Top 10 Best Active Mainline Steam Locomotives Running in 2025

In this list, I thought I'd go over what I think are some of the best steam locomotives running today. You can include any others I didn't add. There are just too many of them to pick, and it's so hard.

1. Norfolk & Western 611

   The queen of steam herself. The 611 to me is the greatest steam locomotive running today. After being placed back into retirement when Norfolk Southern ended the original steam program in 94, she would return to steam in 2015. No one thought she'd ever run again, but she has.

   She got to run on the mainline from 2015 to 17, then operated on the Strasburg Railroad for a time period, and again on the Buckingham Branch Railroad. As everyone has said, the 611 represents what the steam locomotive is.

2. Milwaukee Road 261

   I've always liked the 261. It has a fascinating history. It only ran for 10 years on the Milwaukee Road, but thanks to the Friends of the 261 she's run much longer in excursion service than she did in the days of the Milwaukee Road.

   What I like is that it has a great variety of different pieces of equipment. The 261 herself, an auxiliary water tender, an E9 streamlined diesel the group acquired a few years ago, and a variety of passenger cars, most painted in the Hiawatha paint scheme and some that were with the group originally but not anymore. I prefer stuff to stay where they're from and not change ownership. I'm just not used to changes.

   I always have trouble picking which I like more, 611 or 261, but the 261 is my second favorite.

3. Soo Line 1003

   Like the 261, I always liked the 1003. I think it's a beautiful Mikado. It only operates a couple times a year, but it still puts on an amazing show. I think it's one of those steam engines that deserves more restoration.

4. Union Pacific 4014

   I was into UP but not anymore. I only paid attention to their steam operations. When I heard they would be restoring one of the famous Big Boy steam locomotives, I thought that was impossible, but I was wrong.

   The 4014 is the largest operating steam locomotive in the world. It always attracts people around the world, and for good reasons. Though I miss the days when the 844 and the 3985 were the main stars, the 4014 is still great. It's a monster of a locomotive that's entertained everyone of all ages, and I hope it'll continue doing that.

5. Southern Railway 4501

   The living legend herself, the 4501. The most famous Mikado of the excursion era. The main star for the Southern steam program, later continuing in Norfolk Southern. Then placed in retirement in 1998, but she would return again in the 2010s.

   She had a chance to operate on the mainline again for the NS 21st Century Steam program out of the Bristol area by the end of June of 2015, and she put on a fantastic show for a new generation of railfans. Nowadays she still operates on TVRM. Even though her mainline renaissance might have been short lived, it's still great she returned after years of silence, and I hope she will continue to run.

6. Southern Railway 630

   Yes, I know I have two engines from the same railroad on the list, but Southern 630 was another player in the Southern steam program. She was also the first steam engine to kick off the 21st Century Steam program.

   She also had a long restoration by the staff of TVRM. She put on a great show for those who got to see her in action from 2011 to 14, and still ran at TVRM after her mainline career was over. Though she's out of service for her overhaul now, she might return by the end of the decade hopefully. The 630 is another contender for best active steam engine to run in the 2010s.

7. Reading 2102

   After years of quiet, the Reading and Northern returned former Reading T-1 2102. Since its return, it's brought a lot of joy to people. It's pulled a 50-car and even a 100-car coal train, and has done a number of excursions.

   Though 425 is my favorite of the two, 2102 is still impressive. Another one of the best steam engines running today.

8. Santa Fe 3751

   3751 is another engine I always liked. It's run in excursion service for over 34 years and has another great success story because of the people who volunteer and work on her.

   Though it may not leave California since it's been equipped with PTC (I don't like the idea of putting PTC in steam engines or older diesels. I just think it doesn't fit them), 3751 is still another top-tier excursion engine that's been able to run this long.

9. Pere Marquette 1225

   This was a tough one for me to pick as 10. I decided to go with the 1225 for a few reasons. It has done what none of the other 1200 series steam engines ever did, and that is pull a passenger train. It only left its home base of Michigan once in 1991 for the NRHS convention in Huntington, West Virginia, and it was a rare treat to see it run on the mainline.

   It was also the engine that inspired The Polar Express, both the book and the design for the 2004 movie of the same title. That's why I decided to put the 1225 in the 10th spot, and I feel it fits this list of my pick of the top 10 best active mainline steam engines.

10. Southern Pacific 4449

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Santa Fe 2926

12. ?

    Western Maryland 1309

The Contenders

13. Nickel Plate Road 765

14. Union Pacific 844