Class H-1 (Locobase 9341)

Data from CStPM&O 4 - 1900 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

The Omaha Road didn't operate all that many Consolidations and this trio was supplied as singles over a three year period (works #10875 produced in May 1890, 12328 in October 1891, and 13484 in June 1893).

They were big for their time and had the large-diameter firetubes Baldwin often used for this kind of engine.

Class H-2 (Locobase 9342)

Data from CStPM&O 4 - 1900 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Locobase is surprised that a late-90s locomotive will still have a boiler pressure of only 160 psi. But the diagram hints at the service use of this quartet. The slope-back tender suggests a switching role. Baldwin supplied the class in two pairs: 16264-16265 in October 1898 and 18732-18733 in March 1901.

Class H-3 (Locobase 11462)

Data from "Locomotive Building," The Railroad Gazette, Vol XXXVIII, No 2 (13 January 1905), p 13.

These Consolidations are described in the RG report as "transfer locomotives". That is, they moved freight cars from one terminal to another to allow them to continue the journe y on another line.

Locobase can't resist including the long list of equipment suppliers to a pair of relatively small 2-8-0s:

Westinghouse-AmerIcan air-brakes

Gollmar bell ringers

Franklin sectional asbestos boiler lagging

Diamond brake-beams

Perfecto brake-shoes

Chicago couplers

11462

Data from "Locomotive Building," The Railroad Gazette, Vol XXXVIII, No 2 (13 January 1905), p 13.

These Consolidations are described in the RG report as "transfer locomotives". That is, they moved freight cars from one terminal to another to allow them to continue the journe y on another line.

Locobase can't resist including the long list of equipment suppliers to a pair of relatively small 2-8-0s:

Westinghouse-AmerIcan air-brakes

Gollmar bell ringers

Franklin sectional asbestos boiler lagging

Diamond brake-beams

Perfecto brake-shoes

Chicago couplers

Westinghouse friction draft gear

Adams & Westlake headlights

Monitor injectors

Ajax Journal bearings

Jerome piston and valve rod packings

Ashton muffled safety valves

Leach sanding devices

Nathan sight-feed lubricators

Scott Spring Co.'s springs

Ashton steam gages

McLaughlin's flexible steam heat equipment

Latrobe driving wheel and tender wheel tires

American Locomotive Co.'s wheel centers.

Adams & Westlake headlights

Monitor injectors

Ajax Journal bearings

Jerome piston and valve rod packings

Ashton muffled safety valves

Leach sanding devices

Nathan sight-feed lubricators

Scott Spring Co.'s springs

Ashton steam gages

McLaughlin's flexible steam heat equipment

Latrobe driving wheel and tender wheel tires

American Locomotive Co.'s wheel centers.

Class Z (Locobase 8951)

Data from 1927 C & NW Description of Locomotives books supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Drury (1993) characterizes these "Zulus" as "good-sized Consolidations" and notes that some came with Baker, others with Walschaerts valve gear. It's apparent that they also demonstrate the North Western's penchant for standardizing on a single class. Baldwin and Schenectady turned out the class over a 4-year period from 1909-1913, with Schenectady introducing the Zulus in 1909, Baldwin supplying 25 in August-September 1910, and Schenectady producing all of the rest in 1910-1913.

Class Z - superheated (Locobase 4368)

Data from 1927 C & NW Description of Locomotives books supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection. The original, saturated-boiler variant is shown in Locobase 8951.

Superheating this large class of Consolidations didn't lead to a standardization of valve gear; Some still came with Baker, others with Walschaerts valve gear. Otherwise, the tack taken was typical of such upgrades: Sacrificing 190 small tubes in favor of 36 larger flues to hold the superheater, although it was a bit unusual to increase boiler pressure.