Wabash 4-6-2 "Pacific" Locomotives in the USA

Class J1 (Locobase 6936)

Data from WAB 1 - 1917 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. (Thanks to Fred Nystrom for his 29 January 2020 email correcting the valve gear..) See also DeGolyer, Volume 40, pp. 162+. Alco-Richmond works numbers were 50635-50644 in January 1912. Baldwin works numbers were 37726-37763 in May 1912.

These were the last new passenger locomotives bought by the Wabash and were among the last Pacifics to be delivered as saturated-steam engines. Alco-Richmond delivered the first ten and Baldwin the last five. Specs for the latter group dictated that the locomotives were to be built "...from American Locomotive Co prints. No changes to be made without approval of the Ry. Co." All fifteen were fitted with 14" (356 mm) piston valves. Four arch tubes supported the firebox's brick arch.

Fred Nystrom also pointed out that this class used Henszey Reversing Engine power reverse gear; Baldwin's specs simply identify it as made by American Locomotive Company. Ragonnet was Baldwin's usual power reverse gear supplier.

See Locobase 6937 for their superheated modifications.

Class J1s (Locobase 6937)

Data from WAB 1 - 1917 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

When the Wabash superheated its only store-bought Pacifics (Locobase 6936), it was following an irresistible trend. The result was a relatively light-on-the-drivers 4-6-2 with enough heating surface to be in the middle of the pack and a grate somewhat larger than the average. All in all, a typical Wabash design. And like the other Wabash steam locomotives, run until the end of steam.

Class J2 (Locobase 6935)

Data from WAB 1 - 1917 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Taking a Prairie (Locobase 4202) and stretching it almost four feet into a Pacific was not a common way to build a passenger engine, but the Wabash thought it worthwhile enough to do so almost two dozen times. In effect, the middle of the boiler remained intact while a couple of feet were added to the wheelbases ahead and behind the driver set. In the process, the 2 1/4" tubes were taken out in favor of more and longer 2" tubes and 30 superheater flues went in the boiler as well.

The 2-6-2s taken into the shops were 2003-2004, 2007, 2010, 2016, 2019, 2031-2033, 2035, 2037-2039, 2041, 2044, 2046-2047, 2051-2056.

Like the other Wabash classes, these locomotives had long lives. A curious point about the broken number series: The six 1600 engines ran between Windsor, Ontario and Buffalo, New York; the others operated in the US. All survived past World War II and most saw steam out on the railroad.