Birmingham & Southeastern / Buffalo & Susquehanna / Bullfrog Syndicate / Sinnemahoning Valley 2-8-0 "Consolidation" Locomotives in the USA


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 103 (Locobase 12087)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 19, p.14. Works numbers were 14011-14012 in May 1894.

The B & S was a logging-heavy road owned by the Goodyear Lumber Company and originally established as the Sinnemahoning Valley. This moderately sized pair of Consolidations served the B & S for 22 years before both were sold in 1916. Locomotive rebuilder/reseller Southern Iron & Equipment bought the 103 and sold it to Bollinger Franklin Lumber of Kosciusko, Miss, from whom it returned almost immediately to be sold to West Lumber of Houston, Texas.


Class 106 (Locobase 12137)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 19, p.14. Works numbers were 14011-14012 in May 1894.

Very similar to the 103 and 105 described in Locobase 12087, this Consolidation had a shallower firebox with a larger grate. The requirements in the specs included the ability to maintain a water level "...to suit 132 ft [2 1/2%] grade."

Gene Connelly notes that the 106 was sold in September 1916.


Class 107 (Locobase 12151)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 19, p 251. Works numbers were 14324-14325, 14350-14351 in June 1895.

As with the other B & S Consolidations of the 1890s, the small drivers and high boiler pressure in this quartet meant high tractive effort. The only difference from the previous pair shown in Locobase 12137 was 3 fewer boiler tubes.

All four were sold to second owners after 15-20 years of service. 107 went in July 1915 to Canadian company Maritime Coal Railway & Power Company.108 and 109 were sold in 1911 to Colfax & Northern. In 1925, ex-108 was sold to Pyramid Portland Cement, but Cthe C & N sold 109 in 1917 to locomotive rebuilder/reseller Southern Iron & Equipment. SI & E sold to Central Steel Company of Massilon, Ohio. 110 had the shortest career: sold to the Wellsville & Buffalo in December 1915, it was scrapped 9 months later in September 1916.


Class 112 (Locobase 12155)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 19, p.274. Works number was 14411 in September 1895.

Originally ordered as 101, this Consolidation came to the B & S as 112. And it brought a different mixture of cylinder volume (more) and boiler pressure (less) than previous B & S 2-8-0s. The boiler also grew.

20 years of service were followed by a sale to locomotive rebuilder/reseller Birmingham Rail & Locomotive in February 1917. BR & L sold the engine to the Evansville & Indianapolis as #501. In September 1920, the E & I sold the locomotive back to the BR & L, which sold it in June 1922 to Marathon Lumber Company of Laurel, Miss as their #260.


Class 113 (Locobase 12494)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 23, p.263. Works numbers wer 18892-18893 in April 1901.

After a 5-year lull in orders from Baldwin, the B & S went back to the Philadelphia builder for 2 Consolidations that featured a slightly larger boiler pressed to a higher degree but composed of several dozen more tubes of a smaller diameter than the most recent 112 (Locobase 12155). In addition, the company accepted a taller locomotive with a muchg wider grate in a shallower firebox.

114 was shown at Buffalo's 1901 Pan-American Exposition before its delivery to the B&S in November. The Expostion was a World's Fair that would become much better known as the site at which anarchist Leon Czolgolz shot President William McKinley.

Procured as a pair, the two engines were sold as a pair in June 1917 to locomotive rebuilder/reseller Southern Iron & Equipment (which assigned consecutive equipment numbers 1163-1164). SI & E dealt them to American Smelting & Refining where they were numbered 184-185.


Class 2 (Locobase 11666)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines, 1888, as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 14, p.101. Works number was 9121 in March 1888.

The SVRR is perhaps best known for the oddball Meyer Vauclain 0-6-6-0T built for the railroad in 1892 (see Locobase 5310) . But not all of the railroad had 10% grades and for more typical segments, this Consolidation served well enough. When the SV was merged into the Buffalo & Susequehanna in 1893, this engine was first renumbered 102, then 10 years later to 124.

In 1906, the newly organized Canadian Northern bought the engine as their #100.


Class 200 (Locobase 16632)

Data from American Locomotive Company data card Class, 280 141, supplied in October 2022 by Ellis Tammelleo's Locomotive Dossier on Google Drive.Works number was 65188 in November 1923.

(Note on provenance: This engine and four more originally entered the production line in Paterson, NJ as a quintet destined for the EF de Dourado in Brazil. When the class was almost ready for shipment, the railway cancelled the order and Cooke listed them as stock. Although the data is the same throughout, Locobase offers entries for all five because of their varied histories. See Locobase 16603, 16632, 16633, 16634, 16635]

After this light Consolidation languished on the back track for three years, the B&SE bought it, renumbered it 200 and put it in service. Its retirement came in 1953 and the 200 again lay dormant, this time for ten years. Stephen P Bogan of Hartford, CT bought the 200 in 1963. After operations on the Vermont Railway and fan trips on the New Haven, this Paterson product settled into its second, even longer career in 1973 hauling excursion trains on the Valley Road/Essex Steam Train and Steamboat. Overhauled most recently between 2010-2018, the 97 was an active member of the roster well into the 21st Century.


Class 54, 7 (Locobase 11971)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 27, p. 195

Works numbers were 25141, 25169, 25183 in February 1905; 29265-29266 in October 1906.

