Pittsburgh, Bessemer, & Lake Erie 2-6-0 "Mogul" Locomotives in the USA


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 50 (Locobase 2628)

Data from Catalogue Descriptive of Simple and Compound Locomotives built by Brooks Locomotive Works, Dunkirk, NY (Buffalo, NY: Matthew-Northrup Company, 1899). See also "A Demonstration in the Use of Heavy Cars," Railroad Gazette, Volume XXX, No. 15 (15 April 1898), p. 278. See the Pittsburgh, Bessemer, and Lake Erie 2-8-0 #81 for a comparison of the two engines.

Builder info from B.Rumary, 25 Kingscombe, Gurney Slade, Radstock, BA3 4TH, ENGLAND and Jeremy Lambert as supplied by Allen Stanley in March 2004.

Works numbers were 2803-2805 in September 1897. (Works numbers 2938-2941, road #65-68 were delivered seven months later and seem likely to have been repeats of the 50.)

The RG report on the heavy (50-ton) ore cars used by the PB&LE noted the extensive upgrades to the railroad's right of way (lower ruling grades,100-lb/yard-50 kg/metre rail, two extensive yards, e.g.) and comments: "Thus the road is in shape to move its traffic with expedition."

A typical train consisted of 30 cars of a combined tare weight of 540 gross tons and loaded with 1,500 tons of ore, said the RG. These Moguls came in for special mention because of their relatively great size and power. It seems from the context that they were the motive power for these trains. Four Pittsburgh Locomotive Works Moguls built to the same power and boiler specs were considerably lighter; see Locobase 16079.

All sold for scrap in 1929.


Class M-3c (Locobase 16079)

Data from "Freight Locomotives for the Pittsburgh, Bessemer & Lake Erie", Volume XXIX, No 4 (30 July1897). See also "A Demonstration in the Use of Heavy Cars," RG, Volume XXX, No. 15 (15 April 1898), p. 278. Works numbers were 1713-1714 in July 1897 and 1785-1786 in May 1898.

As noted in Locobase 2628's entry on the Brooks trio built to the same specs, a typical train on the PB&LE consisted of 30 cars of a combined tare weight of 540 gross tons and loaded with 1,500 tons of ore, said the RG. These Moguls came in for special mention in the April 1898 report because of their relatively great size and power. It seems from the context that they were the motive power for these trains.

59 was sold for scrap in 1929; the other three were discarded in 1936.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class50M-3c
Locobase ID2628 16079
RailroadPittsburgh, Bessemer, & Lake EriePittsburgh, Bessemer, & Lake Erie
CountryUSAUSA
Whyte2-6-02-6-0
Number in Class34
Road Numbers50-5257-60
GaugeStdStd
Number Built34
BuilderBrooksPittsburgh
Year18971897
Valve GearStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)14 / 4.2714 / 4.27
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)22.42 / 6.8322.42 / 6.83
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.62 0.62
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)52.33 / 15.9552.33 / 15.95
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)145,400 / 65,952130,000 / 58,967
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)167,850 / 76,136149,000 / 67,585
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)85,000 / 38,55578,300 / 35,516
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)252,850 / 114,691227,300 / 103,101
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)4000 / 15.154000 / 15.15
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) 8.50 / 88 / 7
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)81 / 40.5072 / 36
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)56 / 142256 / 1422
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)180 / 1240180 / 1240
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)20" x 26" / 508x66020" x 26" / 508x660
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)28,414 / 12888.3928,414 / 12888.39
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.12 4.58
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)300 - 2" / 51300 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)12.03 / 3.6712 / 3.66
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)186 / 17.29161 / 14.96
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)28.40 / 2.6428.25 / 2.62
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2057 / 191.172034 / 188.96
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2057 / 191.172034 / 188.96
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume217.67215.24
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation51125085
Same as above plus superheater percentage51125085
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area33,48028,980
Power L153105047
Power MT241.54256.77

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