Northern Locomotive Specifications

Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Class R-1 (Locobase #238)

Firebox was loaded with supplemental heating surface. In addition to the firebox area of 272 sq ft, R-1s had 127 sq ft in the combustion chamber and 168 sq ft in thermic syphons in both the firebox and combustion chamber.

Had all the latest features including cast-steel frame and roller bearings on the driving axles. Baldwin overestimated the amount of counterbalancing these engines required, which led to pounding at high speeds. In fact, says http://www.awod.com/galery/rwav/whodom/back.html, at high speed "...the main drivers actually left the rails and repeatedly slammed back down, kinking rails and damaging track alignment for miles." It took time, but eventually the solution was found in reducing the counterbalancing.

Six of the class (1800-1801, 1806-1809) ran even more smoothly once they were fitted with lightweight pistons by Timken, piston rods, cross heads, and, probably most important, tapered main rods with roller bearing wrist pins.

The website (consulted in Sept 2001) says that these engines easily hit 90 mph in passenger service and probably topped 100 at times. In fast freight service, an 1800 was rated at 6,200 tons on the Richmond-Jacksonville main line.

Don Ball (Portrait of the Rails, 1972) says: "An engine I regret never having seen ...This Baldwin, judging from photos, had to be about the most handsome steam power in the south." Retired in 1951-1952.

Canadian National (CNR) Class U-2a/b (Locobase #240)

Firebox had water tubes that contributed 100 sq ft to the direct heating surface; the boiler had feedwater heater. U-2a (works #1800-1819) numbered from 6100 to 6119 and delivered from Canadian Loco Works in 1927.

U-2b (6120-6150), delivered from Montreal in 1927 (works #67351-67370), identical except for 233,400-lb weight on drivers and commensurate 4.10 factor of adhesion. Also the first ring of the boiler measured 80 7/8" in diameter.

6100 was named Confederation and that moniker was used in preference to "Northern" on all CNR 4-8-4s.

GTW had several batches of identical locomotives in the U-3 class; see Locobases 3171 and 255.

Canadian National (CNR) Class U-2c/d/e/f (Locobase #2951)

Firebox had thermic syphons and water tubes that contributed 100 sq ft to the direct heating surface. The boiler had feedwater heater. These were follow-ons to the U-2a/2b with a different tube/flue ratio.

Obviously, the CNR found the dimensions of this design to be a good fit as they added locomotives to the class for 11 years. All of the U-2s had the trailing axles that somewhat unusually carried wheels of considerably different sizes. The leading wheels were 34 1/4" in diameter, while the rear wheels measured 48".

MLW's works # for the 6140-6159 were 67769-67788 in 1929. Seven years later, the company added 5 more (works #68710-68714) built to the same specs, but weighing a bit more (237,600 lb on the drivers, 390,000 lb total). In 1940, MLW supplied works #69260-69274 as road numbers 6165-6179 and Canadian Locomotive Works added 10 more (works #1960-1969) as road numbers 6180-6189.

Canadian National (CNR) Class U-4 (Locobase #242)

Said to be a streamlined variant of the U-2 series. Works numbers were 68715-68719. Differences are more than skin-deep, however, and include a smaller boiler and grate, larger drivers, lower adhesive weight, and lower tractive effort. The firebox included thermic syphons.

Seven more went to the Grand Trunk Western as #6405-6411; see Locobase 243. (For some reason, the GTWs had one less small tube.)

Canadian National (CNR) Class U-2g/h (Locobase #241)

Firebox heating surface included 99 sq ft of thermic syphons (3), boiler had type E superheater. It was a slight redesign of the earlier U-2 classes (Locobase 2951 ) that traded some tube heating surface for superheater area. Like the earlier classes, the trailing axles somewhat unusually carried wheels of considerably different sizes. The leading wheels were 34 1/4" in diameter, while the rear wheels measured 48".

U-2g 6200-6234 (works #69698-69722, 69780-69799) in 1943.

U-2h 6235-6259. (70303-70332) in 1943-1944.

Canadian Pacific Class K-1a (Locobase #244)

Boiler had feedwater heater. These engines proved too heavy for all but the Montreal-Toronto line, where they pulled the night trains.

Central of Georgia Class K (Locobase #245)

Firebox heating surface included 85 sq ft of thermic syphons. Drury (1993) notes that these wartime engines were near-duplicates of the Espee's GS-6. A principal difference was the use of the Elesco feedwater heater. On the Central of Georgia, the class was called the "Big Apples."

Alexander (American Locomotives, 1950) adds that they cost $178,000 each and could "maintain fast schedules between Macon [Georgia] and Atlanta with 22 passenger cars northbound or thirty cars southbound."

Chesapeake & Ohio (C & O) Class J-3 (Locobase #246)

Actually 2 slightly different sub-classes: J-3 (600-604) and J-3a (605-606); 5 more J-3a delivered in 1948 with BoxPok drivers.. The specifications are for the J-3a. Known as Greenbriers on the C&O, these were among the largest 4-8-4s built. According to Drury (1993), the design was based on the earlier 2-10-4.

In their January 1981 Railfan and Railroad article "The Last Greenbrier", Jim Boyd & Tom Dixon say the J3's ran between Charlottesville, VA over the mountains to Hinton West Virginia, 175 miles with a ruling grade of 1.52% pullling up to 13 heavy passenger cars.

