Pennsylvania 2-8-8-0 "Consolidation Mallet" Type Locomotives

Class HC1s (Locobase 309)

Data from "Pennsylvania's New Simple Mallet Type Locomotive," Railway and Locomotive Engineering, July 1919, pp. 193-194.

One-of-a-kind articulated for the Pennsy, who preferred to be the non-Standard Railroad of the World when it came to that kind of engine. Like other Pennsylvania engines, too, it burned its fuel in a Belpaire firebox. (See Locobase 32 for a comment on the unique design of Pennsy's Belpaire firebox.) and admitted steam through 12" piston valves on all cylinders.

If Locobase reads the R&LE article correctly, the boiler had 19-ft-long tubes and a combustion chamber measuring 12' 5 1/2"; the total length of the boiler came to 53' 9 1/2", possibly the longest ever mounted, of which 26 ft included the crown sheet. So long were the boiler and crown sheet that special pipes were led up out of the wrapper sheet at the front of the combustion chamber and continued back to gauge cocks to ensure that the crew would know the proper water level.

The oddness of the layout extended to the tube and flue combination. The superheater had 3 vertical headers and 2 superheater steam headers, each unit, says the R&LE, "...being connected to from two to five units, each unit leading and returning to or from one of the larger flues."

This engine is reported to have run well as a pusher in Allegheny Mountain service until it was retired in 1929.

Specifications
ClassHC1s
Locobase ID309
RailroadPennsylvania (PRR)
Whyte2-8-8-0
Road Numbers3700
GaugeStd
BuilderJuniata
Year1919
Valve GearWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase17.13'
Engine Wheelbase54.70'
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheebase 0.31
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender)97.31'
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle)
Weight on Drivers540000 lbs
Engine Weight575000 lbs
Tender Light Weight219000 lbs
Total Engine and Tender Weight794000 lbs
Tender Water Capacity12900 gals
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal)13.9 tons
Minimum weight per yard of rail on which locomotive could run112.50 lb rail
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter62"
Boiler Pressure205 psi
Cylinders (dia x stroke)30.5" x 32" (4)
Tractive Effort167325 lbs
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.23
Heating Ability
Firebox Area531 sq. ft
Grate Area112 sq. ft
Evaporative Heating Surface6656
Superheating Surface3136
Combined Heating Surface9792
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume122.99
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation22960
Same as above plus superheater percentage30313.20
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area143717.06
Power L114691.80
Power MT479.85

Photos

Reference

Credits

Introduction and specifications provided by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media.