Erie Berkshire Type Locomotives

The Erie Railroad bought more "Berkshire" type locomotives than any other railroad and was the only one to have purchased them from each of the big three locomotive builders.

In 1927, the Erie purchased twenty-five "Berkshires" from the American Locomotive Company, designated them as class S-1 and numbered them 3300 through 3324. In the same year the Erie placed an order with the Lima Locomotive Works for twenty-five more, this group was designated Class S-2 and were numbered 3325 through 3349.

The Baldwin Locomotive Works received an order for thirty-five "Berkshires" from the Erie in 1928. They were designated as Class S-3 and assigned road numbers 3350 through 3384. A final twenty "Berks" were ordered in 1928 and came from Lima in 1929. This group was designated as Class S-4 and carried road numbers 3385 through 3404.

All four classes were built to the same specifications, which included: 70" diameter drivers, 28.5" x 32" cylinders, a 225 psi boiler pressure and a tractive effort of 71,000 pounds. The Class S-1 locomotives weighed 443,000 pounds, the Class S-2 weighed 457,500 pounds, the Class S-3 weighed 461,000 pounds and the Class S-4 weighed 468,800 pounds.

This fleet of 105 "Berkshires" changed the Erie from a classic drag freight operation to a fast freight railroad in just two years.

There are no surviving Erie 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type locomotives

Erie 2-8-4 Roster
Class	Qty.	Road Numbers	Year Built	Builder	Notes
S-1	25	3300-3324	1927	ALCO	1
S-2	25	3325-3349	1927	Lima	2
S-3	35	3350-3384	1928	Baldwin	3
S-4	20	3385-3404	1929	Lima	4

Notes

Specifications
Class	S-1	S-2	S-3	S-4
Wheel Arrangement:	2-8-4	2-8-4	2-8-4	2-8-4
Length:	98'- 9"	103'- 9"	103'-9"	103'-9"
Drivers:	70" dia.	70" dia.	70" dia.	70" dia.
Weight on Drivers:	276,000 lbs.	274,000 lbs.	284,820 lbs.	286,500 lbs.
Total Locomotive Weight:	443,000 lbs.	457,500 lbs.	461,470 lbs.	468,800 lbs.
Locomotive & Tender Weight:	753,000 lbs.	827,950 lbs.	831,920 lbs.	846,800 lbs.
Grate Area:	100.0 sq. ft.	100.0 sq. ft.	99.5 sq. ft.	99.5 sq. ft.
Cylinders (dia. x stroke):	(2) 28.5" x 32"	(2) 28.5" x 32"	(2) 28.5" x 32"	(2) 28.5" x 32"
Boiler Pressure:	225 psi	250 psi	225 psi	250 psi
Tractive Effort:	71,000 lbs.	72,000 lbs.	71,000 lbs.	72,000 lbs.
Tender Capacity:
Water:	16,500 gals.	20,750 gals.	20,700 gals.	20,800 gals.
Coal:	24 tons	27 tons	27 tons	28 tons

Erie Berkshire Type Locomotives

Notes

Photos

References