Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Generals, Governors, and Statesmen

The Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad bought five 4-8-4 type locomotives from the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1937, and assigned them road numbers 551 through 555. Not wanting to use the generally accepted "Northern" name the RF&P named each of the new locomotives for a Virginia Civil War general. These five "Generals" had 77" drivers, 27 x 30 cylinders, a 275 psi boiler pressure, a tractive effort of 66,500 lbs and each weighed 446,040 pounds.

In 1938, six more 4-8-4s were acquired from Baldwin (road numbers 601 through 606). Each was named for a Virginia governor. These locomotives had 77" drivers, 27 x 30 cylinders, a 260 psi boiler pressure, a tractive effort of 62,800 lbs and weighed 408,400 pounds. In 1942, another six (road numbers 607 through 612), identical to the 1938 "Governors", were added to the roster and each of them was also given a name of a Virginia governor.

10 more 4-8-4s were delivered by Baldwin in 1944 or 1945 and were assigned road numbers 613 through 622. They were identical to the "Governors" but were each given a name of a Virginia statesman.

After receiving the first five, the RF&P called its 4-8-4s "Generals". As it added the "Governors" the older 4-8-4s were still called "Generals" while the newer 12 were called "Governors". After it received the last 10 which were named for Virginia statesmen it had three different names for the 4-8-4 wheel arrangement.

RF&P 4-8-4 Locomotive Names
Road #Locomotive Name
Generals
551General Robert E. Lee
552General T. J. Jackson
553General J. E. B. Stuart
554General A. P. Hill
555General J. E. Johnson
Governors
601Governor Patrick Henry
602Governor Thomas Jefferson
603Governor Thomas Nelson
604Governor Benjamin Harrison
605Governor James Monroe
606Governor John Tyler
607Governor Edmund Randolph
608Governor Henry A. Wise
609Governor John Letcher
610Governor Fitzhugh Lee
611Governor William Smith
612Governor Claude A. Swanson
Statesmen
613John Marshall
614George Washington
615Henry Clay
616George Mason
617John Randolph
618James Madison
619William Byrd
620George White
621Richard Henry Lee
622Carter Braxton

Specifications
 Nos. 551-555Nos. 601-612Nos. 613-622
Wheel Arrangement:4-8-44-8-44-8-4
Length:110' - 3"110' - 3"110' - 3"
Drivers:77" dia.77" dia.77" dia.
Weight on Drivers:277,245 lbs261,400 lbs266,500 lbs
Total Locomotive Weight:466,040 lbs408,400 lbs414,000 lbs
Locomotive & Tender Weight:842,940 lbs748,000 lbs724,400 lbs
Grate Area:96.3 sq ft86.5 sq ft86.5 sq ft
Cylinders (dia. x stroke):(2) 27" x 30"(2) 27" x 30"(2) 27" x 30"
Boiler Pressure:275 psi260 psi260 psi
Tractive Effort:66,500 lbs62,800 lbs62,800 lbs
Tender Capacity:
Water:20,000 gals.20,000 gals.20,000 gals.
Coal:22 tons22 tons22 tons

Photos

References