Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio / South & Western 2-8-0 "Consolidation" Locomotives in the USA


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 51 / H-3 (Locobase 11056)

Data from Clinch 1943ca Locomotive Diagrams book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange and from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 28, p. 115. Works numbers were 27071-27072 in December 1905.

Although positioned squarely in the middle of Consolidation size and power for the first few years of the 20th Century and seemingly well-suited to the drag-freight duties performed by most Clinchfield locomotives, this pair of Consolidations was converted in 1917 to 0-8-0 switchers. So altered, they operated on the Clinch until their scrapping in September 1938.


Class H-4 (Locobase 9156)

Data from Clinch 1943ca Locomotive Diagrams book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. See also DeGolyer, Volume 32, p. 25. Baldwin works numbers 33135-33140, 33151-33153, 33156-33158 in January 1909 and 33181, 33187-33188 in February.

The Clinchfield favored larger freight locomotives and had a disproportionate number of articulateds to handle the long coal drags that were the railroad's mainstay business. There were shorter, lighter freights to handle, though, and the Clinch bought this batch of Consolidations as its largest single purchase ever soon after the railroad opened under the CC & O banner. Equipped with a sizable boiler and firebox (the latter with 28 sq ft/2.6 sq m of arch tubes), medium-sized drivers for a 2-8-0, and 12" (305 mm) piston valves, the class remained essentially unchanged throughout its career.

Two were sold -- 314 in October 1937 to Sloss Sheffield Steel Company as their #28, and 309 in May 1941 to American Rolling Mill Company. The others were scrapped in July 1951 (312), December 1951 (300-303, 307-308, 310-311, 313), and September 1953 (304-306)).

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class51 / H-3H-4
Locobase ID11056 9156
RailroadSouth & Western (Clinchfield)Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio (Clinchfield)
CountryUSAUSA
Whyte2-8-02-8-0
Number in Class215
Road Numbers51-52300-314
GaugeStdStd
Number Built215
BuilderBaldwinBaldwin
Year19051909
Valve GearWalschaertWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)14.25 / 4.3416 / 4.88
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)22.83 / 6.9624.50 / 7.47
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.62 0.65
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)59.62 / 18.17
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)50,950 / 23,111
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)163,000 / 73,936178,680 / 81,048
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)178,000 / 80,740199,150 / 90,333
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)120,000 / 54,431150,000 / 68,039
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)298,000 / 135,171349,150 / 158,372
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)6000 / 22.737500 / 28.41
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)15 / 14
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)68 / 3474 / 37
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)51 / 129557 / 1448
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)200 / 1380190 / 1310
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)21" x 28" / 533x71122" x 32" / 559x813
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)41,160 / 18669.8843,883 / 19905.02
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.96 4.07
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)300 - 2.25" / 57412 - 2" / 0
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)13.83 / 4.2215.25
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)200 / 18.59220
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)37 / 3.4454 / 5.02
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2630 / 244.423482 / 323.61
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2630 / 244.423482 / 323.61
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume234.40247.30
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation740010,260
Same as above plus superheater percentage740010,260
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area40,00041,800
Power L155005874
Power MT297.56289.90

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