Canadian Government Railways / Canadian National 2-10-2 Locomotives in Canada


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class T-1-a/-b -Tbolt, no syphon (Locobase 4354)

Data from the 1953 Canadian National locomotive diagram supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. Brooks works numbers for the T-1-a were 56581-56590 and Montreal's works numbers for the T-1-b were 58337-58346.

Originally built for the Canadian Government Railway (CGR) as well as for the CN by Brooks and the Montreal Locomotive Works, these engines were relatively small Santa Fes. The first two batches, built in 1916 and 1918, were identical and were completed with the T-Bolt header in the Schmidt superheater, arch tubes, and no thermic syphon; the T-1-c had a smaller boiler - see Locobase 6649.

A note in the diagram refers to a boiler feature that reduced the boiler tube count by 14. When the tube sheet had a "small rads [radius?]", it had the count shown. When "large rads is used, tubes will be 14 less in number." The T-1-c (Locobase 6649)'s diagram contains a similar note about a tube sheets that had or didn't have a buckle.

The 1953 diagram book doesn't make clear when, but at some point the CN wrought a significant upgrade to the boiler and grate; see Locobase 8108.

Like the rest of the CN's stud, these persisted into the 1950s, the last retiring in 1961.


Class T-1-a/-b -Tbolt, syphon (Locobase 15677)

Data from the Canadian National Steam Locomotive Assorted locomotive diagram supplied in August 2013 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Locobase 4354 shows these Santa Fes with their original tube-and-flue-and-firebox layout and the Schmidt superheater with the T-bolt. At some point, the CNR added thermic syphons in the firebox while deleting 19 small tubes in the boiler. It's not clear to Locobase if installing syphons resulted in deleting any arch tubes. Reworking the proportions substantially increased the direct heating surface area.

Locobase 8108 shows all three T-1 class as they were finally updated by the CN.


Class T-1-a/b/c (Locobase 8108)

Data from the 1953 Canadian National locomotive diagram supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Originally built for the Canadian Government Railway (CGR) as well as for the CN by Brooks and the Montreal Locomotive Works, this design was significantly upgraded in the 1930s or later. At the same time, the T-1cs built later in the decade (Locobase 6649) were modified to the same design.

In that time the railway installed thermic syphons in the firebox, which, when added to the arch tubes already in place, significantly increased the firebox heating surface. Locomotives fitted with TBolt superheater headers had longer boiler tubes (17') than those with the thru-bolt design, shown here as 16' 5". (Compared to the Tbolt header, the "Thru-bolt" header provided a greater air space between the saturated and superheated sides of the superheater, which reduced the rapidity of heat transfer and allowed for expansion and contraction.)


Class T-1-c (Locobase 6649)

Data from the 1953 Canadian National locomotive diagram supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. Works numbers were 61880-61904 in 1920.

The first two batches of the CGR's Santa Fe Rail Data Exchange were identical (See Locobase 4354). But when the railroad went back to MLW in 1920, the result was a slightly smaller boiler and the deletion of the rear sandbox on the boiler.

As with the T-1-a and -b, the CN significantly upgraded the boiler and firebox. Grate area shot up to 77.3 sq ft. Without syphons, the firebox area increased to 286 sq ft; adding syphons brought the total to 351 sq ft. In some instances, the boiler tube length dropped to 16 ft 5 inches when a thru-bolt header was installed on the Schmidt superheater.

(Compared to the Tbolt header, the "Thru-bolt" header provided a greater air space between the saturated and superheated sides of the superheater, which reduced the rapidity of heat transfer and allowed for expansion and contraction.)

As a result, T-1-c locomotives could have any one of the following heating surface area proportions:

Type Tube count Flue count Tube HS Firebox HS Total EHS

T-bolt, non-syphon 252 43 3,253 286 3,529

T-bolt, syphon 236 43 3,112 351 3,463

Thru-bolt, no syphon 251 45 3,179 286 3,465

Thru-bolt, syphon 230 45 2,299 351 3,350

Like the rest of the CN's stud, these persisted into the 1950s, the last retiring in 1961.


Class T-2a (Locobase 74)

Data from the 1953 Canadian National locomotive diagram supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange and from the 1930 Locomotive Cyclopedia. (Many thanks to Chris Hohl for his 22 September 2017 email reporting unlikely boiler pressure values for 177 entries. A Locobase macro caused the error.) Works numbers were 1759-1763.

