The Juniata Shops in Altoona, PA began constructing 4-6-2 locomotives in 1910 and by 1911 had built 153 very similar copies of the ALCO built "Pacific" bought in 1907. These locomotives were designated as Class K-2 and were assigned road numbers scattered from 23 through 9999. They had 80" drivers, 24 x 26 cylinders, a boiler pressure of 205 psi, exerted 32,620 lbs of tractive effort, and weighed 278,800 lbs with 185,900 lbs on the drivers. The tenders carried 7,100 gallons of water and 16 tons of coal. There was a "ghost" class K-1, a design which had a smaller boiler and lower pressure than the Class K-28. The K-1 design was rejected without a single example being built.
A slight modification was made to the design of the Class K-2, in late 1911, the firing deck was raised to accommodate stokers. The Juniata Shops produced 62 of these modified locomotive which were designated as Class K-2a, between 1911 and 1913. ALCO was given an order and delivered 10 of the Class K-2a locomotives in 1912. These 72 Class K-2a 4-6-2s were numbered with scattered road numbers from 86 through 8543. Though designed to have stokers only a few were actually installed.
Another two "Pacific" were built in 1911. They were very similar to the Class K-2 locomotives except they had 72" drivers. This pair was designated as Class K-2b, with road numbers 3371 and 3375 assigned.
In 1913, the Baldwin Locomotive Works built 30 more "Pacifics" for the PRR. These were very similar to the Class K-2 locomotives except they had larger cylinders (26" dia.) were super heated and equipped with mechanical stokers. With the larger cylinders they exerted 38,280 lbs of tractive effort. This group was designated Class K-3s and given scattered road numbers from 7004 through 8663.
In all, 257 "Pacifics" were built based on the 1907 experimental Class K-28.
Satisfied with the performance of the Class K-29 locomotive the PRR built a similar locomotive in the Juniata Shops and it was put into service in 1914. This locomotive was given road number 1737 and was designated a Class K-4s. Number 1737 was put through an extensive testing program and was found to be an excellent locomotive. The railroad had a top priority order for 2-8-2 "Mikados" going through the Juniata Shops and the Class K-4s "Pacifics" would have to wait until 1917 before the shop could begin to build them.
Starting in 1917 and continuing through 1928 the Juniata Shops built a total of 349 of the K-4s "Pacifics" and the Baldwin Locomotive Works built 75 of them. These locomotives were given the following road numbers:
8, 12, 16, 20, 43, 122, 225, 227, 262, 269, 295, 299, 358, 359, 383, 389, 422, 452, 518, 526, 612, 623, 646, 669, 719, 830, 837, 850, 911, 920, 945, 949, 958, 962, 1120, 1139, 1188, 1195, 1329, 1330, 1339, 1361, 1392, 1395, 1433, 1435, 1436, 1453, 1462, 1488, 1497, 1517, 1522, 1526, 1531, 1533, 1546, 1551, 1554, 1588, 1653, 1737, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2032, 2034, 2112, 2445, 2665, 2673, 2761, 3654, 3655, 3667 through 3684, 3726 through 3775, 3800, 3801, 3805, 3806, 3807, 3838 through 3889, 5022, 5038, 5041, 5058, 5072, 5077, 5086, 5147, 5154, 5238, 5243, 5253, 5296, 5334 through 5399, 5400 through 5499, 7053, 7054, 7116, 7133, 7244, 7267, 7270, 7273, 7274, 7275, 7278, 7279, 7280, 7287, 7288, 7914, 7938, 8009, 8068, 8085, 8108, 8114, 8122, 8137, 8157, 8161, 8165, 8181, 8195, 8212, 8218, 8225, 8236, 8240, 8242, 8251, 8261, 8278, 8281, 8309, 8334, 8347, 8373, 8377, 8378
The Class K-4 locomotive was a splendid machine and the designed incorporated many of the outstanding features of the earlier Class E-6 "Atlantic" (4-4-2) passenger locomotive plus technology developed for the earlier "Pacifics" and the the ALCO Class K-29. Also some of the design features of the Class L1 "Mikado" (2-8-2) freight were made part of the K-4s design.
The heart of the design was its long tapered boiler with its huge square shouldered "Belpaire" firebox. The six 80" drivers were moved by light weight, hollow ground piston rods, crossheaders and nickel-chrome steel main side rods, regulated by Walschaerts valve gear.
There were eight different styles of tenders used with the Class K-4s locomotives. They ranged form the original tender with a capacity of 7,000 gallons of water and 12 1/2 tons of coal to the so-called "Coast-to-Coast" tender with its capacity of 22,090 gallons of water and 31 1/2 tons of coal. And in between some of the "Mountain" tenders were used with the K-4s. In the 1930s Mechanical Engineer W. F. Kiesel, Jr designed three new tenders for use with the K-4s. They were, the Class 90-P-75 (9,700 gallons of water and 21 tons of coal), the Class 110-P-75 (11,980 gallons of water and 18 1/2 tons of coal) and the Class 130-P-75 (13,475 gallons of water and 22 tons of water).
