Rock Island 4-8-4 "Northern" Type Locomotives

Class R-67 (Locobase 251)

Data from 1947 Locomotive Cyclopedia.

Firebox had 4 thermic syphons that totalled 155 sq ft . Note that these 10 locomotives, built 15 years after the earlier R-67-B group, have much less superheating area, outdated tube and flue arrangement. Wartime restrictions on high-temperature alloys probably had something to do with that retrograde. In fact, they strongly resemble the Delaware & Hudson K-62s built at the same time by the same builder. Among more modern features these engines showed were roller bearings on all axles and Boxpok drivers. These engines were oil-fired.

Class R-67-B (Locobase 250)

Data from 1930 Locomotive Cyclopedia.

Firebox had 150 sq ft of thermic syphons. According to Drury (1993), this design's size and weight limited their operation to the Chicago-Des Moines corridor, the Chicago-Dalhart, Texas line, and the segment between Herington, Kan and El Reno, Okla. Later bridge-strengthening allowed these heavyweights to pull freights and passenger trains to Denver, Fort Worth, Tucumcari, and Minneapolis. Ten of this large stud of Northerns (the largest on a North American road) received a larger tender, roller bearings, and thicker driver tires.

Specifications
ClassR-67R-67-B
Locobase ID251250
RailroadRock Island (CRI & P)Rock Island (CRI & P)
Whyte4-8-44-8-4
Road Numbers5100-51195000-5064
GaugeStdStd
BuilderAlco-SchenectadyAlco-Schenectady
Year19441929
Valve GearWalschaertBaker
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase19.75'19.25'
Engine Wheelbase47.08'45.58'
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheebase 0.42 0.42
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender)95.92'88'
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle)
Weight on Drivers280000 lbs265500 lbs
Engine Weight467000 lbs434000 lbs
Tender Light Weight370500 lbs304300 lbs
Total Engine and Tender Weight837500 lbs738300 lbs
Tender Water Capacity21500 gals15000 gals
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal)5500 gals20 tons
Minimum weight per yard of rail on which locomotive could run116.67 lb rail110.62 lb rail
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter74"69"
Boiler Pressure275.60 psi250 psi
Cylinders (dia x stroke)26" x 32"26" x 32"
Tractive Effort68480 lbs66620 lbs
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.09 3.99
Heating Ability
Firebox Area578 sq. ft515 sq. ft
Grate Area96.30 sq. ft88.30 sq. ft
Evaporative Heating Surface45735443
Superheating Surface14382243
Combined Heating Surface60117686
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume232.56276.80
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation26540.2822075
Same as above plus superheater percentage32889.4628517.13
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area197405.07166323.02
Power L135271.4641237.39
Power MT1110.861369.68

Credits

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