The authors note that the first 5 had the steam dome mounted well forward to be closer to the front-end throttle and thus be more efficient. They comment, however, "The theory worked fine on flat-land engines like the T-1s and the Berks [], but when its long boiler tipped downhill from the top of a mountain, the C&O J3s had a nasty habit of drowning their dry pipes if the crew was carrying the water a little too high." Boyd & Dixon record that the latter two J3s, delivered in 1942 J-3s had the steam dome situated behind the sand dome. They also used Baker valve gear.

Boyd & Dixon also say that the 1948 batch were "fully roller-bearing equipped, including lightweight rods with rollers on the cranks." This quintet was highly regarded, but their service career was inevitably short-lived

Chicago & North Western (C&NW) Class H (Locobase #252)

As built in 1929, these dual-service engines had an outside-cradle frame (also known as a banjo frame) holding the 4-wheel trailing truck. While needed to clear the large ashpan, says Drury (1993), this frame was a weak point.

The first five were delivered with Baker valve gear; the rest had Walschaerts. Other features included 14"-diameter piston valves; a firebox fitted with combustion chamber (116 sq ft), thermic syphons (129 sq ft) and firebrick tubes (21 sq ft); boiler served by feedwater heater. As built, these engines had a booster that added 11,300 lb to starting tractive effort. These were huge engines that initially were restricted to the Chicago-Omaha main line.

Drury notes two rebuilds. 1940 introduced roller bearings on the axles, lighter Boxpok drivers, and lighter main and side rods. Locobase 3582 describes the much more extensive reconstruction wrought on 24 locomotives beginning in 1946.

Chicago & North Western (C&NW) Class H-1 (Locobase #8382)

As noted in Locobase 252, the H-class 4-8-4 went through two major rebuilds during their careers. The first, in 1940, is described in 252. In 1946, 3004's refit went substantially farther with a new boiler mated to a new firebox and mounted on a cast nickel-steel frame with integral cylinders, air reservoirs, and pilot beam. Tube and flue diameters both increased, (from 2" and 3 1/2", respectively), but their number decreased and total evaporative heating surface declined by a total of more than 1,300 sq ft.

Essentially, these were new locomotives. Drury comments that the rebuild "...was a much better engine than it had been in 1929, and it had been an excellent engine then." 24 were modernized by C & NW in 1946-1949 before dieselization stopped the program. They left service beginning in 1950, the last departing in 1956.

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q) Class O-5 (Locobase #253)

These engines were built in 3 batches:

5600-5607 by Baldwin in 1931 with Elesco feedwater heaters and Timken roller bearings,

5608-5620 by CB&Q using Baldwin boilers but Worthington SA feedwater heaters in 1937, and

5621-5635 by CB&Q in 1939.

Firebox heating surface included 45 sq ft of arch tubes and 83 sq ft of combustion chamber. All were fitted with Baker valve gear. The last batch (O-5A) had Boxpok disc drivers. Many of the earlier 4-8-4s were rebuilt to O-5A standard, which also included roller bearings, lightweight rods, vestibule cabs, and the solid pilot.

Some were later converted to oil-burning. All retired in the mid-1950s.

Corbin & Kerka (1960) quote a fireman about the O-5's power: "They steamed best under a wide-open throttle, and on a light train one had to keep the reverse down in the corner." They report on one train of 82 mail cars worked by a single O-5 on 17 October 1944.

Cotton Belt (StLSW) Class L1 - 800 (Locobase #254)

The firebox heating surface includes 107 sq ft of thermic syphons and 104 sq ft in the combustion chamber. Piston valves measured 14" in diameter. The StL-SW diagram shows that of the driving wheelbase, only 12 ft 2" was considered "rigid", meaning the lead driving axle had considerabl lateral play. The frame and cylinders were combined in a integral steel casting. 800-804 truck bearings were Timken rollers while 805-809 ran SKFs. Later, all 10 were refitted with Boxpok drivers and Timken roller bearings on all driving journals.

The first 10 were built by Baldwin in 1930 and increased freight power by 30% while moving it faster.

Pine Bluff, the Frisco's main shop location, built its own variant; see Locobase 8479.

Cotton Belt (StLSW) Class L1 - 810 (Locobase #8479)

The first 10 Northerns on the StL-SW came from Baldwin in 1930 and they're described in Locobase 245. In this entry, we show the second 10, which were produced by Pine Bluff, the Frisco's main shop location, beginning in 1937. These had roller bearings on all axles and Boxpok drivers. Also, the superheater lost 98 sq ft of heating surface, probably by eliminating elements from a few 3 1/2" flues, as the tube and flue counts remained the same at 52 and 200, respectively.

The Baldwin engines were modified to a similar standard and Pine Bluff supplied another 5 engines to support wartime traffic in 1942.

Delaware & Hudson Class K-62 (Locobase #256)

Firebox heating surface included 55 sq ft of arch tubes. Prominent "elephant-ear" smoke lifters flanked the smokebox.

15 engines delivered to the railroad in 1943 that served until 1952-1953.