By the late 1930s, 75% of the earlier classes of "Pacifics" had been scrapped, but only one of the K-4s locomotives had been lost. Number 8309 derailed in Pittsburgh, PA on December 27, 1937. and it fell off a cliff and was damaged beyond repair. It would be almost ten more years before another one of the K-4s would be retired. So it was the remaining 424, Class K-4s "Pacifics" (and the GG1s) that were the work horses that pull most of the passenger trains during railroads busiest decade, the 1940s,
The Pennsylvania Railroad often referred to itself as the "Standard Railroad of the World" and to millions of rail travelers, millions of servicemen during World War II, and railfans for over 80 years, the Class K-4s was, and to many still is, the "Standard Passenger Locomotive".
| Wheel Arrangement: | 4-6-2 |
| Length: | 83' - 6" |
| Drivers: | 80" dia. |
| Weight on Drivers: | 201,830 lbs |
| Locomotive Weight: | 308,890 lbs |
| Locomotive & Tender Weight: | 468,000 lbs |
| Grate Area: | 69.89 sq ft |
| Cylinders (dia. x stroke): | (2) 27" X 28" |
| Boiler Pressure: | 205 psi |
| Tractive Effort: | 44,460 lbs |
| Tender Capacity* | |
| Water: | 7,000 gals. |
| Coal: | 16 tons |
Later, in 1940 and 1941 four more K-4s locomotives received a streamlined shroud. This shroud was of a more simple design as compared to the 1936, Loewy design. The four were road numbers: 1120, 2665, 3678, and 5338. Eventually, all five of the streamed locomotives had their shrouds removed were restored to their original appearance. Another locomotive, number 1188, did not get a full streamline shroud, but did get a boiler top cowling and was dubbed "The Skyline".
Raymond Lowey not only designed the shroud of the K4, he wrote a book about it and compared it to European and American streamlining efforts. He claims his PRR commissions were the "epitomy of streamline theory". If you are talking electric locomotives, then Raymond Lowey is probably right, since he did style the carbody of the GG1, but nobody thinks his K-4 is close to the New York Central's J-3 in terms of beauty. In fact, the PRR's streamlined locomotives were downright ugly, with the possible exception of the T-1, a 4-4-4-4 which looked a lot better than it performed.
Number 5436 was fitted with steam actuated valves designed by the Altoona Works Engineer of Tests, Lloyd Jones. The valves were installed in 1940. In 1945, another K-4s, number 3847 was equipped with a front end throttle and Franklin rotary-actuated poppet valves. All of the poppet valve applications did a good job especially at higher speeds. However, they were difficult to maintain.
On the Vandalia, they were Class VK1, road numbers 1 through 12 and on the PRR they were designated as Class K-21 and were assigned road numbers 8701 through 8712.
The two K-5 locomotives were assigned to haul Philadelphia - Pittsburgh passenger trains and after electrification were assigned to the North Central line between Harrisburg and Baltimore.
By the time these locomotives were completely tested and evaluated the state-of-the-art had moved beyond the 4-6-2 wheel arrangement and the "Mountains" 4-8-2 were beginning to arrive and they incorporated many of the features tested in the K-5 locomotives.
Number 5698 was dropped from the roster in October, 1952 and 5699 was retired in September, 1953.
