Baltimore & Ohio 0-4-0 "Switcher" Locomotives in the USA


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class Andrew Jackson (Locobase 1019)

Data from Alvin F Staufer's Baltimore & Ohio Steam and Electric Locomotives (Medina, Ohio) supplied by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange May 2005.

Source (Kinert, 1962) says the B&O built at least 16 "Grasshoppers", which had vertical boilers and a walking-beam drive train.

Traveller, Arabian, Mercury, and George Washington were built by Davis and Gartner at the Mount Clare shops. James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison were constructed by Gillingham and Winans in 1835, followed by Andrew Jackson, John Hancock, Phineas Davis, Martin Van Buren, and George Clinton in 1836.

Staufer's data is for the John Hancock.


Class C-16 (Locobase 16664)

Data from "Class C-16" locomotive diagram in "B&O Assorted Diagrams to 1964" diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange Collection; and DeGolyer, Volume 43, pp. 143+ . See also "Little Joe (Baltimore and Ohio locomotive)" in Wikipedia at [link]), last accessed 17 March 2024; and David Otte, "The Little Engine That Could: The Ubiquitous Dockside Switcher" on the HO collector website at [link], last accessed 17 March 2024. (Thanks to Ellis Tammelleo for his 4 March 2024 email noting the C-16's appearance in his his set of Locomotive datacards.) Works numbers were 38651-38654 in November 1912..

As suited one of the nation's largest railroads, this quartet of oil-burning saddle-tank switchers--knicknamed "Little Joes", bulked much larger than most other small tanks. They were essentially dock switchers, according to Wikipedia. Some traveled on the Inner Harbor's Pratt Street Line while others served Philadelphia's extensive waterfront.

Twelve-inch (305 mm) diameter piston valves supplied steam to the cylinders. The engines' average axle loading put 60,000 lb (27,216 kg) on each of the two axles. Both axles were braked and the Ragonnet power reverser reduced the engineer's effort In Baldwin's specs, the drivers measured 46" at the rim, generating a calculated tractive effort of 28,817 lb (13,071 kg or 128.2 kN) . Thicker tires raised the diameter as shown in the specs. At operating speeds, a Dockside could negotiate a 50-degree curve and manage an 82-degree curve at a slower speed.

In 1927, the B&O shops removed the saddle tank and added a slopeback tender to the 96 and the 99, increasing the quantities of those supplies and slightly reducing the engine weight. Their class ID changed to C-16A; see Locobase 16665).

Clearly the C-16s proved satisfactory to the B&O. 97-98--the two remaining saddle tanks-- remained on the roster as late as 1 January 1948. They were scrapped in May 1951.

Even before their last days, the Docksides were well known. Over the subsquent decades many major model locomotive builders recreated the little saddle tanks. Rivarossi, for example, offered several variants from 1948-1977. Varney, Lionel, MTH, and others produced similar


Class C-16a (Locobase 16665)

Data from "Class C-16" locomotive diagram in B&O Assorted Diagrams to 1964 diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange Collection. (Thanks to Ellis Tammelleo for his 4 March 2024 email noting the C-16's appearance in his his set of Locomotive datacards.)

As shown in Locobase 16664, these two tender engines originally arrived on the B&O as oil-burning saddle tanks. In 1926, however, the B&O shops changed their role by removing the saddle tank and oil-firing equipment in favor of a double-bogie slopeback tender carrying significantly more water and a hefty amount of coal

The steam-producing system remained the same and the original 12" (305 mm) piston valves admitted steam to the cylinders. Although eliminating the small tank behind the cab increased cab length by only 8" (203 mm), the cab roof now extended over the rear coupler. The rear sand dome was removed.

The 99 was sent to the scrap dealer in March 1944 while the 96 surrendered in September 1945.


Class C-6 (Locobase 16487)

Data from Alvin F Staufer's Baltimore & Ohio Steam and Electric Locomotives (Medina, Ohio) supplied by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange May 2005, p. 14. See Locobase 16366 for a skeptical 1877 view of steam dummies and Locobase 11577 for a supporting 1889 discussion of the problems associated with running steam dummies on urban street railways.

Other than the New York Central's series of steam motors, this was one of the largest to be produced. Built at the Mt Clare shops, this "dummy" had a locomotive boiler shrouded in a car body. Locobase suspects that this is the locomotive that was the subject of Patent 441583, awarded 25 November 1890. That submission described a steam dummy fitted with a steam condenser on top of the boiler.

