0-8-0 "Switcher" Steam Locomotives in the USA

Unspecified


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class Don Juan (Locobase 14038)

Data from [] . See also Zerah Colburn, "The Don Juan," Grolier Club Exhibitions, accessed July 27, 2025, [].

Zerah Colburn drew a detailed elevation of this freighter at some point in the early 1850s. It had a small haystack smokebox, inclined cylinders, a meager footplate for the driver, and big stack.

Grolier's short description of the Colburn illustration supplied further information: "Zerah Colburn was a gifted mechanical engineer who started his career in the industry as an apprentice in Lowell, Massachusetts. His work impressed his peers and he began writing and publishing technical works on steam locomotives in the 1850's and edited the America Rail Road Journal for a time. This drawing, from the early 1850's appears to be from his time at Baldwin Locomotive Works, but the design itself does not appear to have been built.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassDon Juan
Locobase ID14038
Railroad
CountryUSA
Whyte0-8-0
Number in Class1
Road Numbers
GaugeStd
Number Built1
Builder
Year
Valve GearStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)48,000 / 21,772
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)48,000 / 21,772
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)20 / 10
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)42 / 1067
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)100
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)18" x 20" / 457x508
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)13,114 / 5948.42
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.66
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)60 / 5.57
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)11.13 / 1.03
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1042 / 96.80
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1042 / 96.80
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume176.91
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation1113
Same as above plus superheater percentage1113
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area6000
Power L11595
Power MT293.03

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