Poplarville Saw Mill Company 2-8-0 "Consolidation" Locomotives in the USA


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 9 (Locobase 14309)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 52, p. 355. See also Mississippi Rails entry at [link] . Works number was 42781 in December 1915.

The PSMC's 15 miles of road scaled 4% grades, but faced only 10 degree curves (radii of 574 feet/175 metres). The Pearl River County operation began as the Poplarville Lumber Company in 1890 and headquartered in the Mississippi town of the same name. After various renamings and reincorporations, the assets were sold on 16 July 1910 to the PSMC of Lexington, Kentucky

Spreading the weight over several axles, as many as possible of those being adhesion axles, was a good way to cope with 30 lb/yard (15 kg/metre) rail on this tram road and still haul a decent trainload. A small wood-burning Consolidation met the need and the PSMC paid $8,450 for the 9.

The PSMC's road was abandoned in November 1918 when the saw mill "cut out" (i.e., ran out of local timber to cut) and its owners transferred the equipment to Choctaw, Alabama. The 9 was transferred before that event in June 1917, being sold to the De Kalb & Western of Electric Mills, Miss., as their #49. Later renumbered 502, the engine operated for years before being sold the St Francis Material Company of Forrest City, Ark.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class9
Locobase ID14309
RailroadPoplarville Saw Mill Company
CountryUSA
Whyte2-8-0
Number in Class1
Road Numbers9
GaugeStd
Number Built1
BuilderBaldwin
Year1915
Valve GearWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)12.50 / 3.81
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)19.33 / 5.89
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.65
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)45.58 / 13.89
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)76,500 / 34,700
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)87,500 / 39,689
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)60,000 / 27,216
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)147,500 / 66,905
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)32 / 16
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)44 / 1118
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)175 / 1210
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)16" x 22" / 406x559
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)19,040 / 8636.41
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.02
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)140 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)12.08 / 3.68
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)92 / 8.55
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)16.80 / 1.56
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)972 / 90.30
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)972 / 90.30
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume189.84
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation2940
Same as above plus superheater percentage2940
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area16,100
Power L13589
Power MT413.72

All material Copyright © SteamLocomotive.com
Wes Barris