These were relatively small "Northerns" that made very efficient use of firebox heating surface, which included a 7-ft-long combustion chamber, and superheater area. The latter maintained a traditional ratio of tubes to flues and, in fact, resembled closely installations in several other 4-8-4 batches delivered during World War II. (These included the Milwaukee Road S-3 (Locobase 249), Rock Island R-67 (Locobase 251), and the Union Pacific's FEF-3 (Locobase 8340).)

Delaware, Lackawanna &Western Class Q1 (Locobase #259)

In his study of the USRA Heavy Mountain (see Locobase 232) and the locomotives it inspired, LeMassena notes that the DL&W had procured five 4-8-2s based on the USRA design but equipped with larger fireboxes ( Locobase 5731). Soon the railroad came back for still bigger descendants of the basic design that needed another axle under the firebox. Thus were erected the first DL&W 4-8-4s (Alco works #67526-67530). Called Poconos, this group of five engines led the way for 50 more. They had 88 sq ft of thermic syphons and 28 sq ft of arch tubes as part of their firebox heating surface. Also, they had the tallest drivers of any of the DL&W 4-8-4s.

Delaware, Lackawanna &Western Class Q2 (Locobase #260)

The next step in the DL&W's Pocono parade belonged to this dual-traffic design. Simliar in most respects to the Brooks-built Q1 (Locobase 259), the new class had smaller drivers and were expected to haul fast freights as well as passenger trains. Firebox had 110.5 sq ft of thermic syphons and 27.5 sq ft of arch tubes contributing to the heating surface.

Delaware, Lackawanna &Western Class Q3/Q3a (Locobase #9246)

This class (Alco works #68623-68632) represented a big boiler redesign compared to the Q2s that had preceded it only a few years earlier (see Locobase 260). Superpower dimensions had arrived: the number of firetubes shrank dramatically while scores of new, smaller-diameter flues for the Type E superheated resulted in an 69% increase in supeheater area (or more than 900 sq ft). The firebox saw little change and had 110 sq ft of thermic syphons and 27 sq ft of arch tubes contributing to the heating surface.

Also, LeMassena notes, the Q3s pioneered roller bearings on the Lackawanna with the first 8 (Q3) sporting roller bearings on the lead trucks and the last two (Q3a) fitted with roller bearings on all engine axles.

Delaware, Lackawanna &Western Class Q4 (Locobase #9247)

The last variant of the DL&W's sizable 4-8-4 stud, the Q4 also sported a superpower boiler on a slightly smaller scale than the Q3 (Locobase 9246), but pressed to a higher degree. The firebox, too, was a bit smaller with 95 sq ft of thermic syphons and 27 sq ft of arch tubes contributing to the heating surface. Driver diameter increased by 4" and the Q4s also traveled on roller bearings on all engine axles.

LeMassena says: "Although intended for fast freight trains between Buffalo and Binghamton, New York, these locomotives handled perishables eastward to Hoboken, New Jersey, returning westward on mainline passenger trains."

Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) Class M64 (Locobase #257)

Firebox fitted with combustion chamber that supplied 78 sq ft and 103 sq ft of thermic syphons contributing to the firebox heating surface, boiler had feedwater heater. Known on the D & RGW as Westerns.

Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) Class M68 (Locobase #258)

More frankly passenger haulers than their 14 predecessor M-64s, these five Westerns had roller bearings on axles carrying larger drivers. Laid out as a superpower locomotive in all respects, the firebox heating surface included 139 sq ft of combustion chamber and 122 sq ft of thermic syphons (located in both the firebox and the combustion chamber).

They ran from Denver to Salt Lake City -- 745 miles through the Royal Gorge and Tennessee Passes hitting 80 mph in some spots -- until retirement in 1952-1954.

Grand Trunk Western (CNR) Class U-3a (Locobase #3171)

Firebox had thermic syphons and arch tubes that contributed 100 sq ft to the direct heating surface. These locomotives (Alco works #67339-67350) and their CNR U-2 cousins were relatively light 4-8-4s of relatively orthodox layout for the late 1920s. See Locobase 255 for the later U-3cs, which were quite different in their internal layout.

Like the U-2s, the trailing truck wheel diameters differed considerably. In the case of the U-3s, the leading carrying truck under the firebox measured 33" in diameter while the trailing wheels were 10" larger.

Grand Trunk Western (CNR) Class U-4 (Locobase #243)

Very slight differences between these engines and the CNR U-4s numbered 6400-6404 (Locobase 242). Note the light average axle loading and the weight per foot of driving wheelbase. Lima's works numbers were 7759-7764.

Grand Trunk Western (CNR) Class U-3c (Locobase #255)

Firebox had 95 sq ft of thermic syphons. These locomotives and their CNR U-2 cousins were relatively light 4-8-4s. Like all CNR Northerns, the trailing axles somewhat unusually carried wheels of considerably different sizes. The leading wheels were 34 1/4" in diameter, while the rear wheels measured 48".