Firebox had combustion chamber, boiler had feedwater heater; at the time they were the largest two-cylinder engines in the British Empire. Main frames were made of vanadium steel.

T-2as were the first CN locomotives to trail the cylindrical-tank Vanderbilt tender. They were put in service pulling transfer freights between Mimico, Bathurst Street, and Danforth, all of which were located in Toronto. The class later would be seen in as far-flung locations as Niagrara Falls, where 4102 operated as a pusher for the freights negotiating the Welland Canal grade.

These engines retired in 1955-1957.


Class T-4-a (Locobase 4355)

Data from the 1953 Canadian National locomotive diagram supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his 1 February2022 email correcting the booster TE and noting the differences in weights, wheelbases, and fuel between the T-4a and T-4b.) Works numbers were 1838-1852 in 1929, 1875-1892 in 1930.

Drury (1993) said these were the largest two-cylinder locomotives in the British Empire when put in service, and they introduced the Vanderbilt tender to Canada; other sources credit the T-2a class with both distinctions. They also used a carbon steel main frame.

Also noteworthy is the choice of a smaller boiler than the T-2s, but a much higher boiler pressure and Type E superheater. Even so, the factors (boiler, grate, and adhesion) stay nicely in an acceptable range. Piston valves (14"/356 mm) admitted steam to the cylinders.

Firebox heating surface area included the short combustion chamber, arch tubes, and thermic syphons.

See Locobase 16577

Like the rest of the CN's stud, these persisted into the 1950s, the last retiring in 1961.


Class T-4-b (Locobase 16577)

Data from the 1953 Canadian National locomotive diagram supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his 1 February2022 email noting the difference between the T-4a and T-4b as noted below and flagging decreases in engine weight, increase in engine and tender wheelbase and the widespread use of oil fuel in both sub-classes.) Works numbers were 1875-1892 in 1930.

Locobase 4335 describes the first fifteen Santa Fes built to this improved design. As noted there, that class was delivered with carbon steel frames. The latter batch shown here arrived a year later with nickel steel frames.

Firebox heating surface area included the short combustion chamber, arch tubes, and thermic syphons. Overall, boiler dimensions remained unchanged. By 1953, the 4315-4318 and 4329-4332 trailed coal tenders

Boiler pressure increased by 25 psi (1.72 bar), but as Hohl noted, the CNR apparently didn't use the usual .85 coefficient used in the tractive effort formula to account for mechanical and heat losses. The 1953 diagram explains that tractive effort is calculated based on a 70% limited cutoff, which resulted in a 61,600 lb (27,941 kg or 274.0 kN) TE.

T-4-bs lost 2" in cab length behind the last driver, but gained 3" ahead of the leading truck. Tender truck wheelbases increased by 4" each. By the time the CNR released its 1953 diagrams, Although driver weight increased by about 7,000 lb, the absence of a booster decreased weight on the trailing truck by 11,130 lb.

