Fairfield Traction 0-4-0 "Switcher" Locomotives in the USA

Class 999 (Locobase 12269)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 21, p. 170 and Volume 23, p. 205. See also John H White, The American Railroad Passenger Car, Volume 2 (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1978), pp. 585-587; "Steam Motor Cars by the Baldwin Locomotive Works," American Engineer, Car Builder and Railroad Journal, Volume 72, No 4 (April 1898), p. 135; and "Steam Motor Cars for Minor Railway Lines," Railway World [later Transport World] [London], Volume 7 (5 May 1898), pp. 138-140. (Thanks to Piotr Straszewski for his 28 March 2023 email commenting about the wheel arrangement and locomotive type.) Works number was 15887 in April 1898.

See Locobase 12237 to see an outline of Baldwin's steam coach design. White archly notes that the company managed to sign two Midwestern companies to contracts for a larger design with a much larger coach before the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Traction

Woodsdale's "disgrace" became apparent.

Detroit & Lima Northern was one buyer, but suffered cold feet even before the vehicle was ready. Thus the car went to Fairfield Traction, which operated it briefly. Each of the pair of cylinders (1 HP, 1 LP) was served by an 8" (203 mm) piston valve. The D&LN had planned to run the on a 1 hour 50 minute trip between Detroit and Toledo at max speeds of 35 mph (56 kph).Its tank capacity was to be "sufficient for a run of 61 miles [98 km]."

Baldwin's specs show considerable changes to the original D&LN order. Instead of 553 1 1/4" (32 mm) boiler tubes, the order called for the 380 1 1/2" tubes shown in the specs. They stood around a circular firebox of 54 1/8" (1.375 m) diameter, which was fed anthracite coal or coke from the top. Sixteen 2" (50.8 mm) tubes extended downward 10" (254 mm) as a cage to guide the cascading coal. The firebox's heat would, the designers supposed, encourage the water to travel up the outer tube, then down the inside tube. In addition, the condenser itself must have presented its own challenges.

Whatever the reasons, the FT soon removed the engine and dedicated it to powering a small switcher while converting the body into a combine coach. According to the specifications for 999's successor (Locobase 12474), Baldwin replaced 999's engine truck with a standard coach truck. Ship- and coach-builder Harland & Hollingsworth of Wilmington, Del was contracted to change the baggage compartment into a smoking section by shifting the partition "to give rather more room than at present" and providing seats. Baggage and freight now occupied the former engine compartment; the latter's water tanks were removed..

As can be seen in the later entry, many of the motive power parts were reused in FT's #1.