Class H-10 (Locobase 9208)

Data from Erie's 1907 locomotive diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

This class of camelbacks came from nearby Paterson, New Jersey's Rogers works. They had some of the usual uneven weight distribution that was characteristic of locomotives whose drivers sat in howdahs perched over the center two drivers. Oddly, the heaviest axle loading fell on the first couple axle, which supported none of the usual heavy components. The lightest axle loading came on the second coupled axle.

The steam dome was somewhat unusually placed in line with the cab. Indeed, if one takes away the centered cab, the proportions of the engine suggest a relatively straightforward 2-8-0 design.

Class H-11 (Locobase 5701)

Data from 1917 Erie locomotive diagram from http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/loco/erie-e11d.gif (visited 31 October 2003).

This class of camelback Consolidations had relatively short lifetimes, with most being scrapped in the late 1920s after several years of inactivity. Curiously, unlike many Erie camelbacks, weight was distributed evenly across the 4 axles.

Class H-12 (Locobase 4117)

Camelback consolidations were a common sight on the Erie. This batch, described in the Railroad Gazette of 14 June 1901, were right in line with the entire series. RG noted that the center of the boiler is pitched 11' 10" above the rail, "the greatest height ... that has yet been used." The Wootten firebox burned a combination of bird's-eye anthracite and bituminous culm and would work the Allegheny, Jefferson, and Bradford divisions.

At the time of its article, the RG assumeed that that the Baldwins would differ only in "those light modifications which are necessary to adapt some Baldwin patterns" to the Brooks practice. That turned out to be mightily incorrect; see Locobase 9209.

They were retired in 1927.

Class H-13 (Locobase 9209)

Data from Erie's 1907 locomotive diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection. Works numbers ran 19067-19068, 19092-19093, 19115-19116, 19138-19139, 19165-19168, 19199-19201.

The Railroad Gazette of 14 June 1901 reported that the Baldwins will differ from the Brooks engines (class H-12 - Locobase 4117) only in "those slight modifications which are necessary to adapt some Baldwin patterns" to the Brooks practice. Were they ever off. This class, though numbered in a lower range, succeeded the H-12s and were quite a bit bigger.

Like all of the Erie's camelbacks, the H-13s had a Wootten firebox, which burned a combination of bird's-eye anthracite and bituminous culm and would work the Allegheny, Jefferson, and Bradford divisions. They were retired in 1927.

Class H-14 (Locobase 9210)

Data from Erie's 1907 locomotive diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

This quartet was significantly bigger than most other camelbacks of the time and loomed over the typical Erie engines. All four axles sported the same high axle loading: 22 1/2 short tons and the boilers contained heating surfaces measuring 1,000 sq ft more than the average. 462 boiler tubes was a tight bundle even in a 78" diameter barrel. But the grate was commensurately enormous, offering 90 sq ft to the birds-eye anthracite and bituminous culm that provided the unusual layout's raison d'etre.

Like all of the others, however, the engines were retired in 1927.

Class H-16 (Locobase 9212)

Data from Erie's 1907 locomotive diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection. Works numbers ran 20090-20091, 20095-20099, 20141-20143 in February 1902; 20202-20205, 20222-20225 in March; and 20278-20279 in April

These were big Vauclain compounds, but they didn't remain compounds for long. By 1907, they had been rebuilt as simple-expansion engines; see Locobase 9213.

Class H-16 - simpled (Locobase 9213)

Data from Erie's 1907 locomotive diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Introduced in 1902 as Vauclain compounds (Locobase 9212), this class was soon rebuilt with two single-expansion cylinders. This didn't faze Samuel Vauclain - he had already determined that superheating was a better source of economy than even his version of the double-expansion concept.

Like the other camelbacks, these were retired in 1927.

