Rucker Brothers 2-6-2 "Prairie" Locomotives in the USA
Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media
Class 3 (Locobase 13608)
Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 34, p. 291. Works number was 34840 in June 1910.
Locobase expressed puzzlement over the very large grate to heating surface ratio in the Klamath Lake logging Prairie shown in Locobase 12912. Here's an identical locomotive sold to a Mt Vernon, Washington logging firm that is noted in the spec as planning to burn coal within the year. The grate seems even smaller when considering the fuel.
Whatever the reason, the 3 went to the Puget Sound Pulp & Timber Company in the same town as their 6. By 1915, the 6 was assigned to the Hartford Eastern Railway of Everett (created by the Rucker Brothers after they leased the Monte Cristo branch of the Northern Pacific) and operated under that herald until the road was abandoned in 1931. (See [
], for a good history of this effort.)
After that, the 6 was relettered for the Puget Sound & Cascade (then still owned by the PSP & TC and now operator of the Monte Cristo branch).
| Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | |
|---|---|
| Class | 3 |
| Locobase ID | 13608 |
| Railroad | Rucker Brothers |
| Country | USA |
| Whyte | 2-6-2 |
| Number in Class | 1 |
| Road Numbers | 3 |
| Gauge | Std |
| Number Built | 1 |
| Builder | Baldwin |
| Year | 1910 |
| Valve Gear | Stephenson |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | |
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 10.50 / 3.20 |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 26.58 / 8.10 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 0.40 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | |
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 98,000 / 44,452 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 134,000 / 60,781 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | 70,000 / 31,752 |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | 204,000 / 92,533 |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 3500 / 13.26 |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 54 / 27 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 44 / 1118 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 180 / 1240 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 17" x 24" / 432x610 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 24,118 / 10939.75 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 4.06 |
| Heating Ability | |
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 310 - 2" / 51 |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 14.08 / 4.29 |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 128.60 / 11.95 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 15.80 / 1.47 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 2401 / 223.06 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 2401 / 223.06 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 380.51 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 2844 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 2844 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 23,148 |
| Power L1 | 6368 |
| Power MT | 429.77 |