The U-3cs (works #69618-69642) had been preceded by a 1927 batch of U-3a, which is the subject of a separate entry (Locobase 3171). As they were very nearly the same size and tractive power, it's instructive to examine the impact of the superpower revolution on how that power was generated. The tube-flue ratio changes profoundly from 200+ small-diameter tubes and 50 flues of more than twice the cross-sectional area to a reversed layout of tubes and flues that are nearer the same size. The firebox heating surface actually declined, but the superheating percentage climbed 7 points to more than 30% of the combined heating surface.

www.ohiocentralrr.com/shop/johnb.html by John B. Corns details the refurbishment of this locomotive for operations on the Ohio Central beginning in September 2001. The article sketches how well-suited for its service was this design. As passenger engines, they wheeled 16-car trains across the relatively flat Michigan rail at impressive speeds. One U-3b reportedly hit 106.5 mph pulling 12 cars in 1956. Corns notes that the class was "equally at ease heading 80-car manifests across GTW's Chicago Division ..."

Among the features in this design were roller bearings on all but the driving axles, Boxpok drivers, Nicholson thermic syphons, and Elesco exhaust steam injectors ("the 'poor man's feedwater heaters'").

Restoration to tourist operation by owner Jerry Jacobson is estimated to have cost him over 3/4 of a million dollars.

Great Northern (GN) Class S-1 (Locobase #261)

Its boiler fitted with exhaust steam injector. Heavy dual-service oil-burning engines. Only six built (works #60781-60782, 60807-60810 in April & May 1929) before design changed to lighter engine with high drivers.

They were nonetheless highly serviceable locomotives that remained in service until 1956 (2553), 1957, and 1958.

Great Northern (GN) Class S-2 (Locobase #262)

Baldwin supplied these in February and March 1930 (61211-61216, 61224-61225, 61237-61242).

To save weight, the GN eschewed their by-then standard Belpaire firebox in favor of a radial-stayed firebox. This large cavity had a combustion chamber (111 sq ft) and arch tubes (22 sq ft). The boiler was fitted with exhaust steam injector. The S-2 had high drivers and smaller boiler than the earlier S-1 and was more completely dedicated to express passenger service. Another change was the squaring of the cylinder dimensions so that diameter equalled stroke. This resulted in slightly more cylinder volume.

Like their predecessors, the S-2s were oil-fired.

Lehigh Valley Class T-1 (Locobase #263)

Known as "Wyomings" in Lehigh Valley service. When fitted, an unusually powerful trailing-truck booster added 18,630 lb to the starting tractive effort. The firebox contained Nicholson thermic syphons.

Lehigh Valley Class T-2/T-2B (Locobase #265)

Firebox heating surface included 131 sq ft of thermic syphons. These engines were built in 2 batches --10 in 1932 and 10 in 1943.

Lehigh Valley Class T-3 (Locobase #264)

Milwaukee Road Class S1 (Locobase #247)

Firebox fitted with combustion chamber and thermic syphon, boiler had feedwater heater. This was the proof-of-concept Northern for the Milwaukee Road, Glischinski's account says that 9700 (works #61176) entered service in 1930 from Baldwin as a trial horse against the powerful F6 4-6-4s then in service. He contends that the S1 was a stretched F6 in any case.

For the moment, the Milwaukee's passenger trains made do with the F6 and the 9700 was put to work pulling 5,000-ton freights on its own. In 1934, the 9700 began working passenger trains between Avery, Idaho and Othello, Washington. In February 1938, the West Milwaukee shops duplicated the 9700, by then renumbered 250, and rolled out the 251. (Glischinski notes that it was the last new locomotive from that facility.)

Milwaukee Road Class S2 (Locobase #248)

Firebox heating surface included 105 sq ft of circulators. Even before theWest Milwaukee shops produced the 251 (see Locobase 247), the Milwaukee Road had gone to Baldwin for its definitive Northerns. The first 28 were produced in October 1937 through February 1938 (62089-62117). Ten more (62344-62353) came in March-April 1940.

These forty S-2s operated mostly as freight haulers from Bensenville (West Milwaukee) to Council Bluffs, Iowa or St. Paul, Minn. Occasionally they'd hook up to the westbound Olympian if it trailed more than 12 cars.

Retired 1953-1956.

Milwaukee Road Class S3 (Locobase #249)

Firebox heating surface included 80.5 sq ft of circulators.

The last of the Milwaukee Road's Northerns, this design pieced together a Rock Island frame, a Delaware & Hudson boiler, and a Union Pacific tender. One change in the boiler was the use of circulators in place of thermic syphons. Glischinski's account says of these "...an Alco ad touted them as 'the last word in 4-8-4 design.' They featured roller bearings, special compensating lateral driving-box devices, and precision firing equipment."

Four were later converted to oil-burning and the engines saw out steam in both freight and passenger service.

Minneapolis, St Paul & Sault Ste Marie (Soo) Class O-20 (Locobase #278)

Note that the superheater area in the specs is estimated. It is a calculation based on taking the diagram value of 2,120 sq ft of "superheater equivalent" and deducting a third from it. See the logic presented in Locobase 1364.

Missouri Pacific (MP) Class 2101 (Locobase #1372)

Rebuilt 2-8-4s that became very successful freight engines.

See http://www.steamlocomotive.com/northern/mp.html (visited 7 Jan 2003), where Wes Barris says they had cast-steel beds and roller bearings.

