing and powerful locomotives

[@chrism7894]

Actually the Challenger #3985 was donated to Railroading Heritage of Midwest America in 2022 and they are working on restoring it. They were also given DDA40X #6936 and 2-10-2 #5511.

[@TheOutlaw2.0]

Didn't #4014 get sent there too?

[@atsf47legit]

​@@TheOutlaw2.0No, 4014 is still with UP.

[@acescionti711]

3985. Isn’t with Union Pacific anymore. They donated it and another UP steamer. With some rolling stock to a major preservation society that intends to run her again and the other loco too

[@goldie44]

UP 3985 was moved to the former Rock Island Silva, Illinois locomotive shops for restoration a few months ago. UP 5511 ( 2-10-2 ) joined it for the move as the same preservation group wants to restore that engine as well

[@TheHoveHeretic]

They're showing up all across the UK's heritage railways right now. Seems odd, doesn't it?

[@williamsquires3070]

Don’t forget the DM&IR Yellowstones; they weren’t quite as big as the Big Boy, but they could out-pull it. They were used to pull loads of iron ore to docks in Michigan and thereabouts. There’s recent YT video on the Yellowstones by Trains of Thought (YT Channel).

[@JSmith19858]

The Deltic name is because it uses an opposed piston engine with a triangular layout, or Greek Delta. Brush had a pretty good idea of what they were doing, coming up with the 47. English Electric had their own swing and a miss with the 23, which carried over bits of the 55

[@railfanningjay]

UP 3985 was sold and currently being restored

[@obelic71]

Fun fact a Napier Deltic engine was used by the Firedepartment of New York in the US. It was used to power a waterpump on a tractor trailer. The FD of NY needed a very powerfull pump that could be used to feed several firetrucks with enough water from the rivers in NY to fight big fires. So they bought the most powerfull compact dieselengine available at that time. A Napier Deltic 18 cillinder 32 opposing Piston engine. The super pumper became the most powerfull firedepartment pumping unit in the world. The waterpressure it produced could knock down a building And yes the trailer the working part of the super pumper is preserved at the FDNY museum.

[@inspectorjohnnywolfergad4149]

22:00 They really look like one of those impressive Narrow Steam Locos that they used to work on our Puerto Rican Railway, which I know I'm wrong but, those do look like it.

[@PiersDJackson]

Some basics of BR locomotive classifications, particularly diesels. Firstly the leading "0" in classes are used, ie. it's Class 08 not Class 8. That leading number (generally) corresponds with the "Type" or Power range, except 01-20, so a Class 21 is in the 1001 to 1500 Hp range... the 01-07 are shunters/switchers below 300Hp; 08-13 are shunters/switchers upto 800Hp, the 14-20 were general purpose from 650Hp-1000Hp. The Type 3 was 1501-2000Hp, Type 4 was 2001-2999Hp, and Type 5 was anything over 3000Hp. Classes between 70 and 79 were DC electric locomotives, 80 through 96 are AC electric locomotives. Everything over 100 is a multiple unit.

[@ChargerusPrime]

3985 is currently being restored in silvis Illinois. Don't know if she'll ever run on UP steels again, but it's likely.

[@Cosmos-mz5ut]

F40phs are a Dub engine, sd-40s to. I love them

[@muir8009]

Great video. Marvellous. The NZR H spent 82 years in mainline service, the U26C are in their 52nd year doing mainline service. The G12 had a 92% availability rate over their 30 year service. I appreciate there will always be an almost immeasurable amount of qualifying locos, and even on the US front I feel the Big Boy, its almost too well known, too misinformed (even the narrow gauge GMA was longer). Yes it was big, and I definitely agree it's PR far outweighs it's abilities or any technical prowess. Actually I'm super impressed with your coverage though, however, one locomotive that was a genuine game changer, and I could add THE most famous locomotive of them all (BACK you big boy and flying Scotsman fans!): Stephenson's Rocket. Winner at Rainhill, proof that a locomotive operated railway would function, and the prototype locomotive (yes planet et al had details etc, but rocket had a footplate, tender at the bum, chimney at the front, firebox, horizontal(ish) cylinders, operationally reliable valve gear, top hats and a snazzy paint job, and, massively, public acceptance and even the first train enthusiast groupie (go Fanny Kemble you good thing)

[@TheLazyFusspot_3428]

It's such a miracle when you realise that Henry, a Pacific with mediocre results, ended up being rebuilt into a near unstoppable multipurpose utilitarian beast of an engine.

