Data from NYC&HR 9 - 1905 Locomotive Diagrams including Subsidiaries supplied in August 2013 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange collection. See also "Inspection Locomotive for the Boston & Albany Railroad", American Engineer & Railroad Journal, Volume 77, No 10 (October 1903), p. 384. (Many thanks to Chris Hohl for his extensive research and his 3 December 2018 email, a later spreadsheet, and article link. Chris particularly cites Ron Goldfeder for his article, "The Inspection Locomotive." Railroad History. Spring-Summer 2012. Number 206. pgs. 20 & 32, and further assistance.)
Like most inspection locomotives, this engine had a prior life. Goldfeder reports that the engine was delivered in July 1869 as Cochituate. It was one of the early production locomotives (works number 119) of the Rhode Island Locomotive Works. Renumbered 151 and fitted with a new boiler, the engine changed numbers twice more before being rebuilt at the Allston (near Boston) shops, according to the 1903 AE&RJ report.
(Edson and May's New York Central roster shows the engine as rebuilt at the West Springfield shops in 1903. The data given in the AE&RJ report do not appear to refer to the Berkshire, but rather to the C-33 class, which had 2 members at the time and were built in 1873.)
Also like other American inspection locomotives, the Berkshire's woodwork and glazing extended forward from the cab to just short of the stack, measuring 12 ft long and 9 ft wide. Offering room for four observers per side, the Berkshire combatted the heat rising off the boiler with special insulation and a ventilating pneumatic fan. The latter pulled air in through a regulator box in the front and exhausted the hot air through the roof. In 1907, the shops extended the roof forward, wrapping around the stack and sheltering observers climbing the steps from the pilot.
The 31 was claimed to be able to haul three heavy cars at one time.
The Berkshire remained on the roster until 1931, then scrapped.
| Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | |
|---|---|
| Class | Berkshire |
| Locobase ID | 16410 |
| Railroad | Boston & Albany (B&A) |
| Country | USA |
| Whyte | 4-4-0 |
| Number in Class | 1 |
| Road Numbers | 31/200 |
| Gauge | Std |
| Number Built | |
| Builder | B&A |
| Year | 1903 |
| Valve Gear | Stephenson |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | |
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 7.75 / 2.36 |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 21.37 / 6.51 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 0.36 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 42.25 / 12.88 |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | |
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 50,000 / 22,680 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 79,000 / 35,834 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | 68,000 / 30,844 |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | 147,000 / 66,678 |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 3000 / 11.36 |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | 7 / 6 |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 42 / 21 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 62 / 1524 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 130 / 900 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 16" x 22" / 406x559 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 10,038 / 4553.17 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 4.98 |
| Heating Ability | |
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | 175 - 2" / 51 |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | 11.15 / 3.40 |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 98 / 9.10 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 16.20 / 1.51 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 1120 / 104.05 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 1120 / 104.05 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 218.75 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 2106 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 2106 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 12,740 |
| Power L1 | 4224 |
| Power MT | 372.49 |