0-4-2 Steam Locomotives in the USA

Honolulu Iron Works


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 1 (Locobase 16682)

Data from "0-4-2 T 20", Order number C-208, American Locomotive Company data card supplied by Chris Hohl in his 1 February 2025 email. See also Peter T Young, "Honolulu Iron Works", a 29 May 2015 post in the Images of Old Hawai''i" website at [], last accessed 17 May 2025. Works numbers were 66463-66464 in November 1925.

"Honiron" as it later came to be called, began in 1852 as a supplier to the Honolulu Steam Flouring Company. After the Iron Works burned in 1860, David Weston, then machinist in charge, repurposed the company as manufacturer of hardware for the milling companies. "By the turn of the century," Young reports, citing Dye, "the Iron Works was making complete sugar 'factories' for plantations in Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico, Louisiana, Formosa and the Philippines - as well as supplying Hawai?i's sugar planters.".

Young also reproduces a long, effusive Honiron profile originally published on 12 March 1897, about a year before the momentous US acquistion of the islands as a Territory. The company changed hands several times, but kept its independence until 1960.

Making its lilliputian contribution to Honiron's fortune were these little narrow-gauge coal-powered saddle-tanks sporting large, spark-arresting cabbage stacks, photographed in 1925 by Alco as "American #1.". Supposing that the HIW locmotive #2, which followed the 1 immediately on the Cooke production line also had a trailing truck. Honiron eventrually sold both to the Pampanga Sugar Development in the Philippines.

Overall, Honiron claimed, "Since its beginning, Honolulu Iron Works has participated in the construction of more than 200 cane sugar mills, 8 beet sugar factories, 8 refineries and 6 alcohol distilleries. (honiron)."

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class1
Locobase ID16682
RailroadHonolulu Iron Works
CountryUSA
Whyte0-4-2T
Number in Class2
Road Numbers1-2
Gauge3'6"
Number Built2
BuilderAlco-Cooke
Year1925
Valve GearStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 3.50 / 1.07
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) 9.17 / 2.80
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.38
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) 9.17 / 2.80
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)16,000 / 7257
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)20,000 / 9072
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)250 / 0.95
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 0.38 / 0.30
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)13 / 6.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)24 / 610
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)160 / 1100
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)6" x 12" / 152x305
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)2448 / 1110.40
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 6.54
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)45 - 1.5" / 38
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m) 6.25 / 1.90
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)15 / 1.39
Grate Area (sq ft / m2) 2.77 / 0.26
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)124 / 11.52
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)124 / 11.52
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume317.95
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation443
Same as above plus superheater percentage443
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area2400
Power L13266
Power MT900.04

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