Lehigh Coal & Navigation 2-8-0 "Consolidation" Locomotives in the USA


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 13 (Locobase 16132)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 14, p. 231. Works numbers were 8477 in April 1887 and 9786 in January 1889.

John Wootten's firebox had only just begun to make news when the Lehigh Coal & Navigation company determined that it needed to join the other anthracite roads in adopting the unusual, but unusually well-adapted firebox. At the time, Baldwin was building a large batch of such engines for the Central Railroad of New Jersey. The LC & N was able to jump the queue by paying the CNJ to give up its road numbers 325-326. Upon delivery, the two were given road numbers 12-13.

13's set of "Hereafter" notes reflect the variety of influences on a railroad's opinion of a builder's product. One is individual taste, such as the request to remove the reversing lever 12" (305 mm) closer to the center "to give the engineer more room." LC&N's shops lengthened the reversing rod by 10" (254 mm) while shortening the fulcrum end by 1 +" (39 mm). Operational experience generated many comments including the request for the builder to curl the edges of the cab roof to form water-diverting troughs, relocating the cylinder cocks because they dripped water on the rail, and moving the front sandbox because it put down the sand too far ahead of the drivers in curves.

More fundamental design changes by the road reflect its understanding of the various components to at least the same degree as the "Philadelphia watchmakers" who had produced the locomotives. "In order to get the engine to steam", says the Hereafter note, LC&N's Bloombaugh redesigned the blast pipe and suggested redesigning the valve motion to change valve lap to an inside lap. The notes also recommended placing the dry pipe as high in the boiler as possible to reduce the amount of water entering it and then coming out of the safety valves. As this was a relatively early example of Wootten's camelback layout, these bigger changes may be indicate that its peculiarities and hidden secrets to happy operation had yet to reveal themselves fully.

In December 1911, the 12 was renumbered 11 and placed in its own class E-4 by the Lehigh & New England, which by then was a subsidiary of the LC&N. The 11 was retired in October 1924.

13 also went to the L&NE and took road number 9; but its career was quite short and it was scrapped in 1913.


Class 29 (Locobase 11537)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 26, p. 142. Works numbers were 23132 in November 1903, 23729 in April 1904.

Not long after they rolled onto the LC&N's rails, these camelback Consolidations were sold to the Lehigh & Hudson River as their 9 and 30.


Class 29/E-11 (Locobase 12953)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 28, p. 101. Works numbers were 24303-24304 in June 1904, 27685 in March 1906, 28388 in June 1906.

Note just how outsized the grate is compared to the heating surface area.


Class 33/E-10 (Locobase 7050)

Data from DeGolyer, Volume 32, p. 235. Works numbers were 32838-32839 in June 1908.

When the LC&N created the Lehigh & New England in 1913, it sent some of its Wootten-boiler camelbacks to the new line. The grates featured watertubes and drop bars. Once on the L&NE, the engines were superheated; see Locobase 7051.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class132929/E-1133/E-10
Locobase ID16132 11537 12953 7050
RailroadLehigh Coal & NavigationLehigh Coal & NavigationLehigh Coal & NavigationLehigh Coal & Navigation
CountryUSAUSAUSAUSA
Whyte2-8-02-8-02-8-02-8-0
Number in Class2242
Road Numbers1329-3031-32, 29-30, 33-3433-34
GaugeStdStdStdStd
Number Built2242
BuilderBurnham, Williams & CoBurnham, Williams & CoBurnham, Williams & CoBurnham, Williams & Co
Year1887190319041908
Valve GearStephensonStephensonStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)13.67 / 4.1715.33 / 4.6715.33 / 4.6715.33 / 4.67
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)21.75 / 6.6323.67 / 7.2123.67 / 7.2123.67 / 7.21
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.63 0.65 0.65 0.65
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)160,000 / 72,575175,810 / 79,746175,810 / 79,746
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)180,000 / 81,647194,110 / 88,047194,110 / 88,047
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)100,000 / 45,359100,000 / 45,359100,000 / 45,359
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)280,000 / 127,006294,110 / 133,406294,110 / 133,406
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)2800 / 10.615000 / 18.945000 / 18.945000 / 18.94
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)67 / 33.5073 / 36.5073 / 36.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)50 / 127056 / 142256 / 142256 / 1422
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)160 / 1100200 / 1380200 / 1380200 / 1380
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)20" x 24" / 508x61022" x 28" / 559x71122" x 28" / 559x71122" x 28" / 559x711
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)26,112 / 11844.2241,140 / 18660.8141,140 / 18660.8141,140 / 18660.81
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.89 4.27 4.27
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)193 - 2" / 51247 - 2.25" / 57298 - 2" / 51300 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)10.60 / 3.2315.37 / 4.6812.04 / 3.6712.04 / 3.67
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)195 / 18.12178.20 / 16.56253 / 23.51253 / 23.50
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)75.90 / 7.0575.60 / 7.0395 / 8.8395 / 8.83
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1280 / 118.912403 / 223.332133 / 198.232133 / 198.16
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1280 / 118.912403 / 223.332133 / 198.232133 / 198.16
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume146.62195.05173.13173.13
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation12,14415,12019,00019,000
Same as above plus superheater percentage12,14415,12019,00019,000
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area31,20035,64050,60050,600
Power L13444499151485148
Power MT275.08258.22258.22

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