Kanawha, Glen Jean & Eastern 2-6-2 "Prairie" Locomotives in the USA

Class 200 (Locobase 10016)

Data from locomotive rebuilder/reseller Birmingham Rail & Locomotive datacard reproduced as a pdf at [] . See also Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 45, p. 187. Works number was 33333 in April 1909.

A low-drivered Prairie suitable for back-country passenger and mixed-train work. Delivered to West Virginia, this engine would serve McKell Coal & Coke and the Morehead & North Fork. The Baldwin specs said that the design was "estimated to haul at slow speed 250 to 260 [short] tons up a 3% grade combined with uncompensated curves of 12 degrees." The frictional resistance was not to exceed 8 lb per ton. The BR & L photo shows a stubby, high-boilered engine--a Mikado missing a set of drivers.

An account of the KGJ&E from the WVa-USA.com website ([], last accessed 28 March 2009) notes that ultimately this railroad never came anywhere near the Kanawha River and headed southwest from Glen Jean rather than east. Although described as a coal road, says the WVa-USA.com site, "...the KGJ&E also delivered a sizeable amount of other types of freight to the towns, mines and company stores along its route ...During the decade of the 1910's, the line's passenger trains typically consisted of a combination baggage-coach along with one or two coaches pulled by a small 2-6-2 type steam locomotive. Often times, a box car or other freight car was added to the normal consist of the KGJ&E passenger trains. "

The author then offers a vignette of the passenger's life in a pre-air-conditioning era train ride in a mixed-traffic setting: "One of the author's older relatives, "Cousin Roy," recalled riding the KGJ&E passenger trains on several occasions when the railroad had decided to place a coal car in with the regular passenger run. As this happened during the hot days of Summer, the passengers in the coach nearest the coal car soon found themselves covered from head to foot with coal dust blowing in through the open windows of the coach. "Cousin Roy" was typical of the people of the era, wearing his "best" clothes when taking a train trip, even on just a short trip along Loup Creek. Luckily, his uncle (the author's grandfather) operated a dry cleaning business in Mount Hope."

The author adds: "But even though the KGJ&E trains didn't offer the cleanest mode of transportation, the citizens of the era were very content to have them available and they made great use of them. "