Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 22, p. 52. See also the letter from Assistant Locomotive Superintendent J N Robb quoted in Anglo-American Magazine, Volume 6, No. 6 (December 1901), pp. 485-486. Works numbers were 16517-16521 in February 1899.
The BC opened in 1884; it covered 125 miles (200 km) from Benapole via Jessore to Khulna. It was combined with the Brahmaputra- Sultanpur Railway and taken over by the the Eastern Bengal in 1904 and these small Eight-wheelers were renumbered.
ALS Ross's letter revealed that when the locomotives went into service they steamed poorly and burned almost 70 lb of coal per mile (19.76 kg/km). This was later reduced to 40.5 lb/mile (11.43 kg/km) when one or more of the following measures:
"(1) One single-exhaust pipe and blast nozzle (in place of double pipe and nozzle); (2) all deflecting plates removed from smoke box; (3) new fire grate bearing bars to take 22 fire bars, in place of 24; (4) new regular valve of the State railway type in place of single doubleface valve; (5) india rubber feed pipes in place of brass castings ball and socket; (6) lubricators for pistons. "
Many of the alterations likely reflect drafting issues concentrated in the smokebox, although the change in grate bar count may have sought to improve air flow into the firebox. Locobase wonders if the feed pipe change reflected leakage due to a certain inflexibility in the original fittings.
Once they were modified, Ross expressed his pleasure with the result:
"4. The fuel consumption is as low as that of the British engines, after being altered here by me. The American engines have run 118,440 miles [190,688 km]since August, 1899, and no duplicates have yet been used, except the turning up of the bogie wheels of one of them. They are all, however, showing a tendency to have sharp flanges.
5. The engines pull well and run much easier than the British locomotives."
Except ... a postscript reported that when the Eight-wheelers were pressed into service as goods trains they fared less well with fuel and oil consumption at heavier rate than those of the British engines.
Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | |
---|---|
Class | 25 |
Locobase ID | 12330 |
Railroad | Bengal Central |
Country | India |
Whyte | 4-4-0 |
Number in Class | 5 |
Road Numbers | 29, 25-28/186-190 |
Gauge | 5'6" |
Number Built | 5 |
Builder | Burnham, Williams & Co |
Year | 1899 |
Valve Gear | Stephenson |
Locomotive Length and Weight | |
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 7.83 / 2.39 |
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 20.04 / 6.11 |
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 0.39 |
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 40.54 / 12.36 |
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | |
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 52,000 / 23,587 |
Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 80,000 / 36,287 |
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | 72,000 / 32,659 |
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | 152,000 / 68,946 |
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 3000 / 11.36 |
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | |
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 43 / 21.50 |
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 61 / 1549 |
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 180 / 1240 |
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 16" x 24" / 406x610 |
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 15,410 / 6989.87 |
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 3.37 |
Heating Ability | |
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 198 - 1.75" / 44 |
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | |
Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 10 / 3.05 |
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 102.80 / 9.55 |
Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 17.90 / 1.66 |
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 1002 / 93.12 |
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | |
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 1002 / 93.12 |
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 179.41 |
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 3222 |
Same as above plus superheater percentage | 3222 |
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 18,504 |
Power L1 | 4967 |
Power MT | 421.17 |