Norfolk Southern Berkshire Type Locomotives

The Norfolk Southern Railroad took delivery of its entire fleet of five "Berkshire" type locomotives from the Baldwin Locomotives Works in early 1940. These locomotives were designated as Class F-1 and were assigned road numbers 600 through 604.

These five locomotives were designed specifically for use on the Norfolk Southern trackage, which could only handle a maximum axle weight of 50,000 pounds. These "Berkshires" had 63" diameter drivers, 23.5" x 30" cylinders, a 250 psi boiler pressure, they exerted 49,300 pounds of tractive effort and each weighed 335,400 pounds.

These very special 2-8-4s proved their worth during the heavy traffic days of the second world war and were retired early and sold on 12/28/50 to the Domestic and Foreign Commerce Company. This company resold them and through a series of transactions all five of these locomotives made their way onto the Ferrocarri Nationale de Mexico (NdeM) and there they were converted to oil burners and later scrapped them.

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

NS 2-8-4 Roster
ClassQty.Road NumbersYear BuiltBuilderNotes
F-1 5600-6041940Baldwin1

Notes
  1. Numbers 600-604 sold to a broker in 1950. These locomotives were in turn sold to the NdeM and became NdeM numbers 3350-3354 and were later scrapped.

Specifications
ClassF-1
Wheel Arrangement:2-8-4
Length:
Drivers:63" dia.
Weight on Drivers:202,900 lbs.
Total Locomotive Weight:335,400 lbs.
Locomotive & Tender Weight:580,640 lbs.
Grate Area:80.3 sq. ft.
Cylinders (dia. x stroke):(2) 23.5" x 30"
Boiler Pressure:250 psi
Tractive Effort:49,300 lbs.
Tender Capacity:
Water:14,000 gals.
Coal:16 tons

Photos

References

Much thanks to Richard Duley who has helped to provide a great deal of the information found on this page.
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