[@elsagillespie5210]

Transport for N.S.W uses the 43 class (HST), but we call it the XPT, it uses the Brisbane to Melbourne via Sydney corridor.

[@kevinkern2149]

There are a number of F40PHs still in service outside of VIA in various rebuilt and modified forms. NJ Transit still rosters two of them that are mostly used on work trains. They were a common sight on the Raritan Valley Line (my hometown commuter line), and I miss their iconic, Darth Vader mask profile. Boston's commuter rail network, the MBTA, still runs them, too, the F40s being more reliable than their MPI replacements as well as wearing the T's commuter rail livery better.

[@geoffgunn9673]

you could have added the NSWGR 48 class. Built in the 60's and they are still in revenue service . They where one of the best loco's they had for any use. Was common to see 3 or 4 pulling a consist. There are also quite a few other loco's from the 60's still in service on Australian rail lines

[@ktipuss]

True, although they are based on an ALCO yard switcher loco for North American operators, so they might appear on a list sometime as something else. They are gradually disappearing from service as the trains they were designed for, light freight and passenger trains, have largely gone, many replaced by electric intercity trains, or like the old mail trains, just abolished. The 422 Class of NSW would rank high up however. Incidentally the 422s entered service in NSW at the same time as NSW's oldest, the 19 Class, were still in service. And speaking of the 19 Class, they should be on a list too; an example of the Stephenson 1840 "Long Boiler" design but still running in NSW until 1972.

[@RioGrande486]

Lucky me, I guess my favorite locomotive class is one of the top 20! K-36s a will always be the best in my eyes.

[@harrisonallen651]

Starting with the Q1/Neville was a great move

[@andrewbowen4544]

The HST's have found their way to Mexico.

[@JustinCurryViolin]

Traded their tea and rum for horchata and tequila.

[@warbirdgamer]

They are welcome

[@True_NOON]

Well untill one of the SD70s dings it making the 43 explode or smth , but untill itll go smooth :D

[@robertdipaola3447]

I totally agree with your pick as the GG-1 is legendary, raymond Lowery 's most successful design, and she could pull freight trains as efficiently as high speed passenger service, speeds up to 120 mph, thanks for making her number 1, she surely deserves it!!!

[@rogerrendzak8055]

"Ten wheeler" (@06:20)??? That is called (as you already know), a 4-6-0. The terminology 'wheeler', denotes number of wheels, which is only reserved to box, and articulated trucks 🚛. Besides that, this was a highly detailed endeavor, into our train world👍. The GG1 IS, the most beautiful, electric driven locomotive in the world (in my opinion).

[@evangaines2303]

This is the compilation I was waiting for. Well done Darkness, you won my respect.

[@spooge1oh1]

It always makes me giggle a little bit that the K-36s preservation is rivaled only by the Iowas.

[@davidsummerfield2594]

The class 43 as now been replaced from main long distance services in the UK and is only used in Scotland on local services, and very few in the west of england, the 43,s in the west may have been with drawn by now, these trains although revamped a few times date from the late 1970,s over 40 years ago!.

[@dougstubbs9637]

The High Speed Trains STILL operate for New South Wales. And, as you pointed out, the replacements are always below par, Siemans offering having bulk overheating issues running in the outback….so HST keeps going. Oh, I wish to point out the tilt train out of BR, which you have nominated as bad…well, it’s still running up the Queensland coast on the narrow gauge track. And it literally can not be replaced anytime soon.

[@thomaserixton4662]

I do believe 3985 is going to get restored by another organization as it was either bought or donated so it could be restored along with the secondary engine from Union Pacific

[@MorrisHillmanProductions]

The Victorian Railways here in Australia also operated a broad gauge version of the Class 08, which were designated the F Class under their numbering system.

[@Iliketrains0110]

Finally! Actual good trains to talk about today! Got sick and tired of videos about the worst!

[@sargentrowell81]

I would've never known that the Class 59 was a british version of the SD40-2. Now I've got a cool fact to share with my british friend, lol. Also had no clue Via Rail was buying some of Amtrak's old Genesis series locomotives. I wonder if they'll buy both P40's and P42's or just one? Maybe the P32's as well for an electrification project? Probably not the last one, but that's interesting to know we could soon see them give the P40's the same treatment they previously gave the F40's. Seems they'll have decades more service to come if they're willing to rebuild them as much as they have the F40's.

