Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 41, p. 207. Thanks to Ivy Roney for her 29 March 2025 email correcting and adding to the later history of the StL&H. Works number was 37911 in June 1912.
Although only a medium-sized Mogul for its time, the 18 was one of the few delivered with a superheater already installed. It was a duplicate in "as many essential parts as practicable" to the Alco engine that had been delivered as #17.
The short line to which the 18 was delivered covered 103 miles in 1917, all of which had been completed by the Saint Louis, Hannibal & Keokuk and its successor the Saint Louis & Hannibal Railway. The 85 miles of main line from Hannibal to Gilmore was finished by 1882, while the branch line from Rails Junction to Perry, Mo was added by 1893, seven years after the StLH K was reorganized as the StL&H.
Never a truly prosperous line, the "Short Line" was sold in November 1919 to John Ringling (of Ringling Brothers) who sank about $325,000 in the line over the next decade trying to improve its profitability. The Great Depression killed that hope.
Ivy Roney supplied a marked-up copy of the ICC map that illustrates the gradual diminution of route milage beginning in 1932. "[T]he red," she wrote, represents "closed and torn up in 1932", which is southward from Bowling Green to Troy (i.e. much of the main line). A short segment south of Troy. A few mile further south, the Moscow Mills to end-of-track at Gilmore closed in 1932.
According to notes in the Wikipedia entry that hosts the ICC valuation summary of this line, the editor rports: "Locally, the Short Line is still fondly remembered for its personal service and the kindness shown by owners, management, and crews. Gone but not forgotten." The two east-west segements from Bowling Green (BG-Hannibal to the east, BG-Perry to the west) closed in 1945. and the remaining Troy-Moscow remant lingered until 1961.
| Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | |
|---|---|
| Class | 18 |
| Locobase ID | 13933 |
| Railroad | St Louis & Hannibal |
| Country | USA |
| Whyte | 2-6-0 |
| Number in Class | 1 |
| Road Numbers | 18 |
| Gauge | Std |
| Number Built | 1 |
| Builder | Baldwin |
| Year | 1912 |
| Valve Gear | Walschaert |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | |
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 14 / 4.27 |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 22.08 / 6.73 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 0.63 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 47.90 / 14.60 |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | |
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 110,000 / 49,895 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 128,000 / 58,060 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | 80,000 / 36,287 |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | 208,000 / 94,347 |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 4000 / 15.15 |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | 6 / 6 |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 61 / 30.50 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 57 / 1448 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 175 / 1210 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 20" x 24" / 508x610 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 25,053 / 11363.86 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 4.39 |
| Heating Ability | |
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 148 - 2" / 51 |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | 21 - 5.375" / 137 |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 12.50 / 3.81 |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 130 / 12.08 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 28.20 / 2.62 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 1458 / 135.45 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 305 / 28.34 |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 1763 / 163.79 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 167.01 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 4935 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 5774 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 26,618 |
| Power L1 | 9242 |
| Power MT | 555.68 |