Class G (Locobase 7308)

Data from MEC 2 - 1923 and MEC & PTC 7- 1947 Maine Central locomotive diagrams supplied by Allen Stanley in May 2005 from his extensive collection.

Interesting small Ten-wheelers supplied to the MEC before the turn into the 20th Century. Locobase isn't certain what happened to 3 of the class, but finds in the 1947 diagram a notation that 114 was scrapped in June 1947.

Class N-275 (Locobase 7056)

Data from MEC 2 - 1923 and MEC & PTC 7- 1947 Maine Central locomotive diagrams supplied by Allen Stanley in May 2005 from his extensive collection.

MEC passenger power expanded with the acquisition of these Ten-wheelers at the turn of the century. Schenectady delivered them in small batches in a sequence that coincided with the merger of several builders into the American Locomotive Company. The first 4 were Schenectady builder's numbers 4965-4966 & 5359-5360, the next 3 -- 1901 -- had numbers 6066-6068. Two years later, the last two were amalgamated builder's numbers 27660-27661.

All but 282 were superheated, according to the 1923 book, but none of the engines are credited with superheater in the 1947 edition. Possibly the superheaters had been removed.

Class N-283 (Locobase 7055)

Data from 1923 and 1924 Maine Central locomotive diagrams supplied by Allen Stanley in May 2005 from his extensive collection.

These were the later of the Alco Ten-wheelers used in the MEC's passenger service. In addition to adding 2" of stroke to the earlier cylinder outfit, the class also had taller drivers. 288-289 had 19 1/2"-diameter cylinders, which increase tractive effort to 23,000 lb. They were delivered in pairs as indicated by their builder's numbers: 29723-29724, 30450-30451, 40081-40082.

Of the six in the class the first to retire was the 286, which was scrapped in April 1937. 285 and 288 were withdrawn in September 1938. The other three served throughout World War II.

Class O - 351 (Locobase 7057)

Data from MEC 2 - 1923 and MEC & PTC 7- 1947 Maine Central locomotive diagrams supplied by Allen Stanley in May 2005 from his extensive collection.

Mixed-traffic engines like these Ten-wheelers were often the backbone of a small system's locomotive stud. Compared to other turn-of-the-century 4-6-0s, these locomotives had big boilers and grates, but a relatively low amount of direct heating surface.

This entry refers to the first 13, which had Stephenson valve gear. Schenectady supplied its production in small batches -- 5 in 1903 (builder's numbers 27657-27659 and 29029-29030) and 8 in 1905 (30323-30326, 38170-38173).

See Locobase 7058 for the Walschaert engines, which were built by Rhode Island.

Class O-1 (Locobase 7058)

Data from MEC 2 - 1923 and MEC & PTC 7- 1947 Maine Central locomotive diagrams supplied by Allen Stanley in May 2005 from his extensive collection.

Mixed-traffic engines like these Ten-wheelers were often the backbone of a small system's locomotive stud. This entry refers to the Walschaert engines. Rhode Island supplied their contribution in a 4-locomotive batch (builder's numbers 40576-40579) and a little later a 5-engine batch (41235-41239).

The lower-numbered Stephenson-gear engines are shown in Locobase 7058.

Class O-2 (Locobase 7059)

Data from MEC 2 - 1923 and MEC & PTC 7- 1947 Maine Central locomotive diagrams supplied by Allen Stanley in May 2005 from his extensive collection.

As the MEC added mixed-traffic Ten-wheelers, they went to several builders. In 1907, Baldwin added 10 to the stud that had more but shorter boiler tubes. As a result, heating surface amounted to a little less than the Alcos. Baldwin delivered 4 in 1907 -- a pair (builder's numbers 32267-32268) and two singles (32304, 32344). The other six arrived in 1908, one at a time (32395, 32428, 32566, 32575, 32644, 32675).

Class O-3 (Locobase 7060)

Data from MEC 2 - 1923 and MEC & PTC 7- 1947 Maine Central locomotive diagrams supplied by Allen Stanley in May 2005 from his extensive collection.

A full decade after the last of the previous orders for Ten-wheelers had been delivered to the MEC, the railroad ordered 8 more (builder's numbers 59050-59057) and followed these with 4 more in 1920 (62051-62054). The first 8 may be credited to the exigencies of wartime, but the last 4 probably reflect more the relatively modest size of the MEC's mixed-traffic trains.

In addition to more adhesion weight (and engine weight, too), the new purchases featured larger cylinders, lower boiler pressure, an installed superheater, and taller drivers. Note as well the use of a third valve-gear design, the Baker gear on this group joining the earlier Stephenson link and Walschaert radial valve gears. Arch tubes contributed 26 sq ft to the firebox heating surface.