Data from 1942 L&A diagram book supplied by Allen Stanley in March 2004. See also DeGolyer, Vol 59, pp. 434+, Vol 71, pp. 91+, and Vol 77, pp. 784+. Works numbers from Baldwin were 56912-56913 in August 1923, 58184-58185 in January 1925, and 59758-59759 in January 1927.
These Mikados had 12" (305 mm) diameter piston valves.
Rail weight was 75 lb/yard (37.5 kg/metre), grades sloped gently up 1%, and radii of 461 feet (140.5 metres).
All saw out steam on the L&A. 553-554 were scrapped in March 1952 while the others were broken up in July 1953.
Data from 1942 L&A diagram book supplied by Allen Stanley in March 2004 from his extensive Rail Data Exchange collection. (Thanks to Sam Dickenson for his 16 July 2017 email giving the information about the second career for three of the locomotives that is repeated below). Works numbers were 7641-7645 in August 1936.
This particular page was almost illegible, unfortunately, and most figures were difficult to read. It is possible to make out that of the firebox heating surface, 66 sq ft (6.15 sq m) was supplied by two thermic syphons. Works numbers were 7641-7645 in August 1936.
The indefatigable Stanley later (February 2006) unearthed another diagram book that had slightly more legible numbers, which allowed Locobase to estimate most of the missing numbers. As it happens, the L&A, like some other railroads, did not record the superheater area separately. Locobase's estimate for the area is based on five other Mikados with identical numbers of flues of nearly identical lengths, properly interpolated.
Note the hefty booster engine - 16,500 lb (7,484 kg) of tractive effort is among the highest Locobase has recorded. Few North American Mikes had cylinders as small as 23" in diameter.
Sam Dickenson reported to Locobase:
"Engines 562, 563 and 565 were sold to Paulson Spence in January of 1952 for the price of $5,800.00 a piece (in comparison to their construction price of $60,810.26 a piece) and were used on his 100% steam-powered Louisiana Eastern Railroad [as road numbers 11-13]. These were the newest locomotives to ever operate on the LERR and did so until Spence's death in 1961.
565 was scrapped in October of the following year with 562 and 563 following it the next month."
Engine 561 was scrapped at Minden in January 1952 and 564 was dismantled at Pittsburgh in October 1953.
| Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | ||
|---|---|---|
| Class | 551 | M-22 |
| Locobase ID | 10266 | 1358 |
| Railroad | Louisiana & Arkansas | Louisiana & Arkansas |
| Country | USA | USA |
| Whyte | 2-8-2 | 2-8-2 |
| Number in Class | 6 | 5 |
| Road Numbers | 551-556 | 561-565 |
| Gauge | Std | Std |
| Number Built | 6 | 5 |
| Builder | Baldwin | Lima |
| Year | 1923 | 1936 |
| Valve Gear | Walschaert | Walschaert |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | ||
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 16 / 4.88 | 17.25 / 5.26 |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 35.33 / 10.77 | 36.92 / 11.25 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 0.45 | 0.47 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 70.83 / 21.59 | |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | ||
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 184,000 / 83,461 | 208,000 / 94,347 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 259,000 / 117,481 | 282,000 / 127,913 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | 220,000 / 99,790 | 220,000 / 99,790 |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | 479,000 / 217,271 | 502,000 / 227,703 |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 8000 / 30.30 | 9500 / 35.98 |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | 3806 / 14,406 | 4000 / 15,140 |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 77 / 38.50 | 87 / 43.50 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | ||
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 57 / 1448 | 63 / 1600 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 200 / 1380 | 240 / 1650 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 24" x 28" / 610x711 | 23" x 32" / 584x813 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 48,101 / 21818.27 | 54,814 / 24863.24 |
| Booster (lbs) | 10,800 | 16,500 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 3.83 | 3.79 |
| Heating Ability | ||
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 221 - 2" / 51 | 234 - 2" / 51 |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | 32 - 5.375" / 137 | 45 - 5.375" / 137 |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 20.50 / 6.25 | 20 / 6.10 |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 210 / 19.51 | 278 / 25.83 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 57.20 / 5.32 | 60.10 / 5.59 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 3491 / 324.44 | 3971 / 369.05 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 782 / 72.68 | 1016 / 94.42 |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 4273 / 397.12 | 4987 / 463.47 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 238.13 | 258.02 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | ||
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 11,440 | 14,424 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 13,499 | 17,309 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 49,560 | 80,064 |
| Power L1 | 15,007 | 23,751 |
| Power MT | 719.23 | 1006.96 |