[@fuzzwork]

Via isn't buying Amtrak's P42s, they're replacing their own with Chargers. The F40PH-2Ds on roster are sticking around for a long while longer, they were all rebuilt to Tier0+ and are materially in better shape than the P42s. It's more likely Via will buy extra chargers to replace the F40s in the long run to have a uniform fleet.

[@Amarouq2]

You mentioned that the K-4 is the official steam locomotive of the state of Pennsylvania, but did you know that the GG1 (#4859) is the state’s official electric locomotive.

[@DrFruikenstein]

I'm one of the lucky ones that was living in Freeport, IL. when Chicago Central & Pacific took over the old IC line through town. They ran a lot of GP-9 power, as well as 7s and 10s. I knew what I was seeing, and got pics. I wish I knew where those pics are now. It was interesting to see five to seven power units on one train.

[@williamsquires3070]

Yeah, there are still SD40-2s still operating today, all these years later. 💙

[@ChrisCooper312]

Back in January i was over in The Netherlands and visited the Railway Museum at Utrecht. Stepping outside the main building to the outside yard area i heard a distinctly English Electric engine sound, and on wallking a bit further came across what was basically a Class 08 being used to shunt around some other trains. Turns out that the Dutch also bought some of the same design for their railways. They had previously bought some British steam locos, and later went on to buy some of the Class 77s when the Woodhead Route closed (this route being 1500v DC, none standard by that time in the UK, but standard for the Netherlands to this day).

[@johnd8892]

Really the predecessor of the 08 which got classed as the 11 class under TOPS. A smaller wheeled locomotive a version of which was also used by the Victorian Railways in Australia as their F class running on 1600mm gauge.

[@warbird1e1]

On the milwaukee Chicago like we had an f40ph running 3 years ago, looked great

[@swordkirbyfilms7747]

I believe Strasburg is currently restoring Long Island Railroad G5 #39.

[@JamesAllmond]

Ruffle feathers man, ruffel them, then flap them really loud....it's your channel! GO FOR IT! 😎

[@philrisbridger919]

The new trains used to replace the HST's can not go as fast under diesel as the HST and have to miss out some stops to keep on schedule

[@lucasgeesey4719]

here we go, wash out all the bad train lists negativity with best trains ever

[@cmdrflake]

How about the truly massive 2-8-8-4 Yellowstones the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range had that had routinely wrestled with 10,000+ ton trains.

[@SnoofyAir]

Haha I caught that office joke reference great video as always

[@thefuriousgamer2553]

Where’s the GS series, cab forwards, Berkshires, Niagara’s, Hudson, and Mohawks???

[@henkbarnard1553]

5:20 In Cricket if you hit the ball far enough, you get 6 points.

[@GrandOvertureLaughter]

Im surprised there was no mention of neville from thomas for the Q1 entry..

[@johnathonmcjohn3]

probably because history of the dark doesnt know alot about the hit era

[@MrCateagle]

GG1 lines owe much to its predecessor, the P-5a(modified) that saw a boxcar locomotive to a streamlined steeple cab.

[@thenekom]

The SD40-2 is STILL in revenue service for I believe every single class I in the country. Granted a lot of them went through a rebuild or two but still that's built to last.

[@frostlord1246]

16:52 I don't care if people think the Big Boy is overrated. It's still my favorite locomotive ever!

[@antonbruce1241]

A lot of SD40-2's have been rebuilt, and many still serve not only on Class I, but Class II and Class III railroads as well. The same with the GP9...

[@antonbruce1241]

What...you didn't include the Southern Pacific GS class? I mean really! SP 4449 is world famous!!!

[@johnd8892]

You will not see the C17 on many preserved railways in Australia but just on the ones in the state of Queensland. The narrow gauge of 1076mm Queensland uses mostly restricts it to Queensland.

[@AlgerianGuy-xf9lp]

So Neville, pip and Emma, Henry, and diesel are in this, wow

[@adempllana8834]

Do Frisco 4-8-4 northern 4500

[@jji6236]

0:01 Neville! Is that you? Also, where’s the EMD f-unit?

[@rpmillam]

Well done, will you do best small engines?