| Class | Qty | Road Numbers | Year Built | Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K-28 | 1 | 7067 | 1907 | ALCO |
| K-2 | 83 | 23, 77, 150, 163, 247, 347, 382, 397, 482, 654, 732, 821, 838, 927, 997, 1061, 1119, 1184, 1246, 1253, 1396, 1458, 1525, 2125, 2437, 2980, 3250, 3251, 3320 through 3327, 6621, 6625, 7048, 7114, 7137, 7153, 7175, 7202, 7510 through 7528, 8635 through 8644, 9990 through 9999 | 1910 | PRR |
| K-2 | 70 | 748, 922, 1088, 1245, 3328 through 3338, 3344 through 3370, 3372, 3373, 3374, 3376 through 3394, 5035, 5060, 5107, 5130, 5133, 5191 | 1911 | PRR |
| K-29 | 1 | 3395 | 1911 | ALCO |
| K-2b | 2 | 3371 & 3375 | 1911 | PRR |
| K-2a | 3 | 86, 238 & 877 | 1911 | PRR |
| K-2a | 52 | 170, 196, 849, 1372, 1628, 1630, 1635, 3402 through 3411, 4096, 5014, 5039, 5078, 5087, 5097, 5112, 5183, 5212, 5214, 5221, 5223, 6064, 6084, 6085, 7170, 7177, 7182, 7183, 7211, 7217, 7219, 7224, 7271, 7272, 7316, 7319, 7327, 8077, 8111, 8395, 8528, 8529, 8541, 8543 | 1912 | PRR |
| K-2a | 10 | 7018, 7039, 7049, 7070, 7142, 7166, 7167, 8004, 8018, 8045 | 1912 | ALCO |
| K-2a | 7 | 758, 1266, 1277, 1301, 1346, 1350, 1387 | 1913 | PRR |
| K-3s | 30 | 7004, 7012, 7075, 7079, 7149, 7161, 7187, 7301, 7308, 7337, 7546, 7547, 7548, 7549, 7791, 7792, 7793, 8091, 8154, 8232, 8238, 8391, 8656 through 8663 | 1913 | Baldwin |
| K-4s | 1 | 1737 | 1914 | PRR |
| K-4s | 41 | 12, 20, 43, 122, 227, 299, 358, 359, 383, 389, 422, 612, 623, 669, 719, 830, 920, 1120, 1139, 1188, 1195, 1395, 1453, 1462, 1488, 1497, 2034, 2445, 5022, 5038, 5041, 5058, 5072, 5077, 5086, 5147, 5154, 5238, 5243, 5253, 5296 | 1917 | PRR |
| K-4s | 111 | 8, 16, 225, 262, 269, 295, 452, 518, 526, 646, 837, 850, 911, 945, 949, 958, 962, 1329, 1330, 1339, 1361, 1392, 1433, 1435, 1436, 1517, 1522, 1526, 1531, 1533, 1546, 1551, 1554, 1588, 1653, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2032, 2112, 2665, 2673, 2761, 3654, 3655, 3667 through 3684, 5334 through 5349, 7053, 7054, 7116, 7133, 7244, 7914, 7938, 8009, 8085, 8157, 8161, 8165, 8181, 8195, 8212, 8218, 8225, 8236, 8240, 8242, 8251, 8261, 8278, 8281, 8309, 8334, 8347, 8373, 8377, 8378 | 1918 | PRR |
| K-4s | 15 | 7267, 7270, 7273, 7274, 7275, 7278, 7279, 7280, 7287, 7288, 8068, 8108, 8114, 8122, 8137 | 1919 | PRR |
| K-4s | 50 | 3726 - 3775 | 1920 | PRR |
| K-4s | 57 | 3800, 3801, 3805, 3806, 3807, 3838 through 3889 | 1923 | PRR |
| K-4s | 50 | 5350 - 5399 | 1924 | PRR |
| K-4s | 75 | 5400 - 5474 | 1927 | Baldwin |
| K-4s | 17 | 5475 - 5491 | 1927 | PRR |
| K-4s | 8 | 5492 - 5499 | 1928 | PRR |
| K-5 | 1 | 5698 | 1929 | PRR |
| K-5 | 1 | 5699 | 1929 | Baldwin |
| K-21 | 12 | 8701 - 8712 | 1911-12 | From the Vandalia in 1917 |
In 1988, number 1361 was returned to the Juniata Shops for assessment of the damage. At this time, the Federal Railroad Administration became more active in regulating operation of historic steam locomotives. Frequently changing regulations and the extent of the damage caused a great debate as to how to proceed with the restoration.
After raising funds, the Museum signed a contract, in 1994, with the University of Scranton and Steamtown for work to restore the locomotive. The University is to provide the project management and Steamtown is to provide shop space, equipment and labor. In the Spring of 1996, it was moved to Steamtown where work began the following year.
The work has progressed, but there is still more to do. In early 1999, the Museum needed to raise about $500,000.00 to finish the project. Donations can be made by contacting The Railroader's Memorial Museum at 814-946-0834.
The impostor, number 1737, was sent to Northumberland where it was put into storage for ten years. In 1968, it was sent to the new Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania which was amassing its collection and it was on display in the museum's train yard when it opened in 1976.
By 1983, continued exposure to the elements had taken its toll on the locomotive and it was sadly in need of repair. In June, 1983, a crew of volunteers from an organization known as Friends of the Railroad Museum began a cosmetic refurbishment of the locomotive. After several months of work and after the new coat of Brunswick green paint had dried the locomotive was given its original number and is now on display as number 3750.
On December 18, 1987, Pennsylvania's governor Robert Casey signed a bill naming the PRR's K-4s the "Official State Locomotive". This title is applied equally to both the surviving Class K-4s locomotives, number 1361 and number 3750.
| This page last modified: Wednesday, 03-Sep-2008 21:32:58 CDT. | [Contact] | All material © 1999-2008 SteamLocomotive.com |
.jpg.html){kind=link}
