Mobile & Ohio 2-8-0 "Consolidation" Type Locomotives

Class 540 (Locobase 5428)

Data on table in May 1916 issue of RME. (Southern's locomotive diagram 26-F-29, dated September 5, 1918 shows slightly different data for the heating surfaces:

54 sq ft for the grate

185 sq ft for the firebox heating surface

2,601 sq ft for the evaporative heating surface.)

This was the sole set of Consolidations bought by the M & O while it was under the Southern's overall control. Eight of these came from Alco's Richmond plant and seven from Baldwin.

Drury (1993) comments that these were not popular with their crews: "The firebox, about the same size as that of the 2-8-2, required that the boiler be mounted higher to clear the rear drivers, and the rear pair of drivers tended to derail." Not only were no more 2-8-0s purchased, but 2/3 of those already owned were scrapped by 1940.

Specifications
Class540
Locobase ID5428
RailroadMobile & Ohio
Whyte2-8-0
Road Numbers540-554
GaugeStd
Builderseveral
Year1914
Valve GearWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase16.50'
Engine Wheelbase25.08'
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheebase 0.66
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender)61.57'
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle)49200 lbs
Weight on Drivers191500 lbs
Engine Weight220850 lbs
Tender Light Weight151000 lbs
Total Engine and Tender Weight371850 lbs
Tender Water Capacity7500 gals
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal)12 tons
Minimum weight per yard of rail on which locomotive could run79.79 lb rail
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter63"
Boiler Pressure190 psi
Cylinders (dia x stroke)24" x 30"
Tractive Effort44297 lbs
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.32
Heating Ability
Firebox Area173 sq. ft
Grate Area53 sq. ft
Evaporative Heating Surface2568
Superheating Surface546
Combined Heating Surface3114
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume163.48
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation10070
Same as above plus superheater percentage11835.65
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area38633.33
Power L110601.16
Power MT488.18

Credits

Introduction and specifications provided by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media.