[@sharksman20rocks]

Interesting note: The F40PHR shown at 11:28, #262, would be involved in the accident at Big Bayou Canot in 1993, RIP.

[@bigboy-tk8vq]

the black 5 was the engine for the Thomas and friends character Henry

[@williamsquires3070]

It’s interesting that the real Black 5 is on this list, while the Hornby OO-scale model of this would be on the, ahem, worst 10 trains ever (at least, according to reviews.) 😮

[@Doll.The.Solver]

IM BACK!!!!!!!! AND IM UNDERWATER TRAIN FINDER AGAIN!!!!

[@LiamBond-iw4do]

Explain plz

[@chasselmes8141]

Wonderful. Q1 class, coffee pots indeed, also known as 'Charlies', I don't know why. I had the honour to work with many ex-steam men who drove them, said they were brilliant but basic.

[@errantharpy]

I don’t even go here; I was watching the failed business videos. But here I am five train videos deep and now I know a common cause for steam engine explosions, what a Big Boy is, and that British Railways modernization program in the 60’s turned out some garbage trains… I’m not even mad; Youtubr rabbit holes, man!

[@jeremyjohnson457]

By the late 90s, the f40s were synonymous with breakdowns, delays, and Hep failures. 11:53

[@kristoffermangila]

Here's some fun facts about the Pennsy K4: it shares the same boiler as the L1 Mikados. And it became Sir Nigel Gresley's inspiration for his A4.

[@johnd8892]

Inspired the 1922 Gresley A1 , of which the Flying Scotsman is the most famous. The developed into the A3 and was further developed into the new streamlined A4 class with Mallard being the most famous. Although no K4 details used. More the idea that the Pacific layout could provide for a much larger boiler and firebox to make a powerful and fast locomotive that impressed Gresley by how the K4 locomotives performed. While still being a manageable size with little restrictions to use.

[@danielmkubacki]

Good list.

[@tidepoolclipper8657]

There's also the Shinkansen E5 & E6 (my favorite electric trains), N&W Y6b, Russian E-class 0-10-0, DRB Class 50, DRB Class 52 (which had over 7,000 produced), Alco RS-1, RS-3M (not the original RS-3), Alco RS-11, DB Class V 160, DB Class 218, DR Class V 180, GS-2, GS-4, BR Standard Class 9F, Atlantics, Pacifics, Hudson 4-6-4, BR Class 66, BR Class 67, BR Class 91, Rio & Grande K-37, Rio & Grande K-28, AC-11 no. 4274, Stephenson's Rocket, The Planet locomotive, Adler 2-2-2, EMD F7, Milwaukee Road class F7, and Berkshire.

[@resender329]

Well I'm building an N-scale layout and it took me 2 years to find a gg1 for decent price to act as a museum piece on the layout

[@Jared-91]

The only tips I can give you on the pronunciation of German is when an E is on the end of a word, it has an "uh" sound. So "ende" would be pronounced "end-uh". J is pronounced as a Y. W is pronounced as a V. ß is pronounced as a sharp S, or double S. Ü is pronounced almost like the oo in boot.

[@williammacdonald3173]

Quite a few commuter rail lines still use f40phs

[@eftalanquest]

you know what's missing in this list, the german E40 freight locomotive. introduced in the 50's and still in service to this day.

[@tidepoolclipper8657]

Speaking of German locomotives; There's also DB Class V 160, DB Class 218, DR Class V 180, DRB Class 50, and DRB Class 52. Heck, they seem to be the only country to make diesel-hydraulics work. Like with the Voith Gravita.

[@eftalanquest]

@@tidepoolclipper8657 the gravita is an odd choice when listing successful diesel hydraulics, my experiences with this loco are quite different.

[@Heroduothecomedian]

Q1 is one of my favorite British locomotives, partly thanks to thomas and partly because it different from mostly standard steam engines of the time, i love when things try to be different so it was love at first sight for me little me when i learned about them

[@Gfr4OfficalYT]

16:50 Wat de hail is that riderod?

[@tootallslim4085]

844 is one sweet locomotive!!!

[@colestrains1]

Can you do a history of the CPR #2816 please? She just finished her final spike tour!

[@0fficialdregs]

I LOVE THE CLASS 08!!!!

[@Foxttellio]

Omg it happened, QR was recognised!

