what is the fastest speed ever recorded by a steam rail vehicle?
202.6 km/h (126 mph)
col : speed | date | country | train | arr. | power | state | comments row 1 : 202.6 km/h (126 mph) | 1938-07-03 | uk | lner class a4 no. 4468 mallard | loc | steam | unkn. | downhill grade. data indicates peak speed 202.6 km/h (126 row 2 : 200.4 km/h (125 mph) | 1936-05-11 | germany | borsig drg series 05 002 | loc | steam | unkn. | level grade.[citation needed] row 3 : 185.07 km/h (115 mph) | 1905-06-11 | usa | pennsylvania railroad e2 #7002 | loc | steam | unmod. | claimed.[by whom?] clocked at crestline, ohio row 4 : 182.4 km/h (113 mph) | 1972-10-11 | germany | br 18 201 | loc | steam | unkn. | the fastest operational steam locomotive as of 2011.[citation needed] row 5 : 181.1 km/h (113 mph) | 1935-04-05 | usa | milwaukee road class a #2 | loc | steam | unkn. | claimed[by whom?] to have sustained 112.5 mph (18 row 6 : 180.3 km/h (112 mph) | 1935-09-29 | uk | lner class a4 2509 silver link | loc | steam | unkn. | authenticated. some sources say 112.5 mph.[citation needed row 7 : 168.5 km/h (105 mph) | 1935-03-05 | uk | lner class a3 no. 2750 papyrus | loc | steam | unmod. | first run at 100+ mph with complete, surviving documentation.[ row 8 : 166.6 km/h (104 mph) | 1934-07-20 | usa | milwaukee road class f6 #6402 | loc | steam | unmod | a point between oakwood, illinois and lake, wisconsin. also averaged row 9 : 164 km/h (102 mph) | 1904-05-09 | uk | gwr 3700 class 3440 city of truro | loc | steam | unmod. | claimed[by whom?] to be the first steam locomotive to reach row 10 : 161 km/h (100 mph) | 1934-11-30 | uk | lner class a3 4472 flying scotsman | loc | steam | unmod. | in 1934, flying scotsman achieved the first authenticated 100 row 11 : 145 km/h (90 mph) | 1895-08-22 | uk | lnwr no. 790 hardwicke | loc | steam | unmod. | maximum speed claimed[by whom?], although average speed record was authenticated row 12 : 131.6 km/h (82 mph) | 1854-06 | uk | bristol & exeter railway #41 | loc | steam | unmod. | broad gauge[citation needed] row 13 : 131 km/h (81 mph) | 1893-05-10 | usa | empire state express no. 999 | loc | steam | unmod. | 112 mph (180 km/h) claimed[by whom? row 14 : 125.6 km/h (78 mph) | 1850 | uk | great britain | loc | steam | unmod. | 80 mph (129 km/h) claimed[by whom?] row 15 : 96.6 km/h (60 mph) | 1848 | usa | boston and maine railroad antelope | loc | steam | unmod. | first authenticated 60 mph (97 km/h),26 miles ( row 16 : 48 km/h (30 mph) | 1830 | uk | stephenson's rocket | loc | steam | unmod. | [citation needed] row 17 : 24 km/h (15 mph) | 1825 | uk | locomotion no. 1 | loc | steam | unmod. | [citation needed] row 18 : 8 km/h (5 mph) | 1804-02-21 | uk | richard trevithick's world's first railway steam locomotive | loc | steam | unmod. | [citation needed]
what is the fastest speed ever recorded by a steam rail vehicle?
Speed Date Country Train Arr. Power State Comments
202.6 km/h (126 mph) 1938-07-03 UK LNER Class A4 No. 4468 Mallard Loc Steam Unkn. Downhill grade. Data indicates peak speed 202.6 km/h (126 mph), mean speed (half-mile) 201.2 km/h (125 mph). Mallard suffered an overheated crankpin during the run, but was repaired and returned to traffic within 9 days.
200.4 km/h (125 mph) 1936-05-11 Germany Borsig DRG series 05 002 Loc Steam Unkn. Level grade.[citation needed]
185.07 km/h (115 mph) 1905-06-11 USA Pennsylvania Railroad E2 #7002 Loc Steam Unmod. Claimed.[by whom?] Clocked at Crestline, Ohio at 127.1 mph (205 km/h) in 1905. However PRR Steam Locomotives did not carry speedometers at that time, speed was calculated by measuring time between mile markers, so this is not recognized as a speed record.[citation needed]
182.4 km/h (113 mph) 1972-10-11 Germany BR 18 201 Loc Steam Unkn. The fastest operational steam locomotive as of 2011.[citation needed]
181.1 km/h (113 mph) 1935-04-05 USA Milwaukee Road class A #2 Loc Steam Unkn. Claimed[by whom?] to have sustained 112.5 mph (181 km/h) for 14 miles (23 km). Average speed for 136 miles (219 km) between Milwaukee and New Lisbon, Wisconsin was 74.9 mph (121 km/h).
180.3 km/h (112 mph) 1935-09-29 UK LNER Class A4 2509 Silver Link Loc Steam Unkn. Authenticated. Some sources say 112.5 mph.[citation needed]
168.5 km/h (105 mph) 1935-03-05 UK LNER Class A3 No. 2750 Papyrus Loc Steam Unmod. First run at 100+ mph with complete, surviving documentation.[citation needed]
166.6 km/h (104 mph) 1934-07-20 USA Milwaukee Road class F6 #6402 Loc Steam Unmod A point between Oakwood, Illinois and Lake, Wisconsin. Also averaged 75.5 mph (122 km/h) on 85 miles (137 km) from Chicago, Illinois to Milwaukee, and 89.92 mph (145 km/h) for a 68.9 miles (110.9 km) stretch
164 km/h (102 mph) 1904-05-09 UK GWR 3700 Class 3440 City of Truro Loc Steam Unmod. Claimed[by whom?] to be the first steam locomotive to reach100 mph (161 km/h).[citation needed]
161 km/h (100 mph) 1934-11-30 UK LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman Loc Steam Unmod. In 1934, Flying Scotsman achieved the first authenticated 100 mph (161 km/h) by a steam locomotive.
145 km/h (90 mph) 1895-08-22 UK LNWR No. 790 Hardwicke Loc Steam Unmod. Maximum speed claimed[by whom?], although average speed record was authenticated.[citation needed]
131.6 km/h (82 mph) 1854-06 UK Bristol & Exeter Railway #41 Loc Steam Unmod. Broad gauge[citation needed]
131 km/h (81 mph) 1893-05-10 USA Empire State Express No. 999 Loc Steam Unmod. 112 mph (180 km/h) claimed[by whom?], which would make it the first wheeled vehicle to exceed 100 mph (161 km/h).
125.6 km/h (78 mph) 1850 UK Great Britain Loc Steam Unmod. 80 mph (129 km/h) claimed[by whom?][citation needed]
96.6 km/h (60 mph) 1848 USA Boston and Maine Railroad Antelope Loc Steam Unmod. First authenticated 60 mph (97 km/h),26 miles (42 km) in 26 minutes.[citation needed]
48 km/h (30 mph) 1830 UK Stephenson's Rocket Loc Steam Unmod. [citation needed]
24 km/h (15 mph) 1825 UK Locomotion No. 1 Loc Steam Unmod. [citation needed]
8 km/h (5 mph) 1804-02-21 UK Richard Trevithick's world's first railway steam locomotive Loc Steam Unmod. [citation needed]
202.6 km/h (126 mph)