Missouri Pacific (MP) Class 26S-63 (Locobase #266)

Firebox heating surface included 136 sq ft of thermic syphons. These freight engines were based on the Denver and Rio Grande Western's 1800-class 4-8-4s, with a little Northern Pacific A-5 blended in. They lasted until 1956.

Another 4-8-4 class on the MP's roster were the 2101-2125, which were rebuilds from 63-in DD 2-8-4 Berkshires to 75-in driver 4-8-4s. (see separate entry).

Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Class J2-57 (Locobase #8330)

Charles B Castner, writing in Drury (1993), notes that these were the first 4-8-4s in the South (where they were never referred to as "Northerns", but rather as "Dixies") and were derived from the USRA Light Mountains. Alco delivered an impressive machine on a one-piece cast-steel frame that carried brackets for auxiliary piping normally hung on the boiler. Castner also notes the "feedwater heaters, large fireboxes, and free-steaming boilers." The class soon acquired the nickname of "Gliders" for the smoothness with which they negotiated curves, an ease attributable to the lateral-motion axle boxes fitted to the first two driven axles.

J2s first ran on the Chattanooga Division in Eastern Tennessee, moving in 1940 to Atlanta and still later to Memphis. The Dixie Line returned to Alco for more 4-8-4s in 1942-1943; see Locobase 212.

Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Class J3-57 (Locobase #269)

Based on the J2s that appeared in 1930 (Locobase 8330) as enlargements of the J1 Mountains, this class had very few changes of note. Firebox heating surface included 116 sq ft of thermic syphons (97 sq ft) & arch tubes (19 sq ft). One noticeable difference was the much larger tender that held half again as much coal as that of the J2 and weighed 45 tons more. The engine's weight also increased by 10 tons.

570-579 were known as the "Yellow Jackets" because of a wide yellow stripe on the valence over the running gear. The later 10 engines had painted edges but no valence and were known as "Stripes." Charles B Castner, writing in Drury (1993), notes and photos confirm that the Yellow Jackets had a neat appearance with a conical smokebox, retractable couplers in the pilots, and few pipes or pumps mounted on the boiler. Running gear was as might be expected in late-model steam engines: roller bearings throughout and Boxpok drivers.

For all their modern features, these engines were out of service as of 1951-1952.

NdeM Class QR-1 (Locobase #974)

Built by Alco-Schenectady (16) and Baldwin (16) for freight service. Drury (1993) notes that they were among the lightest of Northerns. NdeM called them "Niagaras." The last of these was retired in 1965. (A 1947 Alco advertisement in the Locomotive Cyclopedia shows a superheat area of 1,667 sq ft.) Firebox heating surface included 97 sq ft in three thermic syphons. Valve travel measured 8" with a lead of 1/4".

See the Pennsylvania-based New Hope and Ivyland's website (http://www.nhrrvolunteers.org/NHRR3028.htm, last accessed 3 July 2006) for an encomium, which says in part:

"Built in ...1946 by the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, New York, these nimble and graceful engines were the finest match between a locomotive design and the environment of its railroad that was ever achieved during the steam era.

"Thoroughly modern in appearance and in specifications, these 32 engines brought a welcomed increase to the roster of the hard working N. de M. Their design included a wisely balanced compromise of features that was absolutely essential for the widely diversified areas where they ran ....For over 20 years these "Niagaras" served throughout Mexico, handling heavy international freight and passenger movements between Mexico City and Nuevo Lare[d]o as well as regular runs to Guadalajara and Aguascalientes through the difficult high altitude mountain country"

The NH & I site claims that the multiplication of axles coincident with adopting the 4-8-4 "...gave the N. de M. the broadest possible usage over the limitations of

the light rail and mountain curves making up much of its right of way." Yet, the minimum average axle loading was 60,000 lb (27.22 metric tons) which required a rail weight of at least 100 lb/yard (49.4 kg/m), which does not imply lightly built track.

New York Central (NYC) Class S-1a (Locobase #270)

Firebox heating surface included 57 sq ft of arch tubes. Don't look in the specifications for this engine's widely touted abilities. This class had a high adhesive weight, roller bearings all around, Baker valve gear, a large grate area, and valve ports designed to help the engine draw air evenly across the fire and through the tubes. They are easily recognized by their long, almost straight boiler line and "elephant ear" exhaust lifters. Note the enormous tender capacity.

This was the prototype; see Locobase 5583 for the production version S-1b. The 75" drivers were soon replaced by the 79" drivers of the S-1b.

New York Central (NYC) Class S-1b (Locobase #5582)

Firebox heating surface included 57 sq ft of arch tubes. This is the production version of this remarkable design; see Locobase 207 for the prototype. Paul Kiefer, Chief of Motive Power for the NYC, is credited for the scale and quality of this design.

Tests with the prototype had shown that pulling power didn't suffer much when 79" drivers were fitted. The result was one of the finest steam passenger locomotives ever built. Integrally cast, one-piece frame and cylinders, roller bearings on all axles and on the side rod ... all the mod cons. Brian Hollingsworth (1982) notes that Baker valve gear had no sliding surfaces, so they could be fitted with needle bearings. These must have been exceptionally smooth-riding locomotives. Moreover, says Hollingsworth, the valve ports were "...sharp on the steam side, but slightly rounded on the exhaust side ... [easing] the sharpness of the blast beats, thereby evening out the draft on the fire."

