Little River / Louisiana Railway 2-6-2 "Prairie" Locomotives in the USA

Class 1 (Locobase 12850)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 28, p. 148. Works number was 26583 in November 1905.

This logging Prairie was identical to the Trout Creek locomotives shown in Locobase 12739. The 1 was bought by the Grant Land and Lumber Company of Texarkana, Ark, which was formed to take over the interests held by William Buchanan. In 1912, the system was reorganized as Grant Timber & Manufacturing and the engine took road number 5.

Class 105 (Locobase 12738)

Data from DeGolyer, Volume 27, p. 168. Works number was 24862 in December 1904.

In the mid-1920s, the Little River sold this logging Prairie to locomotive rebuilder/reseller Georgia Car & Locomotive. GC&L's reconditioning led to the engine's beginning a second career in cypress harvesting. Wilson Cypress of Palatka, Fla bought the locomotive in March 1928 as their 100. Wilson sold the 100 to the Cummer Sons Cypress and that company scrapped in February 1959.

Class 8 (Locobase 13887)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 40, p. 130. Works number was 37049 in October 1911.

Not too long before the L Ry was reorganized by its owner Grant Timber & Manufacturing, it took delivery of this logging Prairie, which was about half again as large as the #1 of 1905 (Locobase 12850).

Note that the specs have a note about strengthening the equalizer beam back of the rear drivers; this problem shows up in several entries during this year. In addition, the equalizer fulcrum positioned between the main and rear driving axles also needed to be made wrot iron and of stronger section.

Locobase observes in 13886 that this recurring comment may have represented an earlier ill-considered design change.