Class J - The First "Pacifics" on the ACL

The Rhode Island Locomotive Works built three 4-6-2 cross-compond locomotives in 1893 and delivered them to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. The CM&St.P was not satisfied with the perfomance of these locomotive and returned them to the builder. They were rebuilt as simple locomotives and purchased for passenger servce on the SF&W Railway. The Atlantic Coast Line acquired the three locomotives in 1902 and assigned them road numbers 287 through 289 and designated them as Class J. These locomotives had 19x26 cyinders, 72" drivers, a 165 psi boiler pressure, exerted 20,000 lbs of tractive effort and each weighed 139,000 pounds. In 1912,the ACL rebuilt the Class J locomotives into 4-6-0s, renumbered them 1287 through 1289 and designated them as Class K-13.

Classes: P, P-1, P-2, P-3, P-4, P-5A & P-5B Passenger and Freight "Pacifics"

The Atlantic Coast Line took delivery of 15 "Pacific" type locomotives, in 1911, from the Baldwin Locomotive Works. these locomotives were given road numbers 260 through 274 and were designated as Class P. They had 73" diameter driver and were designed to be main line passenger motive power. As originally built they used saturated steam, had D-slide valves, Walschaert valve gear, 22x28 cylinders and a 185 psi boiler pressure. They exerted 29,600 lbs of tractive effort and each weighed 220,850 pounds. Later these "Pacifics" were rebuilt with superheaters and the designation was changed to P-S.

Twelve more "Pacifics", intended for passenger service, arrived from Baldwin in 1912 and were assigned road numbers 275 through 286 and designated as Class P-1. These locomotives had superheaters and were similar to the Class P-S locomotives. They each weighed 225,000 lbs and with 22x28 cylinders, 73" drivers and a boiler pressure of 200 psi exerted 31,600 lbs of tractive effort.

In 1913, the ACL received eleven 4-6-2 locomotives that were designed and intented for freight service and to also be used to pull high speed passenger trains. They were designated as Class P-2 and deivered with road numbers 287 through 297. Later to distiquish them from the passenger "Pacifics" they were renumbered 400 through 410. These freight haulers had 22x28 cylinders, 64" drivers, a 200 psi boiler pressure, exerted 36,000 lbs of tractve effort and each weighed 225,900 pounds.

The Class P-2 locomotives did not do well as dual purpose locomotives and the ACL ordered yet another design and in 1914 it took delivery of 45 dual purpose "Pacifics" from Baldwin. The group was desinated as Class P-3 and assigned road numbers 411 through 455. The P-3 locomotives had 22x28 cylinders, 69" drivers, a 200 psi boiler pressure, exerted 33,400 lbs of tractive effort and each weighed 226,800 pounds. They were very sucessful as dual purpose locomotives and 27 similar ones were delivered by Baldwin between 1916 and 1918. This group designated Class P-4 was given road numbers 456 through 482. They had 23x28 cylinders and each weighed about 17,000 pounds more than the Class P-3 locomotives.

Shortly after the close of World War I, the ACL took delivery of 70 USRA "Pacifics" which were built by the American Locomotive Company. They were designated as Class P-5A and assigned road numbers 1500 through 1569. These locomotives had 25x28 cylinders, 73" drivers, a 200 psi boiler pressure, exerted 40,750 lbs of tractive effort and each weighred 278,000 pounds. The Class P-5A locomotives were very fast for their time and became the standard main line passenger locomotive, but they also did well in freight service.

Needing more motive power the ACL and the Baldwin mechanical engineers designed a dual purpose "Pacific" to take over freight service. Between 1922 and 1926 Baldwin built 165 of these main line locomotives. They were designated as Class P-5B and assigned road numbers 1600 through 1764. The Class P-5A locomotives had 25x28 cylinders, 69" drivers, a 210 psi boiler pressure, exerted 45,275 lbs of tractive effort and each weighed bout 285,000 pounds.

Classes AJ-1 and AJ-2 "The Newcomers"

In 1946, the ACL received 13 "Pacific" type locomotives when it merger one of its holdings, the Atlanta, Biringham & Coast Railroad into its operations. The AB&C had a fleet of locomotives that were mostly purchased second-hand from other railroads. Eleven of these locomotives were originally owned by the Florida East Coast Railroad and were built by The American Locomotive Company. On the ACL they were designated as Class AJ-1 and given road numbers in the 7000 series. Another two, former Great Northern Railroad and Lima Locomotive Works built locomotives, were deignated as Class AJ-2 on the ACL and assigned road numbers 7153 and 7175.

Number 1504 - Class P-5A Survivor

All of the ACL "Pacifics" were retired and scrapped in the early 1950s except for Number 1504. This locomotive was placed on exhibit at the Convention Center in Jacksonville, FL where it can be seen today.