And in addition to having that immense 7-axle pedestal tender to carry 92,000 lb of coal, the S-1s made use of an extensive network of trackpans to fill the tenders on the fly. As a result, the class had to make only one fuel stop during the New York-Chicago run. One of these -- 6024 -- accumulated 288,849 miles in only 11 months.

One S-1b was fitted with Caprotti poppet-valve gear and redesignated S-2a.

David R Stephenson, writing in the May 2005 Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Magazine (reproduced online at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3943/is_200505/ai_n1342634, accessed 24 Oct 2005), puts the S-1b in clear perspective when he compares it to the Pennsy's classic T-1 duplex 4-4-4-4 (Locobase 348). After noting that the duplex solution was conceived to redress a potential problem that never quite materialized, he offers the S-1b as trump:

"Here was a locomotive," Stephenson 's verdict concludes, "that could match the T-1 at all but the highest speeds, and do it day-in and day-out without special treatment. It was moderately sized and could go almost anywhere. It didn't require particularly deft handling, was very reliable, could operate in most types of service, and didn't require specialized maintenance."

Norfolk & Western Class J (Locobase #271)

Firebox heating surface included 5 arch tubes with a total of 60 sq ft of area.

The most powerful 4-8-4s to run for any railroad, and one of the finest steam locomotive designs ever produced, the Js combined large cylinders, high steam pressure, and low drivers to generate a high tractive effort. Available power increased when boiler pressure was raised later to 300 psi, yielding an indicated tractive effort of 80,000 lb. J-class engines 605-610, built in 1943, had to forego the lightweight side rods and roller bearings that had graced the first five engines, but they were refitted with both after World War II.

The Js were famed for their dual-service capability, pulling long freights and running passenger trains at 90 mph. Automatic lubrication at over 200 points and roller bearings everywhere (axles, main & side rods, valve gear, wrist pins) permitted 15,000-mile/month usage and 1 1/2 year intervals between shop visits.

Northern Pacific (NP) Class A (Locobase #272)

http://www.nprr.org/Steam%20Diagrams/Forms/AllItems.aspx (7 Feb 2004) has locomotive diagrams from 1949 that supply the data.

Northern Pacific (NP) Class A-1 (Locobase #930)

The NP's number for this engine was 2626. Ironically, Drury (1993), the Northern Pacific wasn't particularly persuaded by the tests because the 1111's firebox wasn't designed to burn the railroad's low-grade coal. It stayed on the NP largely because it had suffered crown sheet damage while on the railroad (the last of the 14 to trial it) and Timken didn't want it back. After repairs, the NP found 1111/2626 "durable and inexpensive to operate."

Northern Pacific (NP) Class A-2 (Locobase #273)

Northern Pacific (NP) Class A-3 (Locobase #932)

Northern Pacific (NP) Class A-4 (Locobase #933)

Like the others, this set had Timken roller bearings. Unlike the earlier engines, though, the A-4s (and A-5s) had vestibule cabs that offered more protection against Northern Tier winters.

Northern Pacific (NP) Class A-5 (Locobase #274)

Reading Class T-1 (Locobase #275)

Trailing-truck booster added 11,100 lb to starting tractive effort. These engines were built using the boilers from 30 I-10 2-8-0s. The back end was unchanged, the front lengthened. Drivers had friction bearings, lead and trailing trucks used Timken roller bearings.

Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Class notes (Locobase #276)

551-555 had names of famous Confederate generals:

551 General Robert E. Lee

552 General T.J. Jackson

553 General J.E.B. Stuart

554 General A. P. Hill

555 General J.E. Johnston

6 later engines were named after Governors; all other engines were unnamed.

601-606 entered service in 1938, 607-612 in 1942, and 613-622 in 1944.

Rock Island (CRI & P) Class R-67-B (Locobase #250)

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.

Rock Island (CRI & P) Class R-67 (Locobase #251)

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.

Santa Fe (ATSF) Class 3751 (Locobase #233)

Firebox had combustion chamber, boiler fitted with Elesco feedwater heater. According to the San Bernadino Railway Historical Society's web site (www.sbrhs.org/history.html consulted in April 2002), the Santa Fe's first Northern combined the conservative boiler pressure of 210 psi with many state-of-the-art features. Among the latter were the cylinders cast integrally with the bed, Nicholson thermic syphons in the firebox, Duplex stoker. Up front was the front-end American throttle, Type E superheater. Valve travel amounted to 9" through a multiplying lever in the Walschaerts valve gear, which was operated by the Ragonnet power reverse gear. Also note the superpower tube & flue distribution.

A measure of this design's impact, according to Drury (1993), lies in its being able to pull 33% more tonnage while burning 19% less coal. (Put another way, for every pound of coal, the 3751 evaporated 6.74 pounds of water -- 43% more than the Mountain.)

Ran between Kansas City and Los Angeles pulling up to 26 cars on the level and 15 up a 2% grade. As a freight hog, the 3751s rolled 105 loaded cars of 5,949 tons at 45 mph on level track. Maximum drawbar horsepower measured at 40 mph was 3,220 hp. Top speed rating from introduction was 70 mph. And the distances covered! From Los Angeles eastbound, the engine might travel to La Junta, Col (1,235 mi), Wellington, Kan (1,535 mi), or Kansas City, Kan (1,789 mi).

