Class K (Locobase 5295)

The data comes from a reproduction of the New York Central's 1902 Locomotive guide found on http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/ncy-lbp208A.gif (visited December 2002).

Conveniently, the guide shows the first Pacifics to be built for the NYC&HR, although K-1s appeared in the same year. One can see the great increase in boiler heating surface made available by stretching the boiler over another axle. What remained to be done was superheating the design, which was undertaken in a very few years.

These were later renumbered 514-518 and ran on the Boston & Albany.

Class K-11a (Locobase 5578)

The K-11a was essentially the same design as the K-3, but had shorter tubes, put less weight on the rails and had much smaller drivers. 50 entered service as K-10s built by Brooks, but were converted. The others were supplied by Brooks and Baldwin in 1911-1913. Notice the unusually "square" cylinders in which diameter is equal to stroke.

A few were fitted with boosters and those engines had 25" x 26" cylinders using 200-psi steam for a 40,040-lb tractive effort assisted by an 11,000-lb booster at starting. It's not clear from the 1930 diagrams how many K-11s were boosted, but at that point only a few were so fitted.

Fourteen K-11s were converted by Beech Grove shops, the principal difference being the installation of 72" drivers. These were then classed K-14s.

Class K-2 (Locobase 8910)

Railway Engineer, April 1908, pp. 121-123 notes both versions of this new design. The first 22 were delivered with the boilers shown in this entry. 3 others were fitted with combustion chambers (see Locobase 8911).

All were later superheated; see Locobase 5549.

Class K-2 - combustion chamber (Locobase 8911)

Railway Engineer, April 1908, pp. 121-123 notes both versions of this new design. 22 of the locomotives were supplied with a big, conventional boiler (see Locobase 8910). The 3 shown in this entry were delivered with a combustion chamber that reduced the length of the firetubes by 2 ft, but increased direct heating surface considerably.

Class K-2a/K-2d- superheated (Locobase 5549)

Data from NYC 8 - 1917 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

These Pacifics were delivered to the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern in several batches from 1907 to 1910 (See Locobases 8910-8911) for two of the designs). Their upgrade came soon after service entry and involved a superheater installation that contributed to an significant increase in combined heating surface area. Like the very similar K-2b/c/l updates (Locobase 9401) for the New York Central parent, these were served by 14" piston valves.

According to the 1930 guide to Dimensions and Classifications of Locomotives seen on http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-lb30.html (May 2003), most of the 84 still on the books in 1930 had trailing-truck boosters fitted for additional starting tractive effort.

Class K-2b/K-2c/K-2l - superheated (Locobase 9401)

Data from NYC 8 - 1917 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Like the rest of the New York Central System's Pacifics, these engines were superheated within a few years of its original delivery of a quintet in 1907 and 50 more in 1910. (These deliveries came at the same time as shipment of identical locomotives to the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern (Locobase 8910-8911).

An unusual outcome to what would be a common upgrade, superheating the original K-2b/c/l boiler actually resulted in an increase in the overall heating surface. Piston valves measuring 14" in diameter distributed steam freely and clearly the NYC was well outfitted with light Pacific express power.

Class K-2e (Locobase 4204)

These were described by Railroad Age Gazette (3 April 1908) as duplicates of the 1907 Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Pacifics. RAG took special notice of the generous proportions of the boiler in relation to the cylinder volume. The article also commented on the narrowing space available for the dome above ever-growing boilers and tall drivers. After noting that the design showed no "especial novelties", RAG concluded that the "interest in it lies, for the most part, in its size, the smoothness of its lines, and the pleasing symmetry of its proportions."

Class K-2e/K-2k - superheated (Locobase 5550)

The original, saturated-steam K-2es built for the NYC are described in Locobase 4204. This entry shows the impact of superheating on this group. They differed from the LS&MS engines described in Locobase 5549 chiefly in having boiler tubes that were 1 1/2 feet shorter.

According to the 1930 guide to Dimensions and Classifications of Locomotives seen on http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-lb30.html (May 2003), unlike the LS&MS engines, most of 77 engines of this group still in use did not have boosters fitted. When they were so equipped, the weight on the drivers and the total engine weight were as on the LS&MS locomotives.