[@Tom-Lahaye]

The Baureihe 103 was a bit underpowered? You maybe mean that output of the series compared with the 6 prototypes was raised a bit because they still wanted a bit more 🤔 The final series production version developed 10,500hp continuous and 14,000hp for 5 minutes, the only single section locomotive which has beaten this is the Swiss Re 6/6 and further some other articulated multi section electrics have beaten this figure. No steam, diesel or gas turbine ever reached such horsepower from one unit/locomotive. Tractive effort was at 68,000lbf also not bad considering it is a 125mph express locomotive.

[@FabianHunor]

Here are some locos from my home country for your best/worst trains lists: - MÁV M63 class (worst), Co-Co diesel electrics, only 10 were built, they were made by Ganz-Mávag and they were the strongest homebuilt diesels in hungary, but they were very expensive and very unreliable (the engine was a license built french design, but they changed the fuel injection and exhaust system wich made it worse). Only 1 remains in preservation in a non-running cndition -MÁV class 424 (best), a 4-8-0 mixed traffic steam engine, built between 1924-1958 by Mávag and they were in service from 1924 until the end of steam in hungary (1984). They were reliable, had good tractive effort, and were efficient. They are somewhat well known in europe for a reason. Out of the 514 ever made (149 out of this were export models) 19 were preserved with two (424 009 and 424 247) -MÁV class V63/630 class (best) an electric locomotive made by Ganz-Mávag, they were the strongest homebuilt locomotives in hungary and they also hold the speed record with 197 km/h (122 mph). 56 were made between 1974 and 1988 and out of those 52 is still in operation.

[@markstott6689]

Please add a British Rail 9F next time. Thanks. 😊❤😊

[@jeremyjohnson457]

The only reason why 4014 is running is because it is and was the only complete big boy out there. The rest of them were picked apart from Union Pacific for the 3985 and the 844

[@tommcglone2867]

The Q1s were i think the most powerful 0-6-0s ever built

[@pvtchsoundsstudio2431]

in the next part include the Danish Y-trains(y-tog)

[@serpentinesecrets6771]

The Q1 reminds me of a Swiss cake roll

[@VirgotheDrusky]

21:40 its Rio GRAND (but spelt Grande)

[@nicolamarchbank1846]

Did anyone else giggle when the 3rd British Rail type appears? What were the chances?

[@daffyduk77]

Those GG1s are weird. Impressive kit for it's time. No good for single-manning, though I guess

[@TheOutlaw2.0]

21:33 The birb man @Hyce777 will be proud

[@hearingthesmells2500]

Class 37 is my childhood

[@hearingthesmells2500]

Used to call it a gas mask

[@jeremyjohnson457]

17:34 big boy is a half failure being unable to originally be converted to oil early on. When they were built originally back in the 40s the technology for atomizing oil wasn't too great not like today

[@paulw.woodring7304]

Minor correction. In the SD40-2 section, CSX #8624 is a SD50 (not one of the most successful models ever). I think I would have lumped together all of the EMD 40 series units into one catagory and included the GP40/-2 as well. The 40 series were certainly the last truly successful and long-lasting EMD products built. B&O/C&O/WM/Chessie alone rostered over 400 of them as the primary road power for Chessie System well into the 1980s. I'm guessing that Van Sweringen Berkshires would have been #21 on your list of best locomotives? Certainly among the most successful designs of the steam era. Let's face it, artificial limits on these "Best of" lists don't do them justice. The other Amtrak locomotive that "saved" the company was definitely the AEM-7 electric (called that by former Amtrak President Paul Reistrup), the best contemporary U. S. electric locomotive. Fitting that there was a preserved one in the background of your PRR K-4 segment.

[@jazzykingjack2846]

I love the Q1 I mean sure it's boxy and ugly but they were still useful and a Thomas and Friends character Neville is a Q1 they were easy to clean at least

[@tidepoolclipper8657]

SR Q1 is really not winning an award for looks.

[@moosecat]

I'm a little disappointed that neither New York Central's Hudsons nor Niagaras made the list. "I want those steam engines...on your next 'best of' list!!!" (Please.)

[@dannyjones3840]

NO NIAGARA OR HUDSON?!?! WTH DARKNESS 😭

[@09JDCTrainMan]

The Niagaras were on a different kind of list. Amazing locomotives that never stood a chance.