Norfolk & Western / Shenandoah Valley 4-6-0 "Ten-Wheeler" Locomotives in the USA


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class A (Locobase 12589)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 24, 160. (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his email noting the tender's coal capacity.) Works numbers were 20007-20010 in January 1902.

The specs for these passenger Ten-wheelers show that the design used the same boiler and firebox as the V-class 2-8-0s from the year before (Locobase 12418), but the tubes were longer by 8 1/2". The N & W specified that like the Vs, the 9 1/2" (241 mm) piston valves in the A class should be set to provide no lead in full gear. Locobase notes too that they had a relatively long travel of 6 1/2" (165 mm).

The quartet does not ever seem to have been superheated. All were scrapped in September 1928.


Class D (Locobase 9714)

Data from Angus Sinclair, "Ratio of Heating Surface to Grate Area and Cylinder Volume," Locomotive Engineering, Volume X, No. 4 (April 1897), pp. 316-318. Works numbers were 4225, 4230, 4232-4233 in December 1889; 4307-4308 in May 1890, 4316-4318 in June; 4489-4492 in March 1891.

These were relatively low-drivered passenger Ten-wheelers on the N&W. The entire class remained intact until 1912 when the 41 was sold in December to the Winston-Salem South Bound, which kept its road number. Almost all of the rest were retired in March 1916 with 40 and 45 surviving until October 1923.


Class E (Locobase 16462)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engine as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 10, p. 174; and Joseph H Sands, "Tests of Pocahontas and Cumberland Coals by Shenandoah Valley RR", The Virginias: A Mining, Industrial & Scientific Journal ..., Volume 5, No 5 (May 1884)

pp. 88-89. Works numbers were 5252-5253, 5261-5262, 5335, 5337, 5384, 5389, 5406, 5419, 5926-5927, 6107-6108, 6226, 6228-6229, and 6232.

Locobase 16463 contains most of the report on the relative value of the two coals tested by Joseph Sands. Here, the 4-6-0s shared with the I class 4-4-0s (Locobase 16464) a "wastefulness" coal because of the small grates "and consequent fierceness of the draught per square foot, which carries a large percentage of the small coal in an almost unburned condition out through the stack."

Sands wrote well and at this point, he let his pen flow: "A regular hailstorm of half-burned coal followed the throwing on of each shoveful ...and the pyrotechnic display at night, although very edifying, was highly dangerous to the property adjoining the track." Although he acknowledged that it was "needless to remark", he dryly added that "this was a misapplication of the fuel."

By the way, he added, the locomotive drivers were deliberately misled about which coal they were burning to reduce the effect of bias on their operation of the locomotives. From his description, Sands probably needn't have bothered.

See 16463 and 16464 for more of the Sands report.


Class U (Locobase 12038)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 17, p. 233 and Volume 18, p.50. Works numbers were 12592, 12594, 12602-12603, 12608 in April 1892; 12894-12898 in August; 12902-12904, 12907, 12914 in September.

Passenger-service Vauclain compound Ten-wheelers came onto the N&W with this order. they were rebuilt in 1902 with simple-expansion 20" x 24" cylinders.

71 was sold to the Winston Salem Southbound on January 1920; she was joined by 78 in July. The WSSB extended the Roanoke-Winston Salem line south along the Yadkin River. these two Ten-wheeler contributed passenger and mixed-train power until the line was closed to passenger traffic in 1933.

All of the rest of the class were scrapped in 1923 except for 81 in December 1924 and 74-75 in September 1933.


Class V (Locobase 12418)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 23 p. 40. (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his 12 January 2017 email pointing out the 19" diameter of the cylinders as delivered and for noting the tender's coal capacity.) Works numbers were 17747-17748 in May 1900; 18232-18235, 18266-18267 in September; 18301-18302, 18315-18316 in October.

These Consolidations had 9 1/2" (241 mm) piston valves that had no lead in full gear and relatively long strokes of 6 5/16" (160 mm).

