Data from "Superintendent's engine, Lehigh Valley Railroad", American Engineer and Railroad Journal, Volume LXIX [59], No 1 (January 1895), pp. 27-28. Additional information from William D Edson [data supplied by C T Andrews and G M Best], "All-Time Lehigh Valley Roster", Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, Bulletin 126, pp. 38, 46. ( (Many thanks to Chris Hohl for his extensive research and his 3 December 2018 email, spreadsheet, and article link revealing the Dorothy to Locobase. Chris particularly cites Ron Goldfeder for his article, "The Inspection Locomotive." Railroad History. Spring-Summer 2012. Number 206. pgs. 20 & 32, and further assistance. )
The AE&RJ report describes quite neatly the role of a small Forney-type "superintendent's engine" like Dorothy: "On every large road it is important that an engine should stand ready, like the horses in a fire-engine house, to start at a moment's notice to carry the officers of the road to that point requiring their immediate presence."
She was designed by the famed Alexander Mitchell and was named for the daughter of Rollin A Wilber, the LV's general superintendent, whose father was E P Wilber, the railroad's president.
As usual for inspection vehicles, a long cabin with full glazing extended from the footplate foward to just behind the smokebox. Locobase has always wondered how hot one of these could get, but its utility seems indisputable. (Locobase also wonders if a senior official was ever allowed to actually operate the engine ...)
Chris Hohl notes that the engine was "originally lettered for the Pennsylvania & New York Canal and Railroad Company (P&NY), a subsidiary of the Lehigh Valley." Edson recounts the variety of mishaps and rebuilds inflicted on this "cunning little inspection engine of undisputed charm." The worst damage was inflicted during labor strife, a strike at the South Easton shops in 1893 and the specs show the result of the 1894 rebuild, which also bestowed Dorothy's name. She was reboilered in 1906.
Twice she was rescued from the ferro-knacker's talons. Retired in 1934 and headed for scrap, Dorothy instead found seemly idleness on John B Vaughan's estate railway near Kingston, Pa. But Vaughan died in 1939 and Dorothy was saved again by the superintendent Frank Mitten of the Wyoming Division to repose near his summer home.
But, says Edson, Dorothy had only three lives. Upon Mitten's death, Dorothy apparently went to support the war effort and was scrapped.
| Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | |
|---|---|
| Class | Dorothy/A |
| Locobase ID | 16389 |
| Railroad | Lehigh Valley (LV) |
| Country | USA |
| Whyte | 4-2-4T |
| Number in Class | 1 |
| Road Numbers | 300/1 |
| Gauge | Std |
| Number Built | 1 |
| Builder | Lehigh Valley (Wilkes Barre) |
| Year | 1884 |
| Valve Gear | Stephenson |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | |
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 30.04 / 9.16 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 30.04 / 9.16 |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | 24,000 / 10,886 |
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 25,500 / 11,567 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 71,680 / 32,514 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 1165 / 4.41 |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | 2 / 2 |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 43 / 21.50 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 54 / 1372 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 130 / 900 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 11" x 20" / 279x508 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 4952 / 2246.19 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 5.15 |
| Heating Ability | |
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 119 - 1.75" / 44 |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 9.29 / 2.83 |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 27 / 2.51 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 17.50 / 1.63 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 533 / 49.52 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 533 / 49.52 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 242.27 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 2275 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 2275 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 3510 |
| Power L1 | 3553 |
| Power MT | 307.18 |