In 1909, the Virginian began to receive new 2-8-2 locomotives from the Baldwin Locomotive Works. These locomotives were, what many believe to be, the first true examples of the 2-8-2 wheel arrangement. They had a deep firebox, supported by the trailing truck and a large superheated boiler. There were 42 in this group that was designated as Class MB and had road numbers 420-461 assigned.
The last new "Mikados" bought by the Virginian were delivered by Baldwin in 1912. This group was designated as Class MC and carried road numbers 462-479.
In 1938, the Princeton Shops undertook a major overhaul of one of the Class MC locomotives. Number 472 received new Baldwin supplied 57" diameter disk drivers and light weight side rods. Between 1938 and 1941 a total of five Class MCs received the same new parts. These locomotives were rebuilt to pull "time freight" trains number 71, 72, 73 and 74, with the fifth locomotive reserved as a spare. This group was designated as Class MCA and numbers 480-484 were assigned. These rebuilt locomotives were 1,300 lbs. lighter than the MC class.
One more 2-8-2 came to the Virginian when an experimental 2-8-8-8-4, number 700, was returned to Baldwin in 1921. The locomotive was broken apart and Baldwin returned a new 2-8-8-0, which became number 610, and a 2-8-2, which became number 410 and was the only locomotive in Class MD. This locomotive had 56" drivers, 26" x 32" cylinders, a 200 psi boiler pressure and a 65,700 pound tractive effort.
| Class | Qty. | Road Numbers | Year Built | Builder | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA | 6 | 400 - 405 | 1905 - 1907 | Baldwin | |
| MB | 42 | 420 - 461 | 1909 - 1910 | Baldwin | |
| MC | 18 | 462 - 479 | 1912 | Baldwin | |
| MCA | 5 | 480 - 484 | 1938 - 1941 | Virginian | 1 |
| MD | 1 | 410 | 1921 | Baldwin | 2 |
Data from DeGolyer, Volume 28, pp. 127. See also "Baldwin Freight Engine, Deepwater Railway Co.", Railway Master Mechanic, Vol XXX, #1 (January 1906), p. 4-5. (Thanks to Chris Hohl for his 1 October 2021 email correcting the valve gear.) Works numbers were 26625-26626 in October 1905.
The RMM article states that the reason for adopting a 2-8-2 layout was to allow the engine to run in both directions without visiting a turntable. In addition, the report noted that the rear truck "...enables the use of a good depth of throat sheet and also a horizontal grate in the wide fire box."
Baldwin's specs show what would have been regarded at the time as perfectly proportioned as theory then called for. They included a healthy boiler heating surface area/cylinder volume ratio, good ratio of heating surface area to grate area, ideal tube length, spot-on factor of adhesion. Only the firebox heating surface area as a percentage of total seems small.
The Deepwater merged with the Virginian in 1907 and the two Mikados were redesignated MA. Although powerful, the saturated boiler and the small drivers marked the pair as first-generation 2-8-2s. They were soon overmatched by later traffic loads to be moved at higher speeds and eventually were scrapped in December 1933.
| Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | |
|---|---|
| Class | MA |
| Locobase ID | 10810 |
| Railroad | Deepwater (Virginian) |
| Country | USA |
| Whyte | 2-8-2 |
| Number in Class | 2 |
| Road Numbers | 30-31 / 400-401 |
| Gauge | Std |
| Number Built | 2 |
| Builder | Burnham, Williams & Co |
| Year | 1905 |
| Valve Gear | Stephenson |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | |
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 14 / 4.27 |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 31.08 / 9.47 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 0.45 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 59 / 17.98 |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | |
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 180,000 / 81,647 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 224,000 / 101,605 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | 114,000 / 51,710 |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | 338,000 / 153,315 |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 6000 / 22.73 |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | 10 / 9 |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 75 / 37.50 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 51 / 1295 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 200 / 1380 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 22" x 28" / 559x711 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 45,173 / 20490.15 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 3.98 |
| Heating Ability | |
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 300 - 2.25" / 57 |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 18.50 / 5.64 |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 160 / 14.87 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 51 / 4.74 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 3414 / 317.29 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 3414 / 317.29 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 277.11 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 10,200 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 10,200 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 32,000 |
| Power L1 | 5815 |
| Power MT | 284.89 |