Class H-17 (Locobase 9214)

Data from Erie's 1907 locomotive diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

These Paterson, New Jersey Consolidations were about as big as the 78-sq ft grated double-cab would get. Tube counts exceeding 400 represented about as many as could be maintained (although the Cooke engines shown in Locobase 9215 would actualy put more tubes in a tighter boiler). The design had an even axle loading across the 4 couple axles, weighing in at 22 1/2 short tons each.

Class H-18 (Locobase 9215)

Data from Erie's 1907 locomotive diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Like the Rogers H-17s (Locobase 9214) of the same year and the same home town (Paterson, NJ), these camelback Consolidations bulked about as large as a 76-sq ft grate would permit. Somehow Cooke fit 10 more tubes in a tighter boiler than had Rogers.

Class H-19 (Locobase 9216)

Data from Erie's 1907 locomotive diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Part of Cooke's 1902 production of camelback Consolidations for the Erie was this quintet of 4-cylinder compounds, which put almost 3 additional tons of adhesive weight on the 4 coupled axles . Before too long, they were converted to simple-expansion engines.

Class H-19 - simpled (Locobase 5702)

Data from 1923 Erie locomotive diagram from http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/loco/erie-e19d.gif (visited 31 October 2003).

The last of a slew of Camelback Consolidations with large Wootten fireboxes. Like the earlier engines, the H-19s' lifetimes were relatively short, with most being scrapped in the late 1920s after several years of inactivity. This may have been due to the difficulty of complying with later regulations or the lack of good service for saturated-steam engines of this type.

Class H-20 (Locobase 825)

The first 45 engines -- H-20 -- were built by Schenectady in 1903-1904. The design reverted to a conventional design from the Camelbacks of H-9 to H-19, at the same time adopting a conventional firebox.

Many were updated with Walschaerts or Baker valve gear, superheated, and given larger cylinders; see Locobase 9198.. Those that were not superheated were retired in 1927; others survived until 1952.

Class H-20B (Locobase 9198)

Data from Erie 7 - 1933 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

As noted in Locobase 825, many of the large class of conventional cab Consolidations were updated with radial valve gear and superheaters. This was the smaller of the two main classes. The power dimensions changed with an increase of 2 inches in the cylinder diameter while the boiler pressure dropped by 15 psi. They also had 25 sq ft of arch tubes.

Class H-21 (Locobase 9199)

Data from Erie 1907 and Erie 7 - 1933 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

As noted in Locobase 825, the Erie reverted to a conventional design from the Camelbacks of H-9 to H-19, at the same time adopting a conventional firebox which was large in its own right. After taking delivery of 45 H-20s, 260 H-21s arrived in 1904-1910 from: Alcos Rogers and Cooke plants (175 (1616-1790) in 1904-1906), 35 more (2000-2034) from Cooke in 1907, and 50 (2035-2084) from Baldwin in 1910.

Compared to the H-20, the slightly later H-21 had a few more tubes and heating surface in one variant (the one shown in the specifications), but less of each in those described in the 1907 diagram as having flue sheets with "7/8-in bridges".

Many were updated with Walschaerts or Baker valve gear, superheated, and given larger cylinders; see Locobase 9199.. Those that were not superheated were retired in 1927; others survived until 1952.

Class H-21 - superheated (Locobase 9200)

Data from Erie 7 - 1933 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Locobase shows the original saturated-steam boiler variant of this large class of conventional cab, conventional-firebox Consolidations. Beginning a decade after the first deliveries, the Erie enthusiastically undertook to superheat about 80% of the class. Unlike the H-20 superheat program (Locobase 9198), however, the H-21s kept their original power dimensions while swapping out their Stephenson gear in favor of Baker radial valve gear.

