In 1937 Pennsylvania Railroad decided
to build a new passenger locomotive to replace its venerable
K4 4-6-2s, designed in 1914. The company produced the S1,
a spectacular 6-4-4-6 and the largest rigid frame passenger
locomotive ever built. They hoped the S1 could haul 1,000
tons at an ambitious 100 miles per hour, but it's length limited
its use and its axle loading was undesirably high. Loewy's
1978 lithograph shown at top
right was based upon the 1937 drawing shown at bottom right.
The S1 looked fast even when it was sitting still. The one-of-a-kind
experimental model was exhibited at the 1939
World's Fair in New York City, where it was displayed
in operation on rollers. The 1933 Chicago World's Fair and
the 1939 New York World's Fair
both emphasized the "World of Tomorrow" that would
define industrial design for much of the 20th century. |

Lithograph of the S1 locomotive.

S1 drawing signed and dated 1937. |