Henry Ashton Ramsay explained that his improvement to dummies "intended to opreate without noise from the engine-exhaust and to use a smokeless fuel, coke, or anthracite coal. His condensing system had the object of preventing "the noise ensuing from the use of steam-exhaust to produce a draft and the appearance of steam." These were all consummations devoutly to be wished by localities oppressed by noise, smoke, and steam from their street railways.

Locobase doesn't have further information to confirm this link, but the coincidence in dates is suggestive.

In 1917, the 31 was rebuilt as an 0-4-0 tank switcher. In that configuration, the 31 continued in service until it was scrapped in May 1933.


Class York (Locobase 1017)

Data from Alvin F Staufer's Baltimore & Ohio Steam and Electric Locomotives (Medina, Ohio) supplied by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange May 2005. See also Kinert, 1962. (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his 3 December 2018 email pointing out the tender's capacities.)

One of the contestants for the nascent Baltimore & Ohio's automotive engine, this Phineas Davis design featured a tall boiler centered on a platform and carried by two low-drivered axles. The stack came straight out of the top. Comstock (1971) published a cross-section drawing that shows two pipes leading from the firebox to the stack. Hot gases boiled water in the thin jacket and in a shallow drum (known as a "cheese") suspended from the firebox top.

After experimenting with direct drive for his two vertical cylinders, Davis resorted to a geared system.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassAndrew JacksonC-16C-16aC-6York
Locobase ID1019 16664 16665 16487 1017
RailroadBaltimore & Ohio (B&O)Baltimore & Ohio (B&O)Baltimore & Ohio (B&O)Baltimore & Ohio (B&O)Baltimore & Ohio (B&O)
CountryUSAUSAUSAUSAUSA
Whyte0-4-00-4-0ST0-4-00-4-0T0-4-0
Number in Class94211
Road Numbers96-99/897-89896, 9931
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built9411
BuilderseveralBaldwinB&OB&OPhineas Davis
Year18361912192618901831
Valve GearWalschaertWalschaertStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 4.08 / 1.247 / 2.137 / 2.137 / 2.134 / 1.22
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) 4.08 / 1.247 / 2.137 / 2.137 / 2.1310.48 / 3.19
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase1111 0.38
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) 4.08 / 1.247 / 2.1337.50 / 11.437 / 2.13
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)28,900 / 13,109120,000 / 54,431109,100 / 49,48776,600 / 34,74513,540 / 6142
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)28,900 / 13,109120,000 / 54,431109,100 / 49,48776,600 / 34,74513,540 / 6142
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)64,300 / 29,1664660 / 2114
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)173,400 / 78,65318,200 / 8256
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)300 / 1.142000 / 7.584100 / 15.53200 / 0.76104 / 0.39
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 0.40650 / 2460 6.50 / 25 0.60 / 1
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)24 / 12100 / 5091 / 45.5064 / 3211 / 5.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)35 / 88948 / 121948 / 121944 / 111830 / 762
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)75 / 520180 / 1240180 / 1240155 / 1070115 / 790
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)12" x 22" / 305x56019" x 24" / 483x61019" x 24" / 483x61018" x 24" / 457x6105.25" x 12" / 133x305
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)5770 / 2617.2327,617 / 12526.8827,617 / 12526.8823,284 / 10561.461078 / 488.97
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.01 4.35 3.95 3.2912.56
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)169 - 2" / 51232 - 2" / 51232 - 2" / 51146 - 2" / 51108 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m) 2.45 / 0.7510.92 / 3.3310.92 / 3.3311.19 / 3.41 2.25 / 0.69
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)29.10 / 2.7091 / 8.4591 / 8.4568.10 / 6.3328 / 2.60
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)11 / 1.0216.30 / 1.5116.30 / 1.5118.08 / 1.68 6.75 / 0.63
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)204 / 18.961417 / 131.641417 / 131.64925 / 85.93155 / 14.40
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)204 / 18.961417 / 131.641417 / 131.64925 / 85.93155 / 14.40
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume70.83179.82179.82130.83516.67
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation825293429342802776
Same as above plus superheater percentage825293429342802776
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area218316,38016,38010,5563220
Power L15313421342120355654
Power MT81.01125.70138.26117.141841.20

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