Class O1 (Locobase 285)

Data from Locomotive Cyclopedia 1930 and WAB 1 Locomotive, Crane and Marine diagrams book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Baldwin produced this class over a 7-month period as the Great Depression deepened. Works numbers ran 61417-18 (June 1930), 61435-61438 (July 1930), 61482-61485 (September 1930), 61516-61521 (October 1930), 61567-68 (November 1930), 61572 (December 1930), and 61588-61593 (January 1931).

Firebox heating surface included 30 sq ft of arch tubes and 96 sq ft of thermic syphons. Locobase was momentarily confused by the 1946 diagram. In it, two columns of information about heating surfaces distinguish between those without either a combustion chamber or thermic syphons and engine 2917, apparently using both. The total difference in direct heating surface is only 16.5 sq ft, however. As far as Locobase can determine, 2917's firebox was substantially modified by adding a 50" combustion chamber and thermic syphons without changing tube & flue lengths. He's still not sure how it was done.

The first 20 used Walschaert gear, the last 5 operated Baker valve gear. The latter weighed about a ton more, though Locobase doesn't think all of the increase is attributable to the change in valve gear.

Drury (1993) notes the strong similarities between these Northerns and 25 4-8-2 Mountains delivered by the same builder to the same railroad at the same time for the same service (freights between Montpelier, Ohio and Decatur, Illinois) and adds: "The question 'Why not 50 of one type?' remains unanswered." An article in Railway Age 14 February 1931 doesn't answer the question, certainly, saying only that the chief difference between the two was the larger grate.

Like most Wabash steam, these engines were retired in the mid-1950s