Class K-3a/c/d/g (Locobase 7583)

Data from reproduction of 1913 Alco Bulletin 1016 on Richard Leonard's http://www.railarchive.net/alcopacifics/index.html (accessed 16 June 2006) and NYC 8 1917 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

This series of superheated K-3s entered service from 1910 to 1924; . All had 14" piston valves. Alco-Schenectady and Baldwin shared the first 80-engine order (1911-1913) for the NYC&HR subsidiary. Alco produced 20 K-3a (road # 3418-3437) in February 1911 and 20 K-3d in August 1912 (road numbers 3378-3397). Baldwin followed with 20 K-3cs were produced in 3 batches in January 1913 (works #37423-37432, 37468-37472, and 37491-37495) and bearing road numbers 3398-3417). Alco then wrapped up the NY & HR K-3s with 20 more in September 1913, road numbers 3358-3377. Locobase chooses not to explain (if he knew) why the road number groups decreased numerically as the alphabetic suffix increased.

Alco's Bulletin gave a value of 765 sq ft for the superheater, but only a few years later, the New York Central's own diagrams showed the 823 sq ft recorded in the specifications.

See Locobase 154 for the later K-3s.

Class K-3b (Locobase 5576)

A small segment of the long string of K-3 subclasses that ran all over the NYC system -- these for the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern. The design's only significant difference from the others was the number of small tubes and large flues and, consequently, a smaller superheat ratio than most of the rest of the class. All K-3s had 14" piston valves.

1930 guide to Dimensions and Classifications of Locomotives seen on http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-lb30.html (May 2003),

Class K-3e (Locobase 5577)

A quintet of follow-ons to the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern's K-3bs. Everything was the same except for a decrease in the number of small tubes (from 242) caused by a 4-tube increase in superheater flues. The result is a small increase in the superheater's contribution to overall heating surface. All had 14" piston valves.

1930 guide to Dimensions and Classifications of Locomotives seen on http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-lb30.html (May 2003).

Class K-3f/h/i/m (Locobase 5399)

This record uses data from http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/steam-462-specs.htm, visited 15 February 2003, and the 1930 guide to Dimensions and Classifications of Locomotives seen on http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-lb30.html (May 2003),to show a different tube/flue layout than the K-3s shown in 154.

In this variant, the number of fire tubes was greater, but the diameter smaller. However, superheater areas in NYC Pacifics were not consistently measured among subsidiaries

All had 14" piston valves. Apparently that's the way the Michigan Southern/Canada Southern wanted it

Class K-3n (Locobase 154)

This series of superheated K-3s entered service from 1910 to 1924. All had 14" piston valves. See Locobase 7583 for the earlier K-3d/f.

K-3n, p, q numbered 91 engines from Schenectady & Brooks from 1918-1923. It is this subclass -- weights from table in 1930 Locomotive Cyclopedia -- that the data describes.

As of the 1930 guide to Dimensions and Classifications of Locomotives seen on http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-lb30.html (May 2003), 168 K-3 locomotives had the specified heating surface areas and numbers of tubes and flues shown in this entry.

The Big Four (CCC&StL) received 50 engines in classes K-3j-p (45) and K-3r (5) from 1917 to 1925. The K-3rs had 3 sq ft less of arch tubes in the firebox.

Fitted with 9,700-lb booster on trailing truck to increase starting TE. Indicated horsepower at 45 mph was 2,100 hp; drawbar horsepower at 40 mph was 1,720.

Class K-3p/q (Locobase 9402)

This series of superheated K-3s entered service from 1910 to 1924. All had 14" piston valves. See Locobase 7583 for the earlier K-3d/f.

As of the 1930 guide to Dimensions and Classifications of Locomotives seen on http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-lb30.html (May 2003), 168 K-3 locomotives had the specified heating surface areas and numbers of tubes and flues shown in this entry.

The Big Four (CCC&StL) received 50 engines in classes K-3j-p (45) and K-3r (5) from 1917 to 1925. The K-3rs had 3 sq ft less of arch tubes in the firebox.

Fitted with 9,700-lb booster on trailing truck to increase starting TE. Indicated horsepower at 45 mph was 2,100 hp; drawbar horsepower at 40 mph was 1,720.

Class K-41a (Locobase 5579)

These were one of two classes created from converted J-41 Prairies (2-6-2). The grate and running gear stayed the same while the boiler grew into K-3 dimensions. This group had 2 more superheater flues and 12 fewer firetubes than the K-41b.

Data from 1930 guide to Dimensions and Classifications of Locomotives seen on http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-lb30.html (May 2003).

