Many railroads used Streamlined Pacifics to pull their sleek new passenger trains introduced during the 1930s.

Large passenger-carriers, such as the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Union Pacific, usually owned several hundred 4-6-2s and the New York Central, despite being better known for it's 4-6-4 Hudsons, rostered more than 1000 Pacifics! Many railroads found them so well fitted to the task of pulling passenger trains that their Pacifics served until replaced by diesels.