Campbell's Creek Coal Company 2-8-0 "Consolidation" Locomotives in the USA

Class 4 (Locobase 11542)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines, 1903, as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 26, p. 128 and Volume 41, p. 51. Works numbers were 23063 in October 1903 and 37006 in September 1911.

This was one of the smallest standard-gauge Consolidation designs to go into service in North America during the first few years of the 20th Century. Indeed, except for higher weights and a slighly higher boiler pressure in the 1903 engine, its specifications are an exact copy of those first used on the Atlantic Coal Company's #5 in August 1894 (see Locobase 12116). 5 was added about 8 years (and 14,000 builders numbers) later.

4 worked for the Reed, W Va coal company for about 10 years before being sold to the Campbells Creek Railroad as their #3. The CCRR was an entirely separate operation from the coal company. 5 remained with the CCCC.

In keeping with the 2-8-0's diminutive dimensions, the road it served was pretty small, too, covering only 13.8 miles (22.2 km) between Dana (on the Kanawha & Michigan) up Campbells Creek to Putney, West Virginia.

Class 6 (Locobase 14938)

Data from DeGolyer, Vol 65, pp. 62+. Works number was 55245 in January 1922.

This engine should not be thought of as a logger. The specs say that it was a freight engine "to be used in ICC service", that is, operate for a common carrier. In any case, the short line it served added one new locomotive per decade.

Although fitted with a saturated boiler, the 6 used 10" (254 mm) piston valves for steam distribution to the cylinders.