Norfolk and Western No. 2156

Norfolk & Western No. 2156 is a class Y6a 2-8-8-2 articulated steam locomotive. It was built in the N&W's own Roanoke Shops in March 1942. It was the second member of the class that was built for heavy freight trains and coal drags - as well as manifests, and even excursions, given its good turn of speed - it was one of the most powerful steam locomotives of its day, its power output being rated at 5,600 hp. It was engineered by William Armentrout. 
No. 2156 was retired from service in July 1959 and was purchased by the National Museum of Transportation in St Louis, Missouri for preservation. 
In 2014, the National Museum of Transportation in St Louis, Missouri made an agreement with to lease No. 2516 to Norfolk Southern and the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Virginia, in return for an EMD FT B unit. On May 9–12, 2015, No. 2156 was towed to its temporary home at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Virginia. There it met up and reunited with the recently restored J Class No. 611 and the retired Class A No. 1218 on May 31, 2015, as N&W's "The Big Three".
On June 10, 2020, No. 2156 left the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, VA to go back to the St. Louis Museum of Transportation. It arrived back at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation on June 15, 2020.
As of today, No. 2156 currently remains on static display in National Museum of Transportation in St Louis, Missouri where it is unlikely to ever run again.
== Trivia ==
* No. 2156 is the only member of the Class Y6a to survive into preservation. 
* While not many know this, some members at the STL Museum of Transport had heard the engine still had some compression in her cylinders when she was towed to and from Roanoke. 
* The locomotive, while has very little 1950's footage, can be seen in Operation Fast Freight, Glory Machines Volume 2, Blue Ridge Steam and even footage from Ron McElrath on his N&W A's to Shay's DVD.
*The engine is in the game "TrainStation"
== Gallery ==
File:Norfolk and Western class Y6a No. 2156.jpeg
File:300px- N&W 2165.jpeg
Category:2-8-8-2 locomotives
Category:2-8-8-2 steam locomotives
Category:Norfolk and Western locomotives
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Category:American locomotives
Category:Eight-coupled locomotives
Category:Built in 1942
Category:Articulated locomotives
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Category:Virginia Museum of Transportation locomotives
Category:Sole survivor
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Category:Preserved locomotives
Category:Preserved steam locomotives
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Category:Locomotives featured in media
Category:Standard gauge locomotives of the United States
Category:4 foot 8 1⁄2 inch gauge