Class Great Falls/G-1/L (Locobase 10762)

Data from Angus Sinclair, Twentieth Century Locomotives (New York: Railway and Locomotive Engineering, 1904), pp.572-574. See also DeGolyer, Volume 24, p. 38; and "Lignite Burning Consolidation Locomotive-Bismarck, Washburn & Great Falls", Railroad Gazette, Volume XXXIV [34], No 2 (10 January 1902), p. 18-20 and a later article "Test of -Bismarck, Washburn & Great Falls Lignite Burning Locomotive No 3", No 13 (28 March 1902), p. 223. (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his 2 December 2022 email correcting the low-pressure cylinder diameter shown in the specs and providing the tender coal capacity and engine and tender wheelbase.). Works number was 19550 in September 1901.

Locobase 9390 briefly describes the BW&GF, a North Dakota road that was absorbed by the Minneapolis, St Paul & Sault Ste Marie in 1904, only a few years after its opening. As part of the dowry, this small, very low-drivered Mikado gave up its number 3 in favor of the round 1000.

Described at the time as a Consolidation with a Rushton radial trailing truck, the 3 was delivered with 14" HP and 24" LP cylinders, each set of two fed by an 11 1/2" (292 mm) piston valve. 1000 was later modified to a simple-expansion layout with a smaller cylinder volume (See Locobase 9391) . According to the Baldwin history, the requirement covered a powerful locomotive with a wide firebox of large capacity and ample grate area for burning inferior coal or lignite. The specs called for the 3 to be "guaranteed to make sufficient steam for its [unclear] operation."

Apparently the design delivered the goods, according to the RG report, "doing good work and burning lignite satisfactorily which, to those who know lignite by experience, is saying a great deal." Moreover, the smokebox netting and general design provide a soft draft that minimized sparks almost entirely.

A second test on the Northern Pacific's main line between Jamestown and Mandan (107 miles/172 km) ran over a relatively flat (0.4% adverse ruling grade) on clear, dry rail and air temperature exactly at freezing (32 F, 0 C). In that direction, the engine moved 1,564 tons of train while consuming 50,500 lb (22,906 kg) of lignite.

The BW&GF's E H Walker observed that it was difficult to judge fuel economy without a mechanical stoker as "one man cannot throw the amount of fuel consumed in the average run as a day's work." But, he added, "as a lignite-burning locomotive the machine turned out by Baldwins is a success, and that lignite coal can be made to maintain steam in a locomotive boiler under heavy usage."

The NP and nearby Great Northern would go on to run many classes of lignite-fueled "dirt burners" with great success.

Class L - simpled (Locobase 9391)

Data from Soo 9 - 1943 Steam Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Some years after the Soo took over the Bismarck, Washburn & Great Falls, it converted its compound Mikado (Locobase 10762) into a simple-expansion engine. In the process, the engine was fitted with an entirely new boiler and firebox; the boiler was larger, the firebox smaller. After its conversion and unlike its Pacific stablemate, the Mike had 12" (305 mm) piston valves operated by outside radial gear.

1000 was dismissed from service" in August 1933.

Class L-1/L-2 (Locobase 1364)

Schenectady built the first 10 in 1913 with Brooks adding 25 (14 for Soo, 11 for the Wisconsin Central) in 1920.

Data from website sponsoring restoration of 1003. ([]). Superheater size was not stated separately, but the Soo Misc Steam Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley filled in the missing information.

Superheater area is estimated based on the following logic: The diagram gives the "superheater equivalent" area as 1,246.02 sq ft. If that figure is plugged into the specs as given, the superheater ratio is 24%, a pretty high value for this vintage. But if this figure is a result of taking each actual square foot of superheater as equivalent to 1 1/2 sq ft of heating surface, a frequent calculation for the time and the standard figure used by Railway Age, then the result of cutting a third of this number gives the value showing in the specs.