Nickel Plate Road 779

{{short description|Preserved NKP S-3 class 2-8-4 locomotive}}

{{no footnotes|date=May 2018}}

{{Infobox Locomotive

| name = Nickel Plate Road 779

| powertype = Steam

| image = Baldwin Berkshire-type No. 779 built for the Nickel Plate.jpg

| imagesize = 200

| caption = NKP 779 pictured at Lincoln Park in Lima, Ohio

| serialnumber = 9380

| builder = Lima Locomotive Works

| builddate = May 13, 1949

| whytetype = 2-8-4

| uicclass = 1'D2'h

| gauge = {{track gauge|ussg|allk=on}}

| leadingdiameter = {{convert|36|in|m|3|abbr=on}}

| driverdiameter = {{convert|69|in|m|3|abbr=on}}

| trailingdiameter = {{convert|43|in|m|3|abbr=on}}

| length = {{convert|100|ft|8+3/4|in|m|2|abbr=on}}

| height = {{convert|15|ft|8|in|m|2|abbr=on}}

| weightondrivers = {{convert|264300|lb|kg t|abbr=on}}

| locoweight = {{convert|444300|lb|kg t|abbr=on}}

| locotenderweight = {{convert|808820|lb|kg t|abbr=on}}

| fueltype = Coal

| fuelcap = {{convert|44000|lb|kg t|abbr=on}} {{convert|22|ST|t LT|1|abbr=on}}

| watercap = {{convert|22000|usgal|abbr=on}}

| boiler = {{convert|89.0625|in|m|2|abbr=on}} diameter × {{convert|42|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} length

| boilerpressure = {{convert|245|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}

| superheatertype = Elesco

| cylindercount = Two

| cylindersize = {{convert|25|x|34|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}

| maxspeed = {{convert|70|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}

| tractiveeffort = {{convert|64135|lbf|kN|1|abbr=on}}

| factorofadhesion = 4.12

| operator = Nickel Plate Road

| operatorclass = S-3

| numinclass = 80 (Entire 2-8-4 fleet on the Nickel Plate Road). L-H built 10 of these S-3s for the NKP.

| fleetnumbers = NKP 779

| nicknames = "The Last S-3", "NKP's Last Steam Engine", "Last Berkshire" and "Lincoln Park's Locomotive"

| retiredate = 1958

| preservedunits = 1966

| currentowner = City of Lima, Ohio

| disposition = On static display

}}

Nickel Plate Road 779 is a S-3 class 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type steam locomotive built by the Lima Locomotive Works for the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, (reporting mark NKP) completed on May 13, 1949, for use on fast freight trains. It was the last new steam locomotive to be delivered to the Nickel Plate Road, and alongside L&N 1991, another 2-8-4 for the Louisville and Nashville, is the last of 36 steam engines completed by Lima-Hamilton from 1947 to 1949, and the final 2-8-4 locomotive on standard gauge completed in the world. L-H's first diesel, A-3080 demonstrator #1000 was completed the same day as #779. NKP also received the first production A-3080, NKP #305, one of 4 delivered by Lima-Hamilton in 1949.

Before its retirement in 1958, the locomotive had logged 677,095 miles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=29715|title = NKP Berkshire Locomotive No. 779 Historical Marker}}

In 1966, the locomotive was donated to the City of Lima, Ohio, and placed on display in Lincoln Park, where it remains to date.