Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Berkshire Type Locomotives

The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad had the distinction of receiving the last steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company. This locomotive was a "Berkshire" type that was delivered to the P&LE in June1948 and it was assigned road number 9406. The P&LE only bought seven "Berkshire" type locomotives. They were all built by ALCO in 1948 and were designated as Class A-2a and assigned road numbers 9400 through 9406.

These 2-8-4s had 63" diameter drivers, 26" x 32" cylinders, a 230 psi boiler pressure, they exerted 67,100 pounds of tractive effort and each weighed 426,000 pounds.

Delivered in May and June of 1948, this group had the shortest life span of any of the modern design steam locomotives. Numbers 9400 through 9406 were retired in August of 1956 and then scrapped in the early months of 1957.

There are no surviving P&LE 2-8-4 "Berkshire" type locomotives

P&LE 2-8-4 Roster
ClassQty.Road NumbersYear BuiltBuilderNotes
A-2a 79400-94061948ALCO1

Notes
  1. Numbers 9400-9406 scrapped in 1957.

Specifications
ClassA-2a
Wheel Arrangement:2-8-4
Length:108'-3 ½"
Drivers:63" dia.
Weight on Drivers:270,500 lbs.
Total Locomotive Weight:426,000 lbs.
Locomotive & Tender Weight:768,000 lbs.
Grate Area:95.0 sq. ft.
Cylinders (dia. x stroke):(2) 26" x 32"
Boiler Pressure:230 psi
Tractive Effort:67,300 lbs.
Tender Capacity:
Water:20,000 gals.
Coal:22 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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