Temiskaming & Northern Ontario 2-8-2 Locomotives in Canada

Class 141 (Locobase 16484)

Data from "2-8-2 Type Locomotive for the Temiskaming & Northern Ontario", Railway and Locomotive Engineering, Volume 30, No 4 (April 1917), pp. 121-122. Works numbers were 1345-1350 in October-November 1916.

These dual-service Mikados had a tonnage ratio of 1,200 tons over the 1.25% ruling grade on the North Bay & Englehart Division. R&LE reported that the Commission "after careful consideration of the question" decided to purchase these powerful locomotives as "equally adapted to both freight and passenger service." One key factor was an increase in passenger travel that exceeded the ability of the previous passenger engines on the railway. Another was the requirement that "as many parts as possible [be] interchangeable with [T&NO'S] standard consolidation type engine."

The design was a full-grown Mike (although a bit small compared to most other North American 2-8-2s). Fourteen-inch (356 mm) piston valves supplied steam to the cylinders; the 146 was delivered with Young valve gear and steam chest valves. Four 4" (102 mm) diameter arch tubes comprising 30.5 sq ft (2.83 sq m) supported the brick arch. Acknowledging the severe winter conditions these engines encountered, the T&NO adapted an all-weather cab based on the Russian 2-10-0s built by the CLC. Ample ventilation would, it was supposed, would prevent the cabs from becoming "uncomfortably warm in summer."

The CLC produced three more batches of 2-8-2s. Locobase supposes, but cannot confirm, that all twelve (306-317) delivered in 1921-1924 were essentially identical. Most of the T&NO's 2-8-2s seem to have reached the mid-1950s unscathed. But 307 and 309 both crashed in 1936 and were scrapped in 1940. (Locobase suspects a head-on meet.). A more unusual record is that of 312 in 1934 and 1948. Each date refers to a wreck that apparently wasn't terminal as the locomotive was rebuilt twice. Renumbered after the second rebuild, the now 317 was scrapped with the rest in 1955-1957.