Still, according to Lloyd E. Stagner's excellent summary of the Santa Fe 4-8-4s in Trains Magazine (found on the web at http://www.wheelsmuseum.org/stagner.html), the 30" cylinders produced high back pressures that "proved troublesome, resulting in a loss of power at higher speeds ...a retired Santa Fe master mechanic who knew the 3751 class well ... remarked that as built, 'they smelled of lemon', due to the inability of the 15" piston valves to get rid of the exhausted steam efficiently."

14 built in 1927, converted to oil burners in 1937-38. A more significant rebuild saw 10 engines get new frames, lengthened smokebox, new rods, 80-in Boxpok drivers and Timken roller bearings on all axles in 1939-1940. After the rebuild, which also included redesigned steam passages and steam pressure raised to 230 psi, the engines were rated at 90 mph and often ran at 100 mph or more.

The class retired in 1956-1957.

Santa Fe (ATSF) Class 3755 (Locobase #443)

Members of 3751 class, but given a separate listing in 1930 Locomotive Cyclopedia, from which this data is taken.

According to Lloyd E. Stagner's excellent summary of the Santa Fe 4-8-4s in Trains Magazine (found on the web at http://www.wheelsmuseum.org/stagner.html), 3755 & 56 had Dupont stokers and butterfly doors, while 3757-3760 had Duplex stokers and vertical doors.

Santa Fe (ATSF) Class 3760 (Locobase #235)

Lloyd E. Stagner's excellent summary of the Santa Fe 4-8-4s in Trains Magazine (found on the web at http://www.wheelsmuseum.org/stagner.html) says that 3764 was delayed in order to fit Caprotti poppet valve gear. Tests were inconclusive, but in any case, the assembly "simply was too light for the heavy service required on big locomotives ...and it had the further disadvantage of requiring specialized maintenances."

Santa Fe (ATSF) Class 3765 (Locobase #236)

Thermic syphons in the 84-in combustion chamber only. With Engine #3765, ordered in 1938, the Santa Fe Northern design underwent several changes. The design featured revised cylinder dimensions, substantially higher boiler pressure, and a modified cut-off (limited to 60% of stroke) to supply the same tractive effort with larger drivers.

As Lloyd E. Stagner points out in his history of the Santa Fe 4-8-4s in Trains Magazine (found on the web at http://www.wheelsmuseum.org/stagner.html), the change in cylinders was intended to eliminate the back-pressure problem posed by the 30" pistons in use up to that point. The firebox now had 3 thermic syphons, Timken roller bearings on all engine axles, and all manner of up-to-date equipment.

Also beginning at #3765, fuel was changed from soft coal to oil. Engines 3776-3785 were ordered in 1941; see Locobase 234. Together with the Union Pacific FEF series and the New York Central's Niagaras, these engines were the highest expression of ultra-long-distance passenger power in US service.

Nickel-steel boilers replaced in 1949-1952, engines retired in 1959.

Santa Fe (ATSF) Class 3776 (Locobase #234)

Based on the 3765s (Locobase 236), but with further enhancements. Firebox heating surface included 29 sq ft of thermic syphons in the combustion chamber only. 10 delivered in 1941, nickel-steel boilers replaced in 1949-1952, class retired in 1956-1959.

See Lloyd E. Stagner's excellent summary of the Santa Fe 4-8-4s in Trains Magazine (found on the web at http://www.wheelsmuseum.org/stagner.html)

Santa Fe (ATSF) Class 2900 (Locobase #237)

Thermic syphons (30.5 sq ft) in the 84-in combustion chamber only. Firebox heating surface includes 124 sq ft in the combustion chamber as well. Steam admission through 15" piston valves.

These 30 engines were built to the #3765 design (Locobase 236), but because of wartime restrictions some of the parts were heavier to offset the lack of high-tensile alloys. As a result of the substitutions, these locomotives became the heaviest passenger locomotives ever built.

AT&SF drawings show slightly different EHS (5319 sq ft), weight on drivers (295,000 lb) and total engine weight (510,000 lb).

Retired in 1959.

Southern Pacific (SP) Class GS-1 (Locobase #279)

First of the Golden State (or General Service) wheel arrangement. Four delivered to the Texas & Louisiana Lines.

Locobase is puzzled by the Menke book, which shows 2,565 sq ft for the superheater of all of the early GS series of 4-8-4s. Each of them also has a page with a lower area -- 1,866 sq ft in this case -- and a revision date of 3/1/1950 or later. Locobase suspects that some of the superheater was blocked off in the late 1940s to lower maintenance costs.

Southern Pacific (SP) Class GS-2 (Locobase #280)

The oil-fired GS-2 is essentially a streamlined GS-1 and was the first of a series of streamliners that became steadily more colorful and powerful. The GS-3 (4416-4429) class was completed the same year.

Locobase is puzzled by the Menke book, which shows 2,565 sq ft for the superheater of all of the early GS series of 4-8-4s. Each of them also has a page with a lower area -- 1,834 sq ft in this case -- and a revision date of 3/1/1950 or later. Locobase suspects that some of the superheater was blocked off in the late 1940s to lower maintenance costs.