Class H-22 (Locobase 9201)

Data from Erie 1907 and Erie 7 - 1933 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection. Works numbers were

1905

May 25629, 25635-25637, 25649-25652, 25673-25678, 25697, 25704-25707, 25719-25720, 25726, 25734-25735, 25747-25748, 25776-25777, 25780-25781

June 25934

July 26004-26005, 26025, 26043, 26071-26072

1906

March 27764, 27775-27777, 27799, 27806, 27813-27815, 27826, 27832-27833

April 27852-27855, 27880-27882, 27895-27896, 27906-27910, 27939-27941, 27957, 27965-27968, 27993, 28019-28020, 28028, 28036, 28043, 28048

May 28068-28069, 28089-28090, 28098, 28119-28121, 28214

Although these went into service at around the same time as the more numerous H-21s (Locobase 9199), they had smaller power dimensions and smaller drivers. Perhaps for the latter reason, none of this class of Consolidations was superheated. Drury (1993) notes that the first 37 were ordered for the Harriman roads, but found to be in excess of requirements. He condemns the class as "...neither particularly successful nor well liked." [Locobase wonders if the use of a conventional layout was the reason.]

At a later date, the diagram showed a boiler fitted with only 389 tubes and a firebox heating surface supplemented with 14 sq ft of arch tubes. The result was 3,226 sq ft of total of evaporative heating surface.

33 were converted to 0-8-0 switchers in the C-2 class, but all were retired by the end of 1930s.

Class H-27 (Locobase 2795)

Data from Erie 7 - 1933 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection; see also table in American Engineer and Railroad Journal, June 1908. Works number was 29390 in November 1906.

This was a single locomotive built for a exhibition in 1906. As such it was an outsized Consolidation that rode heavily. First operated by the Rock Island, they soon sold it to the NY S & W. Brought into the Erie in January 1929, the 1540 was scrapped in May 1936.

Class H-27 (Locobase 9202)

Data from Erie 7 - 1933 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

This was a single locomotive built for a exhibition in 1906. As such it was an outsized Consolidation that rode heavily. First operated by the Rock Island, they soon sold it to the NY S & W

Class H-3 - rebuilt I (Locobase 9206)

Data from Erie 1907 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Erie rebuilt older I-class, conventional-layout engines (Locobase 4047) as camelbacks (16445-16449) in January 1899. As with some other Erie camelbacks, a striking feature of this class was the difference in axle loadings among the various axles. In the H-3s, the lightest loading, on the 3rd coupled axle, was 7 tons less than the heaviest, which was the axle next ahead. That one, the 2nd coupled axle had the crank, main rod, and cab all bearing down on it.

Class H-4 - rebuilt I (Locobase 9229)

Data from Erie 1907 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Erie rebuilt older I-class, conventional-layout engines (Locobase 4047) as camelbacks in January 1899. Unlike the H-3s that rebuilt at the same time, the H-4s had a relatively constant axle loading among the drivers that probably reflected the use of new frames. Otherwise, the two classes were essentially identical.

Class H-9 (Locobase 2613)

Data from 1899 Brooks Catalogue.

Builder info from B.Rumary, 25 Kingscombe, Gurney Slade, Radstock, BA3 4TH, ENGLAND and Jeremy Lambert as supplied by Allen Stanley in March 2004. Works #3219-3228 manufactured in May-June 1899.

Part of a series of standard Consolidation classes purchased just at the turn of the 20th century. Brooks supplied another 20 H-10s a year later in 1900 and Rogers added 30 more in the same year. Drury (1993) credits the H-10s and H-11s with 56" drivers and implies the H-9s had them as well. However, the catalogue shows 57" wheels.

Class I (Locobase 4047)

Copied after the Lehigh Valley's Consolidations, these engines were built by the Susquehanna Shops (6), Danforth Cooke (5 - works#1041-1045), and Brooks (5 - works #314-318).

They were designed to use anthracite coal and had water grates, according to Mr. Wilder, Master Mechanic of the Erie, but the railroad burned bituminous in the firebox. Finding that allowing the coal to burn at the front end led to holes in the firebox, Wilder bricked up the front two feet, also "help to make a combustion chamber." Boiler is an estimate based on other engines of the time and the wheel diameter matches that of other Erie 2-8-0s of the same vintage, all of which had 50" drivers.

