Boiler tube and flue length (sheet to sheet) was shortened by 2 feet to 21 feet. The mixture of tubes and flues changed as the design substituted a Type E superheater for the M-137's Type A. The number of 2 1/4-in flues decreased to 82 and Baldwin installed 245 of the 3 3/4-in flues (vs. the M-137's 270 of the former and 75 5 1/2-in flues) . As a result, superheater area increased by 25%. The first 5 M-4s had Worthington feedwater heaters, the last 5 Elescos. Piston valves measured 12" in diameter.
Following contemporary practice, the M-3s had integrally cast frames and cylinders, Timken roller bearings on all driving axles, ASF roller bearings on all truck axles.
These engines performed very well from the time they entered service in May 1941, soon handling train loads 25% heavier than the earlier M-1/M-2 engines could manage. The last 10 engines were M-4s, built by Baldwin in 1943 (works #64707-64716), which used carbon steel in certain components because of a shortage of high-tech alloy steels. They had an engine weight of 699,700 lb.
During 1943-44, as many as 12 "Yellowstones" were operating on the D & RGW, the GN, and the NP under lease where they were highly regarded. In fact, the D & RGW telegraphed the DM&IR with the claim that these Yellowstones were the finest engines ever to run on the Rio Grande.
The Lake Superior Railroad Museum site -- http://www.lsrm.org/Museum/mallet.htm (visited 9 Feb 2004) -- gives some interesting consumption numbers: " When working at full power, [the locomotive] could consume some 10 to 12 tons of coal an hour and evaporate water into steam at the astounding rate of 12,000 gallons per hour. The amount of coal ...used in one hour would be enough to heat a home for two winters." (and Minnesota winters at .0.that, one supposes.)
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Class | M-3/M-4 |
| Locobase ID | 334 |
| Railroad | Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range (DM&IR) |
| Whyte | 2-8-8-4 |
| Road Numbers | 220-237 |
| Gauge | Std |
| Builder | Baldwin |
| Year | 1941 |
| Valve Gear | Walschaert |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | |
| Driver Wheelbase | 17.25' |
| Engine Wheelbase | 67.17' |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheebase | 0.26 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) | 113.49' |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) | |
| Weight on Drivers | 560257 lbs |
| Engine Weight | 695040 lbs |
| Tender Light Weight | 438000 lbs |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight | 1133040 lbs |
| Tender Water Capacity | 25000 gals |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) | 26 tons |
| Minimum weight per yard of rail on which locomotive could run | 116.72 lb rail |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
| Driver Diameter | 63" |
| Boiler Pressure | 240 psi |
| Cylinders (dia x stroke) | 26" x 32" (4) |
| Tractive Effort | 140093 lbs |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 4.00 |
| Heating Ability | |
| Firebox Area | 750 sq. ft |
| Grate Area | 125 sq. ft |
| Evaporative Heating Surface | 6782 |
| Superheating Surface | 2770 |
| Combined Heating Surface | 9552 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 172.45 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 30000 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 38699.75 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 232198.49 |
| Power L1 | 22722.75 |
| Power MT | 715.32 |
Yellowstone 221 was displayed for many years near the ore docks in the city
of Two Harbors, MN. By the late 1960s, the locomotive was showing signs of
severe decay. In 1967, the DM&IR felt it had deteriorated to such a point
that warranted its removal and 221 was pulled to the Proctor roundhouse by an
SD9 and later sold for scrap. See TRAINS, November 1967 for
details.
On February 7, 1943, a Denver & Salt Lake wrecker comes
to grips with front end of Missabe Road 224 at Fireclay, CO after runaway
while in Rio Grande employ. Looks pretty rough, doesn't it.
M-3 225 leads a railfan excursion across a DM&IR trestle near Holman
Junction in the late 1950s. Today 225 is on display in Proctor, MN.
Proctor is a few miles west of Duluth and the site of a large railroad yard.
In 1995 225 had all of the boiler jacketing removed giving it this "white"
appearance. This will probably extend its life on display as moisture will
not be trapped against the boiler. Since the time this photo was taken, 225
has been painted and is looking pretty nice.
Yellowstone 227 was stored at the Proctor roundhouse until 1967. It is now
on display inside the Lake Superior Transportation Museum. As a result, it
is difficult to get a decent photograph of her. This postcard was taken
years ago when she was still outside. Today, her driving wheels are
supported slightly above the railheads. An electric motor is used to spin
her wheels slowly so that you can see the motion of the massive valve gear.
Of the three surviving Yellowstones, 227 is probably in the best shape.
On June 2, 1967, Yellowstone 229 was pulled from the Proctor roundhouse where
it had been stored and placed on display in Two Harbors replacing Yellowstone
221 which had deteriorated from exposure to the weather. A small shed was
built over 229 to help protect her from the weather.
Here 232 is shown waiting to be scrapped. A row of centipede tenders
detached from their locomotives, yet still full of coal, is on the right.
Notice that the first tender belongs to 227 (which is now on display in
Duluth). The DM&IR switched the tenders for their steamers around near the
end of their careers to keep the best of the equipment in operation. The
227's tender was sent to the Paper Calmenson scrap yard 11-9-62 with steamer
231. 229 has 222's tender, and 227 has 231's tender.
Number 234 is viewed with a train of 180 cars at Payne, MN on September 30,
1957. Photo courtesy: Walter R. Evans.
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