Southern Pacific (SP) Class GS-3 (Locobase #1404)

Took the GS-2 and juggled the cylinder dimensions and boiler pressure. These were part of the well-known series of 4-8-4s that pulled most Espee long-haul passenger service.

Locobase is puzzled by the Menke book, which shows 2,565 sq ft for the superheater of all of the early GS series of 4-8-4s. Each of them also has a page with a lower area -- 1,834 sq ft in this case -- and a revision date of 3/1/1950 or later. Locobase suspects that some of the superheater was blocked off in the late 1940s to lower maintenance costs.

Southern Pacific (SP) Class GS-4 (Locobase #281)

Locobase notes that the the restored 4449 is credited with 1,834 sq ft of superheating surface. Locobase suspects that some of the superheater was blocked off in the late 1940s to lower maintenance costs.

Southern Pacific (SP) Class GS-5 (Locobase #6680)

The two GS-5s were additions to the GS stud in 1942. They differed from the previous locomotives in the smaller amount of superheat. They also had Timken roller bearings.

Southern Pacific (SP) Class GS-6 (Locobase #282)

These last 10 engines in the GS series reverted to the GS-2/3 cylinder proportions and driving-wheel diameter for dual-service (freight and passenger) work. They were oil-fired (as were virtually all SP locomotives) and had neither streamlining nor color.

Spokane, Portland & Seattle Class E-1 (Locobase #1068)

St Louis-San Francisco (SLSF) Class 4500 (Locobase #277)

Firebox heating surface included 137 sq ft in 3 thermic syphons. The first 3 engines -- 4500-4502 -- were oil-fired and used for passenger service. They were painted blue and white with red letters proclaiming their duty as pulling the Meteor.

The other 12 in the first batch -- 4503 to 4514 -- used coal fuel and pulled freight. Boiler pressure and hence TE varied slightly. Ten more came from Baldwin in August 1943 (69731-69740); these were fitted with trailing-truck boosters that soon appeared on the earlier engines.

The web site for the restored 4500 gives slightly different measures for heating surfaces.

Temiskaming & Northern Ontario Class 1100 (Locobase #2295)

Toledo, Peoria, & Western Class H-10 (Locobase #283)

In February 2006, Locobase put out a call for more information on this design on the Classic Trains forum and received diagrams from Ray Breyer, a Peoria-based modeller who had obtained several pages of TP & W diagrams. From the diagram and the accompanying roster, Locobase was able to complete the record.

This design was remarkably small for a 4-8-4. Even the TP & W's own H-8/H-9 Consolidations (Locobase 7445) put more weight on the drivers. On the other hand, the firebox heating surface and superheat area were proportionally quite generous. Included in the direct heating surface were 15 sq ft of arch tubes and 89 sq ft of thermic syphons.

This class of six locomotives was produced in a batch by Alco in March 1937; works numbers were 68781-68786. At the other end of their TP & W careers, all six H-10s are shown as going to Keystone in 1950 in the following order:

83 2/25

82 5/25

81 7/25

85 9/5

86 9/12

80 10/11

Union Pacific (UP) Class FEF-3 (Locobase #8340)

When World War II traffic levels over-stressed the existing UP passenger-locomotive stud, the railroad returned to Alco for 10 more of the FEF design. They might have preferred to buy diesel sets, but those were not available. Instead, Alco produced engines with the power dimensions and driver diameters of the FEF-2 (Locobase 284) under a boiler virtually identical to that of the FEF-1 (Locobase 8339). And like the FEF-1, SKF supplied the leading and trailing truck roller bearings while Timken produced those for the driving axles.

Although delivered with 69.5 sq ft of arch tubes, these were removed in 1945.

The last of the class - 844 - never actually left service. Its 1957-1959 stint of freight work was its last revenue work, but it was reserved for excursion work in 1960. Renumbered for a time as 8444, the locomotive regained its original number in 1969 after the diesel that bore 844 was retired. It was reassigned to excursion work and ran into the 21st Century.

The other 9 were all retired in 1957-1962.

Wabash Class O-1 (Locobase #285)

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

Western Maryland (WM) Class J-1 (Locobase #286)

Firebox heating surface included 153 sq ft in 4 thermic syphons in the firebox proper as well as in the combustion chamber. Known as "Potomacs," these engines had very nearly the same performance at 45 mph as the M-2 class 4-6-6-4s. They were the last 4-8-4s built new for a railroad in the US and retired with the rest of steam in 1954.

Western Pacific (WP) Class GS-64-77 (Locobase #6681)

Piggy-backing on a Southern Pacific order for its GS-6s was the Western Pacific, which took delivery of this sextet in 1943. http://www.wplives.com/motivepower/srosters/Class_481_Roster__/class_481-407_roster__.html (accessed 3 July 2006) shows that the unit price was $206,655.

According to Drury (1993), certain devices that held SP patents, like the oil burner, were removed, but the pointed smokebox remained. After World War II, the WP added smoke deflectors. The GS-64s went of service in the early 1950s, 485 operating last in October 1951 and both 483 and 486 closing out in January 1953. Three were then sold to the Southern Pacific for parts.

This page last modified: Tuesday, 29-Apr-2008 00:16:05 CDT.

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