Class L-1 (Locobase 9382)

Data from C&O 12 - 1946 diagram books supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

As Pacifics, the F-19s were regarded as one of the best designs of that wheel arrangement in service. At the close of World War II, however, the Chessie decided to upgrade their passenger service with a premium express connecting Washington & Cincinnati called the Chessie.

Although characterized as a rebuild, in fact the railroad retained only the firebox from the 20-year-old engines. Karen Parker, "The C & O's Homemade Hudsons", Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Magazine (May 2006) provides a summary of the extensive rework undertaken by the Huntington shops:

*A new, one-piece cast frame with integral cylinders and main air reservoir.

*Roller bearings on all axles and in the main and side rods.

*Multiple-bearing crossheads, replacing the alligator type used on the F-19.

*New drivers that were carefully cross-counter-balanced to enable high-speed operation.

*An entirely new structure inside the boiler, reusing only the outer shell, with 41 tubes of 2.25'' outside diameter (171 fewer) and 195 flues of 3.5'' O.D. (147 more).

*A renewed but otherwise unchanged firebox.

*A Type E superheater, replacing the Type A of the F-19, and providing significantly increased super-heater heating surface (2001 sq. ft., a 65% increase) and 250° of superheat rather than 150° in the Type A.

*Slightly higher boiler pressure (210 psi vs. 200 psi).

*Cylinders of the same size (27'' x 28'') but now equipped with Franklin Type A poppet valves (oscillating cam type).

*A four-wheel trailing truck with a Franklin type E-I high speed booster, capable of operation up to 35 mph.

*A more efficient Worthington feedwater heater taken from an F-17 Pacific, which got the Elesco feedwater heater from the F-19.

*A new, very large cab."

The result was a considerably heavier engine that shone in stainless steel and a bright red-orange sloped nose and upper casing.

Parker comments that the rebuild did not have a combustion chamber and speculates that the boiler's length may have precluded its retention. Moreover, the poppet valves provided a healthy increase in horsepower. She quotes Gene Huddleston's anecdote of the engineer whose L-1 ran so smoothly and effortlessly one day that it was only the dynamic augment of a locomotive that was exceeding its counterbalanciing speed that awoke him to the realization that he was hitting 95 mph with 6 heavyweight cars.

Although the Chessie never actually ran, the L-1s put in good service throughout the C & O's passenger network. Their 74" drivers offered little real hindrance to very fast running because of the roller bearings distributed throughout. In April 1953, the first 2 were retired with the other three being replaced by diesels by mid-1955.

Class L-2 (Locobase 179)

Data confirmed by C&O 12 -1946 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Alen Stanley from his extensive collection. Works numbers were 64351-64358 for the December 1941-January 1942 octet and 73533-73537 for the last 5 produced in August 1948.

Firebox heating surface included 115 sq ft of syphons (2) and arch tubes. Roller bearings on all axles and, on the 300, roller bearings on the main and side rods. This set had piston valves.

The later L-2a engines (310-314) were the last steam passenger locomotives ordered by a US railroad; they were built by Baldwin in 1948. They were slightly heavier and had Franklin rotary poppet valves actuated by Baker valve gear.

L-1 4-6-4s were rebuilt F-19 4-6-2s; see Locobase 9382.