Sandy Hook Proving Ground 2-4-0 "Porter" Locomotives in the USA
Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media
Class 5 (Locobase 16267)
Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 45, p. 144+. See also "Fort Hancock and Sandy Hook Proving Grounds", Military Railroads of the New York Area website at [
], last accessed 5 February 2017. (Many thanks to Chris Hohl for his 24 January 2017 email noting the absence of this locomotive from Locobase and supplying a spreadsheet with key data.) Works number was 40217 in July 1913.
Six-wheeler tender locomotives were rarely encountered in US service after the 1840s, but a few found niches. This engine offered more power than the earlier 2-4-4T shown in Locobase 11497. The builder's card photo shown on the comprehensive Military Railroads website shows a short, but well-proportioned standard gauge design. One may think it a bit late in the day to be fitting a capped stack and banded domes to the boiler, but the result is very pleasing.
Eight years after its arrival at Sandy Hook, the 5 was sold to locomotive rebuilder/reseller Birmingham Rail & Locomotive. According to Thomas Lawson's compilation of BR&L records supplied in August 2013 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange, Roquemore Gravel Company of Montgomery, Ala bought BR&L stock #723 in April 1921 and renumbered it 12.
| Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | |
|---|---|
| Class | 5 |
| Locobase ID | 16267 |
| Railroad | Sandy Hook Proving Ground |
| Country | USA |
| Whyte | 2-4-0 |
| Number in Class | 1 |
| Road Numbers | 5 |
| Gauge | Std |
| Number Built | 1 |
| Builder | Baldwin |
| Year | 1913 |
| Valve Gear | Stephenson |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | |
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 7.50 / 2.29 |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 15.58 / 4.75 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 0.48 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 39.83 / 12.14 |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | |
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 67,000 / 30,391 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 81,000 / 36,741 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | 44,000 / 19,958 |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | 125,000 / 56,699 |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 2000 / 7.58 |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | 5 / 5 |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 56 / 28 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 54 / 1372 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 180 / 1240 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 15" x 24" / 381x610 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 15,300 / 6939.97 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 4.38 |
| Heating Ability | |
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 172 - 2" / 51 |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 9 / 2.74 |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 117 / 10.87 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 19.20 / 1.78 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 920 / 85.47 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 920 / 85.47 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 187.37 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 3456 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 3456 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 21,060 |
| Power L1 | 4966 |
| Power MT | 326.81 |