Class K-41b (Locobase 5580)

These were one of two classes created from converted J-41 Prairies (2-6-2). The grate and running gear stayed the same while the boiler grew into K-3 dimensions. This group had 2 fewer superheater flues and 12 more firetubes than the K-41a.

Data from 1930 guide to Dimensions and Classifications of Locomotives seen on http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nyc/nyc-lb30.html (May 2003).

Class K-4A/K-4B (Locobase 7067)

Data from P&LE-PMcK&Y 3 1-26 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Although similar in size to fellow system railroad K-3 Pacifics from the LS & MS (K-3e) of 1913 and Michigan Central of 1910 (K-3h), the P & LE engines differed in having smaller drivers. They were supplied in two batches, the K-4As (builder's numbers 57432-57436) in April 1917 and the K-4Bs (58083-58087) in January 1918.

Class K-5/K-5a/K-5b (Locobase 155)

Data from 1930 Locomotive Cyclopedia, confirmed by NYC 1 -1946 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Built for Michigan Central (15), the Big Four (10 + later assignment of 16 MC engines), and Pittsburgh and Lake Erie (10). These were the biggest Pacifics in the New York Central system and were the express passenger equivalents of the parent company's Hudsons.

Class K-80 (Locobase 5367)

The data comes from a table in June 1906 AERJ.

These Pacifics were very similar to the class Ks of the parent New York Central, but were built with more and smaller firetubes. They were delivered to the MC over an 8-year period.

Class K-80 - late (Locobase 7589)

Data from reproduction of 1913 Alco Bulletin 1016 on Richard Leonard's http://www.railarchive.net/alcopacifics/index.html (accessed 16 June 2006).

In Locobase 5367, we noted that this class was delivered to the MC over a nine-year period. As it happened, that time span included the widespread adoption of superheaters to US locomotives. By the end of production, then, the boiler had been modified to include a superheater and a direct comparison between "early" and "late" is possible.

Class K/Kb - original (Locobase 9760)

Data from CCC&StL - 3 - 1914 supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection. Also see C H Voges, "Good Record", Railway & Locomotive Engineering, Vol 23, No 4 (April 1910), p. 144.

Based on the New York Central's K class of saturated Pacifics, this string of K classes for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St Louis was produced first in December 1905 as similar engines. Class K consisted of 10 Brooks-built engines with road numbers 6400-6409 and 10 more Kb followed in June 1906 as 6410-6419. After a three-year break, Schenectady built 5 Kf in July 1909 and 6 Kh in March 1910 and 4 Kh in April 1911; this brought the road number series up to 6434. Kk - 10 engines - completed the class in June 1912.

Voges' letter detailing the reliability of K-class number 6416 demonstrate what levels of regular operations were possible on a well-nourished main-line like the Central's Big Four: "This engine has made 200,581 miles without repairs; no new flues and without having tires turned (Railway Steel Spring Co.'s tires), only receiving light running repairs in the round-house between trips. The engine left the Bellefontaine shop on Nov. 20, 1907 and returned for general repairs Dec. I", 1909. It hauled nine heavy express cars a day, running 288 miles at an average speed of 55 miles per hour. In the two years' time this engine had no failures of any kind."

They were all later superheated; see Locobase 9406.

Class K/Kb/Kf/Kh/Kk (Locobase 9406)

The data NYC 1 - 1946 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Not long after the 35 locomotives of the K through KH classes had been delivered, Brooks delivered 10 Kk as superheated locomotives and soon modified the earlier, saturated K locomotives to the same configuration. They retained the 12" piston valves and Walschaert radial valve gear.

Class Kf/Kh - original (Locobase 9761)

Data from CCC&StL - 3 - 1914 supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Based on the New York Central's K class of saturated Pacifics, this string of K classes for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St Louis was produced first in December 1905 as similar engines; see Locobase 9760. After a three-year break, Schenectady built 5 Kf in July 1909 and 6 Kh in March 1910 and 4 Kh in April 1911; this brought the road number series up to 6434. Kk - 10 engines - completed the class in June 1912.

They were all later superheated; see Locobase 9406.

Class Ko (Locobase 9407)

The data NYC 1 - 1946 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive collection.

Based on the New York Central's K class of saturated Pacifics, this pair was built for the P & E with superheaters in November 1915. By that time, the P & E was part of the Big Four, which had superheated Ks of its own; see Locobase 9407.