White Pass & Yukon 4-6-0 Locomotives in Canada


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 59 (Locobase 10679)

Data from [], last accessed 19 July 2009. See also DeGolyer, Volume 23, pp. 23 and Works numbers were 17749-17750 in May 1900 and 18964-18965 in May 1901.

Compared to most other 3' gauge Ten-wheelers that traveled on North American rails, thise long-boilered locomotives had substantially more heating surface area. The grates and fireboxes were relatively small, however.

All 4 served the WP & Y into the 1940s with 66 staying on until 1953.


Class 62 (Locobase 10681)

Data from [], last accessed 19 July 2009. DeGolyer, Volume 23, p. 33. Works number was 17895 in June 1900.

Perhaps this was the "flyer" of the WP & Y. Certainly it had more cylinder volume, but tubes that were 2 1/2 ft shorter than the 59 class (Locobase 10679), a larger grate and firebox, and taller drivers on a spread-out wheelbase. Unlike the other White Pass engines, this locomotive had an inside frame.

The design as built was different from the original plan in several respects. A preliminary drawing shown at [] shows a shorter boiler with more (215), shorter (13 feet) tubes, 46" drivers, and much more weight on the drivers (90,000 lb).

Even the specification sheet for the actual purchase found in the DeGolyer Library collection outlines a grate with unusual dimensions: its width at the rear measured 39 7/8" (as noted on the WP & Y's diagram), but its front edge spanned only 24 3/8" and the grate area is calculated to be 18.3 sq ft. Also, the firebox was much shallower in front (44 1/4") than in the back (53 1/2") and its heating surface area is given as 105.7 sq ft. Locobase suspects that the provision of an inside frame necessitated an abrupt narrowing of the firebox to squeeze it between the frame rails ahead of the bulk of the firebox.

Moreover, estimated adhesion weight was 83,000 lb and total engine weight was 96,000 lb.

62 remained in service into the late 1940s.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class5962
Locobase ID10679 10681
RailroadWhite Pass & YukonWhite Pass & Yukon
CountryCanadaCanada
Whyte4-6-04-6-0
Number in Class41
Road Numbers59-60, 66-6762
Gauge3'3'
Number Built41
BuilderBurnham, Williams & CoBurnham, Williams & Co
Year19001900
Valve GearStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 7.42 / 2.2612.50 / 3.81
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)16.75 / 5.1121.75 / 6.63
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.44 0.57
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)48 / 14.6348 / 14.63
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)77,000 / 34,92773,000 / 33,112
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)82,000 / 37,19591,000 / 41,277
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)69,000 / 31,29869,000 / 31,298
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)151,000 / 68,493160,000 / 72,575
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)3000 / 11.363000 / 11.36
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 7.50 / 7 7.50 / 7
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)43 / 21.5041 / 20.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)42 / 106744 / 1118
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)180 / 12.40180 / 12.40
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)17" x 20" / 432x50817" x 22" / 432x559
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)21,056 / 9550.8522,109 / 10028.49
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.66 3.30
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)200 - 2" / 51200 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)14.83 / 4.5212.33 / 3.76
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)99.80 / 9.28110 / 10.22
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)16.15 / 1.5019.10 / 1.78
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1645 / 152.881401 / 130.20
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1645 / 152.881401 / 130.20
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume313.33242.39
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation29073438
Same as above plus superheater percentage29073438
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area17,96419,800
Power L151464456
Power MT442.01403.72

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