Caddo & Choctaw 2-8-2 "Mikado" Locomotives in the USA

In 1915, the Baldwin Locomotive Works delivered a "Mikado" type locomotive to the Caddo & Choctaw Railroad in Arkansas, and the railroad numbered it #4 and named it "R. L. Rowan". In the early 1920s this locomotive was sold to the Choctaw River Lumber Company, which ran it as #4. The locomotive was sold again in 1924 to the United Mining and Smelting Company in Mexico, which gave it number 2069 and later in 1924, it was sold the Mc Cloud River Railroad.

The Mc Cloud River Railroad already had one 2-8-2, which it bought new from Baldwin in 1914 and had assigned it number 18. The newly acquired locomotive was a close twin to number 18 and it was given road number 19.

The nearly identical sisters served on the McCloud River Railroad in a roster of similar sized 2-8-2 and 2-6-2 locomotives until bumped from service by new Baldwin diesels. In 1953, surplus after twenty-nine years of service, the #19 was sold to the Yreka Western and is being used today for steam train excursions.


Roster

Qty.Road NumbersFrom Other RRYear AcquiredYear BuiltBuilderNotes
119McCloud River19531915BaldwinEx McCloud River Railroad #19. Operational and used for excursions.

Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class R L Rowan (Locobase 14312)

Data from DeGolyer, Vol 52, pp. 375+. See also Kenneth L Smith, Sawmill: The Story of Cutting the Last Great Virgin Forest East of the Rockies (University of Arkansas Press, 1986), esp. pp 53-58. Works number was 52191 in August 1919.

This Mikado's superheated boiler supplied steam to the cylinders through 12" piston valves.

The 4 remained on the C & C for but a short time before being sold in 1918 to the Mexican Railway as their 105 and sent south of the border. Some time later, the Mex sold the 105 to United Mining & Smelting as their 2069. UM&S sold the 2069 in 1953 to the McCloud River, which renumbered it 19 but sold it almost immediately to the Yreka Western. The YW eventually sold the 19 in 1971 to the Oregon, Pacific & Eastern.


Class R L Rowan (Locobase 14697)

Data from DeGolyer, Vol 71, pp. 213+. Works number was 55565 in July 1922.

The first R L Rowan was a superheated Mikado delivered to the C&C in 1919. As Locobase notes in entry 14312, the Rowan (#4) was sold to the Mexican Railway soon after delivery. Perhaps the C&C concluded that they didn't really need superheat because when they replaced the 4 with this 2-8-2, they bought a saturated boiler and less power. They did, however, retain piston valves (10"/254 mm) to admit steam to the cylinders.

Caddo River Lumber later sold the 10 to the Warren & Saline River, which owned the 19.9 miles (32 km) of 45, 55, and 60 lb/yard (22.5, 27.5, and 30 kg/metre) rail between Warren and Hermitage, Ark. (The W&SR had another 16.4 miles/26.4 km of trackage rights.)

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassR L RowanR L Rowan
Locobase ID14312 14697
RailroadCaddo & ChoctawCaddo & Choctaw
CountryUSAUSA
Whyte2-8-22-8-2
Number in Class22
Road Numbers410
GaugeStdStd
Number Built21
BuilderBaldwinBaldwin
Year19151922
Valve GearWalschaertWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)13.08 / 3.9913.50 / 4.11
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)27.08 / 8.2529 / 8.84
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.48 0.47
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)57.21 / 16.8852.83 / 16.10
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)141,500 / 62,732120,000 / 54,431
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)179,000 / 80,467155,000 / 70,307
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)110,000 / 42,00396,000 / 43,545
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)289,000 / 122,470251,000 / 113,852
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)5500 / 17.054500 / 17.05
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)10 / 78 / 7
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)59 / 29.5050 / 25
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)48 / 121946 / 1168
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)175 / 1100180 / 1240
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)20.5" x 28" / 521x71119" x 24" / 483x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)36,465 / 16540.2728,817 / 13071.19
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.88 4.16
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)199 - 2" / 51332 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)28 - 5.375" / 137
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)16.25 / 4.9513 / 3.96
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)178 / 16.54155 / 14.40
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)41.30 / 3.8429 / 2.69
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2500 / 232.342401 / 223.06
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)553 / 51.39
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)3053 / 283.732401 / 223.06
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume233.64304.70
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation72285220
Same as above plus superheater percentage85285220
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area36,75727,900
Power L110,9475562
Power MT682.23408.74

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