The Bullfrog Syndicate bought locomotives for several railroads in Nevada. In this 2 December 1904 order, the 3 Consolidations produced in 1905 were ticketed for the Tonopah Railroad; by the time of their delivery, the road had been renamed Tonopah & Goldfield. The 2 in 1906 went to the Bullfrog & Goldfield

The 3 on the T & G served that railroad until they were scrapped; 7 & 9 went to the ferro-knacker in 1940, 8 saw the end of the road in 1948, shortly after the T & G was abandoned..

54-55 both were sold to The American Smelting & Refining Company (ASARCO) and renumbered 1923-1924. ASARCO was nationalized by the Nacional de Mexico in 1927 and the two locomotives were placed in class G-30 and renumbered (in 1930) 1365-1366.

By then the boiler and firebox layout was quite different; see Locobase 11972

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class103106107112113
Locobase ID12087 12137 12151 12155 12494
RailroadBuffalo & SusquehannaBuffalo & SusquehannaBuffalo & SusquehannaBuffalo & SusquehannaBuffalo & Susquehanna
CountryUSAUSAUSAUSAUSA
Whyte2-8-02-8-02-8-02-8-02-8-0
Number in Class21412
Road Numbers103, 105106107-110112113-114
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built21412
BuilderBurnham, Williams & CoBurnham, Williams & CoBurnham, Williams & CoBurnham, Williams & CoBurnham, Williams & Co
Year18941894189518951901
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)12.75 / 3.8912.75 / 3.8912.75 / 3.8913.50 / 4.1113.67 / 4.17
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)20 / 6.1020 / 6.1020 / 6.1021.92 / 6.6822 / 6.71
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.64 0.64 0.64 0.62 0.62
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)116,000 / 52,617124,000 / 56,246124,000 / 56,246133,000 / 60,328147,000 / 66,678
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)127,000 / 57,606135,000 / 61,235135,000 / 61,235150,000 / 68,039163,500 / 74,162
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)120,000 / 54,431
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)283,500 / 128,593
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)4000 / 15.154000 / 15.154000 / 15.154000 / 15.156000 / 22.73
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)48 / 2452 / 2652 / 2655 / 27.5061 / 30.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)47 / 119447 / 119447 / 119451 / 129551 / 1295
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)200 / 1380200 / 1380200 / 1380180 / 1240200 / 1380
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)20" x 24" / 508x61020" x 24" / 508x61020" x 24" / 508x61022" x 26" / 559x66022" x 26" / 559x660
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)34,723 / 15750.1134,723 / 15750.1134,723 / 15750.1137,752 / 17124.0441,947 / 19026.86
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.34 3.57 3.57 3.52 3.50
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)229 - 2.25" / 57229 - 2.25" / 57226 - 2.25" / 57260 - 2.25" / 57304 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)12.48 / 3.8012.48 / 3.8012.48 / 3.8013.50 / 4.1113.50 / 4.11
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)155.38 / 14.44144 / 13.38142.71 / 13.26189.50 / 17.61147.30 / 13.69
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)25.10 / 2.3325.10 / 2.3328.10 / 2.6135.30 / 3.2852.19 / 4.85
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1827 / 169.801816 / 168.771793 / 166.642245 / 208.642281 / 211.99
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1827 / 169.801816 / 168.771793 / 166.642245 / 208.642281 / 211.99
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume209.28208.02205.38196.24199.39
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation502050205620635410,438
Same as above plus superheater percentage502050205620635410,438
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area31,07628,80028,54234,11029,460
Power L146734551449842704484
Power MT355.25323.65319.88283.12268.99

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class220054, 7
Locobase ID11666 16632 11971
RailroadSinnemahoning Valley (B & S)Birmingham & SoutheasternBullfrog Syndicate
CountryUSAUSAUSA
Whyte2-8-02-8-02-8-0
Number in Class115
Road Numbers2 / 102 /124G/750/9754-55, 7-9
GaugeStdStdStd
Number Built115
BuilderBurnham, Parry, Williams & CoAlco-CookeBurnham, Williams & Co
Year188819231905
Valve GearStephensonWalschaertStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)12.75 / 3.8914 / 4.2714.67 / 4.47
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)20 / 6.1022 / 6.7123.42 / 7.14
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.64 0.64 0.63
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)52.19 / 15.91
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)112,000 / 50,802122,000 / 55,338164,700 / 74,707
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)128,000 / 58,060141,000 / 63,957183,800 / 83,370
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)121,000 / 54,885
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)262,000 / 118,842
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)3000 / 11.364500 / 17.057000 / 26.52
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)10 / 913 / 12
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)47 / 23.5051 / 25.5069 / 34.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)47 / 119448 / 121955.50 / 1410
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)130 / 900180 / 1240180 / 1240
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)20" x 24" / 508x61019" x 26" / 483x66022" x 28" / 559x711
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)22,570 / 10237.5929,918 / 13570.5937,360 / 16946.23
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.96 4.08 4.41
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)229 - 2.25" / 57140 - 2" / 51344 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)21 - 5.375" / 137
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)12.48 / 3.8012.50 / 3.8114.50 / 4.42
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)155.38 / 14.44134 / 12.45195.40 / 18.16
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)17 / 1.5830 / 2.7934.50 / 3.21
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1827 / 169.801410 / 130.992792 / 259.48
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)287 / 26.66
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1827 / 169.801697 / 157.652792 / 259.48
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume209.28165.30226.62
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation221054006210
Same as above plus superheater percentage221063186210
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area20,19928,22035,172
Power L1303778725094
Power MT239.12569.01272.75

Photos

All material Copyright © SteamLocomotive.com
Wes Barris