Like the rest of the CN's stud, these persisted into the 1950s, the last retiring in 1961.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassT-1-a/-b -Tbolt, no syphonT-1-a/-b -Tbolt, syphonT-1-a/b/cT-1-cT-2a
Locobase ID4354 15677 8108 6649 74
RailroadCanadian Government Railways (CNR)Canadian Government Railways (CNR)Canadian National (CNR)Canadian National (CNR)Canadian National (CNR)
CountryCanadaCanadaCanadaCanadaCanada
Whyte2-10-22-10-22-10-22-10-22-10-2
Number in Class202024255
Road Numbers2000-2019/4000-40192000-2019/4000-40194000-40444020-40444100-4104
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built20255
BuilderAlco - multiple worksCNRCNRMontreal LWCanadian Locomotive Co
Year19161916194219201924
Valve GearWalschaertWalschaertWalschaertWalschaertWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)20.50 / 6.2520.50 / 6.2520.50 / 6.2520.50 / 6.2521.70 / 6.61
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)37.83 / 11.5337.83 / 11.5337.83 / 11.5337.83 / 11.5342.20 / 12.86
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.54 0.54 0.54 0.54 0.51
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)70.23 / 21.4170.23 / 21.4170.23 / 21.4170.85 / 21.6080.77 / 24.62
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)256,000 / 116,120256,000 / 116,120256,000 / 116,120257,400 / 116,755325,040 / 147,436
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)320,000 / 145,150320,000 / 145,150320,000 / 145,150318,900 / 144,651409,240 / 185,628
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)192,200 / 87,181192,200 / 87,181183,200 / 83,098198,800 / 90,174245,800 / 111,493
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)512,200 / 232,331512,200 / 232,331503,200 / 228,248517,700 / 234,825655,040 / 297,121
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)10,800 / 40.9110,800 / 40.919000 / 34.099000 / 34.0913,200 / 50
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)18.70 / 1718.70 / 1717.60 / 1617 / 1617.60 / 16
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)85 / 42.5085 / 42.5085 / 42.5086 / 43108 / 54
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)57 / 144857 / 144857 / 144857 / 144857 / 1448
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)200 / 1380200 / 1380200 / 1380200 / 1380200 / 1380
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)26" x 32" / 660x81326" x 32" / 660x81326" x 32" / 660x81326" x 32" / 660x81329" x 32" / 737x813
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)64,516 / 29264.0064,516 / 29264.0064,516 / 29264.0064,516 / 29264.0080,264 / 36407.18
Booster (lbs)11,53511,53511,53511,535
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.97 3.97 3.97 3.99 4.05
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)270 - 2" / 51251 - 2" / 51230 - 2" / 51252 - 2" / 51264 - 2.25" / 57
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)43 - 5.375" / 13743 - 5.375" / 13745 - 5.375" / 13743 - 5.375" / 13760 - 5.375" / 137
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)17 / 5.1817 / 5.1816.42 / 517 / 5.1821.50 / 6.55
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)286 / 26.57351 / 32.61351 / 32.62245 / 22.77356 / 33.07
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)66.70 / 6.2066.70 / 6.2077.30 / 7.1866.70 / 6.2080.30 / 7.46
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)3699 / 343.653587 / 333.243350 / 311.343517 / 326.865534 / 514.12
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)850 / 78.97850 / 78.97850 / 79850 / 791558 / 144.74
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)4549 / 422.624437 / 412.214200 / 390.344367 / 405.867092 / 658.86
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume188.15182.45170.40178.89226.25
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation13,34013,34015,46013,34016,060
Same as above plus superheater percentage15,87515,87518,55215,87519,593
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area68,06883,53884,24058,31086,864
Power L112,35012,55612,32711,97616,573
Power MT531.78540.65530.79512.87562.04

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassT-4-aT-4-b
Locobase ID4355 16577
RailroadCanadian National (CNR)Canadian National (CNR)
CountryCanadaCanada
Whyte2-10-22-10-2
Number in Class1518
Road Numbers4300-43144315-4332
GaugeStdStd
Number Built1518
BuilderCanadian Locomotive CoCanadian Locomotive Co
Year19291929
Valve GearBakerBaker
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)20.50 / 6.2520.50 / 6.25
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)39.75 / 12.1239.75 / 12.12
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.52 0.52
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)72.17 / 2272.67 / 22.15
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)254,800 / 115,575261,040 / 118,406
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)347,600 / 157,669344,170 / 156,113
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)211,100 / 95,753224,000 / 101,605
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)558,700 / 253,422568,170 / 257,718
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)9500 / 35.989500 / 35.98
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)4000 / 36364000 / 3636
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)85 / 42.5087 / 43.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)57 / 144857 / 1448
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)250 / 1720275 / 1900
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)24" x 28" / 610x71124" x 28" / 610x711
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)60,126 / 27272.7366,139 / 30000.18
Booster (lbs)10,375
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.24 3.95
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)44 - 2.25" / 5744 - 2.25" / 57
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)146 - 3.5" / 89146 - 3.5" / 89
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)19.25 / 5.8719.25 / 5.87
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)347 / 32.24347 / 32.24
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)66.77 / 6.2066.77 / 6.20
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)3412 / 316.983412 / 316.98
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)1500 / 139.351500 / 139.35
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)4912 / 456.334912 / 456.33
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume232.74232.74
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation16,69318,362
Same as above plus superheater percentage21,86724,054
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area113,643125,007
Power L130,20933,230
Power MT1306.891403.22

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