Locobase 7822 shows the result of fitting new, taller 62" drivers to the class not long after they arrived


Class V1 (Locobase 7822)

Data from N&W 3-1955 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Among the few Ten-wheeler classes operated by the N & W, this class had 9 1/2"piston valves and a good-sized boiler. Although procured as a fast-freight engines, they spent most of their career in light-passenger and mixed-traffic service. They were joined by the 12 V-class freighters described in Locobase 12418.

The 957 and 959 were the first to go to the scrapyard in August 1929 followed shortly by 955 and 958 in October. Most of the rest were broken up by World War II. Of the few remaining, 954 and 956 lasted the longest before being scrapped in April 1950.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

ClassADEUV
Locobase ID12589 9714 16462 12038 12418
RailroadNorfolk & Western (N&W)Norfolk & Western (N&W)Shenandoah Valley (N&W)Norfolk & Western (N&W)Norfolk & Western (N&W)
CountryUSAUSAUSAUSAUSA
Whyte4-6-04-6-04-6-04-6-04-6-0
Number in Class413181512
Road Numbers86-8938-41, 206-210, 401-404/38-5020-29, 34-41/531-54871-85950-961
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built413181512
BuilderBurnham, Williams & CoshopsBurnham, Parry, Williams & CoBurnham, Williams & CoBurnham, Williams & Co
Year19021889188018921900
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)13.12 / 413.08 / 3.9912.50 / 3.8112.50 / 3.81
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)24.37 / 7.4323.90 / 7.2823.87 / 7.2823.75 / 7.24
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.54 0.55 0.52 0.53
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)49.66 / 15.1449.67 / 15.14
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)123,000 / 55,79297,800 / 44,361117,000 / 53,070
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)158,000 / 71,668123,800 / 56,15579,000 / 35,834152,000 / 68,946
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)5000 / 18.942400 / 9.093600 / 13.645000 / 18.94
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)99 / 8
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)68 / 3454 / 2765 / 32.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)68 / 172760 / 157551 / 129568 / 172756 / 1422
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)200 / 13.80155 / 9.70140 / 9.70200 / 13.80200 / 13.80
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)20" x 28" / 508x71119" x 24" / 483x61018" x 24" / 457x61014" x 24" / 356x61019.5" x 28" / 495x711
Low Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)24" x 24" / 610x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)28,000 / 12700.6019,025 / 8629.6118,144 / 8229.9917,549 / 7960.1032,321 / 14660.58
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.39 5.14 3.62
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)281 - 2.25" / 57140 - 2.25" / 57231 - 2.25" / 57281 - 2.25" / 57
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)14.46 / 4.4112.75 / 3.8913.48 / 4.1113.85 / 4.22
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)180 / 16.73151 / 14.03154 / 14.31180 / 16.72
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)32.60 / 3.0329 / 2.7015.50 / 1.4423.90 / 2.2232.40 / 3.01
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2559 / 237.831928 / 179.181304 / 121.141977 / 183.742459 / 228.45
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2559 / 237.831928 / 179.181304 / 121.141977 / 183.742459 / 228.45
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume251.38244.67184.44462.60254.03
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation65204495217047806480
Same as above plus superheater percentage65204495217047806480
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area36,00023,40530,80036,000
Power L17702527749556477
Power MT414.15356.86366.14

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

ClassV1
Locobase ID7822
RailroadNorfolk & Western (N&W)
CountryUSA
Whyte4-6-0
Number in Class17
Road Numbers962-966
GaugeStd
Number Built5
BuilderAlco-Richmond
Year1902
Valve GearStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)12.50 / 3.81
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)23.75 / 7.24
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.53
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)54.91 / 16.74
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)44,500 / 20,185
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)128,025 / 58,071
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)162,350 / 73,641
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)167,500 / 75,977
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)329,850 / 149,618
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)9000 / 34.09
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)14 / 13
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)71 / 35.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)62 / 1575
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)200 / 13.80
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)19.5" x 28" / 495x711
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)29,193 / 13241.74
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.39
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)272 - 2.25" / 57
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)13.85 / 4.22
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)183 / 17.01
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)32.60 / 3.03
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2403 / 223.33
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2403 / 223.33
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume248.24
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation6520
Same as above plus superheater percentage6520
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area36,600
Power L17084
Power MT365.96

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