1800's Steam Locomotive Identification

[velyrhorde]

I need to know how a couple of outlaws would have identified a specific train. I've been told they'd likely know the locomotive, but I have no idea if they'd know the number -- and how? -- or if locomotives actually had nicknames or something. This would have been the Union Pacific line, in Southern Wyoming, around 1875. If it helps, it's a special

Comments

[lindenfoxcub]

I was researching trains some time ago for a story, and they would likely know the train easiest by time and location. Trains would be scheduled for specific times. If you listen to people talking about trains in books or movies set in that time period, they refer to the train by the time it leaves the station.

[velyrhorde]

Thanks, I'll look into using that option!

[liriel1810]

I've done a massive amount of research on the Union Pacific Railroad for a story I'm writing set in 1870, but I never wondered if the engines had names! lol However, if you go to this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_locomotive and scroll down to the bottom, there is a list of names of historic locomotives. Perhaps there's something there you'd find useful?

The search term I used to get this page in my results was 'names of steam locomotives usa', just in case you might want to explore that avenue further.

Good luck!

[velyrhorde]

Thanks, I'd actually looked at that page and the Union Pacific locomotives listed are all in the 20th Century instead of the 19th -- appreciate your help however!

[bookwormsarah]

When you say train, do you mean the route, the service or the engine/locomotive?

[reapermum]

That is exactly what I was wondering, if you don't know what the real question is you can't provide the appropriate answer.

[velyrhorde]

AHA -- see, I thought I'd done all the homework! I mean the specific locomotive and cars that would be on the Union Pacific track at that specific time and place in Wyoming. The only thing I know to call it is "train" -- of course, I left the time/place vague because it's fiction and I don't want some history expert going "They didn't have a train (whatever) on that track at that time in 1875!!"

[reapermum]

From the mention of outlaws and payroll train I assume you need them to rob the correct train. In which case the specific locomotive is irrelevant, what you need is the train make up. By that I mean what carriages and wagons were behind the loco.

Either the authorities didn't want the public to know the payroll was moving, in which case I would expect it would be in an extra wagon attached to a routine freight train with guards travelling in the wagon. Or it's a train only carrying the payroll, so that would be in an armoured wagon probably between carriages containing the guards.

You need to find which option was taken in that area, at that time, and hope it's the second one. That way your outlaws just have to recognise the make up of the train to know if they are about to hold up the one they want.

[velyrhorde]

Yes! I have to think which option ... I'm actually leaning toward the first because these guys are supposed to be the best, which would mean they'd have figured out which train it was even though it's "disguised"!

[bookwormsarah]

Could they have infiltrated the depot in some way so they recognise the particular wagon, or know how to recognise it? The story sounds fun!

[atiantian]