[www.youtube.com]

I came across this video today and it is dripping with nostalgia. Lots of steam, '50's cars and even the diesels look pretty good.

I have heard this before, that the NYC Niagaras were the epitome of steam. There is also the story they were handicapped with high carbon steel boilers that cracked. Dunno if that is true.

I never got to see the 6000's but I did see the last NYC steam in Cincinnati in 1958, some early 4-8-2's and mostly 0-8-0 switchers in the scrap line.

So IMHO if one were to build a new steam modern locomotive I would go with a 6000 and not perfectly historical but incorporating new tech since 1946.

The video seems to be a bit scrambled so be patient.