In a 27 April 1878 letter to the Board of the Atlantic & Great Western Railway, Wilder noted that there had been some resistance to these engines: "A few changes of men, however, soon broke this thing up." Education on how to operated a Consolidation followed and the results were gratifying. Operating them between Buffalo and Hornellsville (91 miles) over a grade that never exceeded 0.7%, a 4-4-0 could manage 20 loaded cars. The Consolidations could manage 35.

Fuel economy amounted to a reduction from 5.2 lb per car mile to 3.9. Overall, savings added up to 38% per car mile. And, in response to a great concern on the part of the A&GW board, "our track supervisor says that he cannot discover any difference in the track since these engines were introduced." Wilder also asserted that he saw no particular merit in using a wide firebox for burning anthracite coal. Indeed he saw equivalent evaporation rates of 6.25 lb of water to a pound of coal.

Data and letter from http://wnyrails.railfan.net, which is an extensive archive of Western New York railroading documents, maps, photos. Mark Fischer transcribed the fascinating look at a deliberation over increasing locomotive power.

Class I / H-1 (Locobase 6013)

Data from Westing's Erie Power (1970) and tables in December 1894 American Engineer and Railroad Journal (AERJ). According to AERJ, these had been designed for through freight, but by 1894 were in heavy local freight and pick-ups. Some operated as switchers.

Class I / H-2 (Locobase 9203)

Data from Erie 1907 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Class L / H-15 (Locobase 9211)

Data from Erie 1907 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection. Works numbers were 470-474.

These were lightly loaded camelbacks that generated modest power when compared to later classes.

Class L / H-5 (Locobase 9204)

Data from Erie 1907 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection. Works numbers were 8224, 8227-8229, 8244-8245, 8272-8273.

As noted in other classes of Erie's camelback Consolidation conglomeration, many had uneven axle loadings. In this case, the leading coupled axle was measured at 23,900 lb load while the third coupled axle, which took the main rod, and turned under the cab, bore almost 6 1/2 tons more. Locobase wonders if these locomotives had any unusual wear issues.

Class L / H-6 (Locobase 6018)

Data from Westing's Erie Power (1970) and tables in December 1894 American Engineer and Railroad Journal (AERJ). Works numbers were 10893-10897, 10904-10906, 10913, 10921.

Heavy road freight camelback with the usual weird appearance. Axle loadings, which often varied considerably among camelback layouts, were somewhat more balanced in this class. The two center coupled axles, turning under the cab and taking the thrust of the main rod, had loads of 32,800 and 30,700 lb (2nd and 3rd axles, respectively). The outer two had mid-20s loadings (26,700 lb on the lead, 25,600 lb on the trailing axle0.

Later renumbered 1314 and converted for switching with a conventional cab that uncomfortably straddled the Wootten firebox.

Class L / H-7 (Locobase 9205)

Data from Erie 1907 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Locobase was struck by the uneven weight distribution across the 4 axles of this class of camelback Consolidations. The rearmost coupled axle bore 18,900 lb with weight steadily increasing as the axle count decreased until the first coupled axle, which was located under the dome, supported almost 9 tons more.

Class L / H-8 (Locobase 9207)

Data from Erie 1907 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Like the H-7s of the same year (see Locobase 9205), these conventional-cab Consolidations had an uneven weight distribution on their driver set. Unlike the H-7s, however, the weight difference was confined to the 1st coupled axle, which bore 2 1/2 more tons than the second and 4 tons more than the fourth. Locobase isn't sure why the front coupled axle carried so much weight. The steam dome was set somewhat anachronistically over the firebox (and the 3rd coupled axle) and the pistons drove on the second coupled axle.

Class P / H-8 (Locobase 6015)

Data from Westing's Erie Power (1970) and tables in December 1894 American Engineer and Railroad Journal (AERJ). These were through-freight locomotives that Westing comments resembled the contemporaneous Pennsy R-class Consolidations. "'Bootleg' stack and domes are strictly Pennsy", says Westing, "Only visible difference is lack of Belpaire firebox."