Illinois Terminal 4-4-0 "American" Locomotives in the USA


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class 6 (Locobase 12382)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 22, p. 147. See also Denise Caskey, "The Birth and Death of a Railroad," Creston News Advertiser, 14 January 2019, archived at [link], last accessed 29 June 2019. Works number was 17340 in January 1900.

The IT consisted of the 1895 amalgamation of an earlier Illinois Terminal ownership and the Mississippi Valley Terminal Company. The company operated 18.5 miles of terminal trackage in the Alton, Ill area and would later expand to about 35 miles.. The IT owned 9.95 miles, leased 6.8 miles from the Wabash, and enjoyed trackage rights on 2 more track miles.

This low-drivered Eight-wheeler served the railroad for twelve years before being sold to the Creston, Winterset & Des Moines in Madison County, Iowa (yes, THAT Madison County). It's surprising that in a state so densely laced with railroads that any part of it would be considered out of touch in the early 20th Century, but David Hargrove says that towns like Macksburg and Zion were just remote enough to qualify.

Intended originally as an electric interurban line, the CS&DM soon concluded that steam would be better. Possibly it was the physical challenges that suggested that course as negotiating the Grand River Valley set imposing obstacles. Interviewed by Caskey, Hargrove said ""Building the Grand River crossing, building the 15 miles (24 km) across to Macksburg was a really big deal and to complete that project by Dec. 31, 1909, which was what their stock subscriptions required, took a Herculean effort ... It was a 24/7 effort on the part of several gangs of a few hundred laborers."

Only the 21 miles (30.6 km) from Creston, which met the Chicago Great Western, northeast to Macksburg was ever completed, but for the towns on that route, the result was profound, says Hargrove. ""Just think, for the people of Macksburg and Zion, this is the first time that they're seeing trains on a regular basis.

The ex-IT locomotive was one of two that were collectively known as Crazy Willy and Dandy Molly. Hargrove told Caskey that they had "already seen a lot of use and their reliability may have been questionable. At the very least, they had their very own personalities. (People) tended to humanize these mechanical subjects."

But it was too late in the day for the CS&DM to succeed. Midwest and Plains states led the nation in adopting the automobile for every day use and its competition doomed an already financially strapped railroad. It closed in 1919.


Class 9 (Locobase 13154)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 30, p. 257. Works number was 31229 in July 1907.

The 9 would be sold in March 1925 to the Alton & Eastern as their #1, but returned in 1930 to the IT.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
Class69
Locobase ID12382 13154
RailroadIllinois TerminalIllinois Terminal
CountryUSAUSA
Whyte4-4-04-4-0
Number in Class11
Road Numbers69
GaugeStdStd
Number Built11
BuilderBurnham, Williams & CoBurnham, Williams & Co
Year19001907
Valve GearStephensonStephenson
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 8.75 / 2.67 8.75 / 2.67
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)22.75 / 6.9322.75 / 6.93
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.38 0.38
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)46.42 / 14.15
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)65,000 / 29,48468,000 / 30,844
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)100,000 / 45,359106,000 / 48,081
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)75,000 / 34,019100,000 / 45,359
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)175,000 / 79,378206,000 / 93,440
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)3000 / 11.365000 / 18.94
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)54 / 2757 / 28.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)56 / 142262 / 1575
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)160 / 1100180 / 1240
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)17" x 24" / 432x61018" x 24" / 457x610
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)16,845 / 7640.7719,189 / 8703.99
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 3.86 3.54
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)256 - 2" / 51256 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)10.94 / 3.3310.94 / 3.33
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)144.50 / 13.43144 / 13.38
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)17.60 / 1.6417.50 / 1.63
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1623 / 150.841598 / 148.51
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)1623 / 150.841598 / 148.51
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume257.21226.03
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation28163150
Same as above plus superheater percentage28163150
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area23,12025,920
Power L155516098
Power MT376.55395.41

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