content: Close-to-perfect mechanical engineering.  The New York Central J3 4-6-4 locomotives were tremendously successful.  They could haul a train from New York to Chicago in 16 hours (~950 miles), stopping only once to take on more coal.  The New York Central used water pans between the rails so a locomotive could replenish its water supply while moving.  These engines did this amazing performance day in and day out.  Average speed on this run was 60 mph, and several segments of the run called for speeds of 100 mph, which these engines could easily achieve while pulling trains of several thousand tons.