Speed record of steam rail vehicles
Speed Date Line Country Train Arr. Power State Comments
00202.6202.6 km/h (126 mph) 1938-07-03 UK LNER Class A4 No. 4468 Mallard Loc Steam Unkn. [23][24] 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.[25]
00200.4200.4 km/h (125 mph) 1936-05-11 Germany Borsig DRG series 05 002 Loc Steam Unkn. Level grade.[citation needed]
00185.07185.07 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]
00182.4182.4 km/h (113 mph) 1972-10-11 Germany BR 18 201 Loc Steam Unkn. The fastest operational steam locomotive as of 2011.[citation needed]
00181.1181.1 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).[26]
00180.3180.3 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]
00168.5168.5 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]
00166.6166.6 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[26]
00164164 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]
00160161 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.[27]
00145145 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]
00131.6131.6 km/h (82 mph) 1854-06 UK Bristol & Exeter Railway #41 Loc Steam Unmod. Broad gauge[citation needed]
00131131 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).[28][29]
00125.6125.6 km/h (78 mph) 1850 UK Great Britain Loc Steam Unmod. 80 mph (129 km/h) claimed[by whom?][citation needed]
00096.696.6 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]
0004848 km/h (30 mph) 1830 UK Stephenson's Rocket Loc Steam Unmod. [citation needed]
0002424 km/h (15 mph) 1825 UK Locomotion No. 1 Loc Steam Unmod. [citation needed]
000088 km/h (5 mph) 1804-02-21 UK Richard Trevithick's world's first railway steam locomotive Loc Steam Unmod. [citation needed]