4-4-0 "American" Steam Locomotives in the USA

Herkimer, Newport & Poland


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class Edward M Burns (Locobase 16506)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 13 p. 190. Works number was 5627 in May 1881.

Upstate New York's HN&P was chartered to run a 16.5 mile (26.5 km) narrow-gauge line between Herkimer and Poland. For a while, it appeared that the line would stop at Newport because Poland's citizens showed little interest in subscribing to the plan. Pressing ahead anyway, the promoters built the railway up the West Canada Valley, a narrow defile filled with rapids and rock ledges that required costly bridges and "dugways". . The first 8.75 miles (14 km) had opened by 30 September 1881, the other 7.98 miles (12.8 km) to Poland by the end of 1882.

Sentiment to widen the gauge by a third to the standard 4 ft 8 1/2 in (1,435 mm) led to a New York State law approved 16 March 1891 permitting the change. William Webb consolidated the HN&P, its extension to Remsen, and the St Lawrence & Adirondack on 22 June 1892 as the Mohawk & Malone.

At that time, the small Eight-wheeler #1 was soon sold to the Central Vermont and renumbered 9. Apparently a victim of a wreck in the 1890s, the 9 was scrapped by the end of the Century.

The resulting corporation came under the New York Central & Hudson River via lease in May 1893; main line distance between Herkimer and Malone came to 173.1 miles (279 km).

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassEdward M Burns
Locobase ID16506
RailroadHerkimer, Newport & Poland
CountryUSA
Whyte4-4-0
Number in Class1
Road Numbers1
Gauge3'6"
Number Built1
BuilderBurnham, Parry, Williams & Co
Year1881
Valve GearStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 6.50 / 1.98
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)17.04 / 5.19
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.38
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)20,000 / 9072
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)32,000 / 14,515
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)1000 / 3.79
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)17 / 8.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)41 / 1041
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)130 / 900
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)10" x 16" / 254x406
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)4312 / 1955.89
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.64
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)95 - 1.5" / 38
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m) 8.46 / 2.58
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)
Grate Area (sq ft / m2) 8.70 / 0.81
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation1131
Same as above plus superheater percentage1131
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area
Power L1
Power MT

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