Delaware & Hudson Other Articulated Locomotives in the USA

Class H (Locobase 8952)

Data from "Very Powerful Articulated Compound Locomotive," American Engineer and Railroad Journal, Volume 48, No 6 (June 1910), pp. 208-211. See also Clarence Roberts & Russell M Smith, Practical Locomotive Operating (Philadelphia: J B Lippincott Co, 1912), pp 61,67.

These were delivered as saturated-boiler pushers designed to replace two E-5 Consolidations while matching the latter's axle loading. Northbound out of Carbondale, Pa, the D&H ran loaded 2,600 ton (2,364 tonne) trains up a continuous 1.36% grade for the 6 miles (9.7 km) to Forest City. At that point, the grade decreased to 0.81%, but held that inclination for another 14 miles (22.5 km) to the summit at Ararat.

A look at the numbers shows just how dedicated they were to that service. All the weight was adhesive, the drivers were small, the boiler big. A smokebox superheater added 1,006 sq ft (93.45 sq m) of heating surface. Fourteen-inch (356 mm) piston valves delivered steam to the HP cylinders powering the rear engine set; Mellin double ported balanced slide valves served the front engine's LP cylinders. The latter valves were suited to allow for simple-expansion operation at low speeds, at which times the estimated tractive effort climbed to 126,000 lb (560.48 kN or 57,153 kg).

Six of the locomotives were later superheated to one standard, the rest to another; see Locobases 8953-8954.

Class H - 30" stroke 57" DD (Locobase 16244)

Data from D & H 1 -1946 Locomotive Diagram books supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Locobases 8953 and 8954 show the original superheated modification applied early in the these pushers' careers. Beginning in 1930, most of the class went through a further upgrade between 1930 and 1936 that increased driver diameter by 6" (152 mm), boiler pressure by 25 psi (1.72 bar), and lengthened cylinder stroke by 2" (51 mm). Each driver set's wheelbase grew by 18" (457 mm) and the engine wheelbase was now 15" (381 mm) longer. The result was every bit as powerful as the earlier configuration but capable of faster running.

Above the running gear, most of the class retained the same boiler layout as before, but pressure increased by 25 psi (1.72 bar) and the firebox now had arch tubes that added 55.5 sq ft (5.16 sq m) to the direct heating surface area. (Note: 1601 and 1612 used the boiler layout with 237 small tubes, 48 large tubes. Total evaporative heating surface area was 5,285 sq ft (491 sq m) and with the larger superheater area, combined heating surface area came to 6,680 sq ft (620.59 sq m).)

Their apparent superiority seems have earned them extra life. The other four were scrapped in 1943-1944. 1601 was the first of the 1930 upgrades to go to the ferrro-knacker, where it was cut up in May 1951. 1608 followed in August. Four more--1607, 1610-1612--were gone in December 1951. 1604-1605 were scrapped in May 1952, and class leader 1600 closed the door in October 1952.

Class H - superheated - 1600 (Locobase 8953)

Data from D & H 1 -1930 Locomotive Diagram book supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

For some reason, the D&H chose two different combinations of tubes and flues when they came to superheat these big pusher Mallet Compounds. This was the more superheater-heavy result, a locomotive with considerable amounts of dry steam. It kept the small tender that was delivered in 1909. (See Locobase 8954 for the other variant.)

Nine of the H class underwent substantial upgrades beginning in 1930; see Locobase 16244.

The other four, which retained their small drivers and shorter stroke were scrapped during World War II. Two came from this set. 1603 was scrapped in February 1943 and 1602 faced the torch in June 1944.

Class H - superheated - 1606 (Locobase 8954)

Data from D & H 1 -1930 and 1933 Locomotive Diagram books supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Of the two combinations of tubes and flues adopted by the D&H when they superheated these H-class pusher Mallet Compounds (Locobase 8951), this design retained more of the small tubes and introduced fewer flues. On the other hand, the tender trailed by this subclass was much bigger. (See Locobase 8953 for the other variant.)

It was this boiler layout that formed the core of a significant upgrade of nine of the engines beginning in 1930; see Locobase 16244.

The other four, which retained their small drivers and shorter stroke were scrapped during World War II. Two came from this set. 1609 went first in September 1943, 1606 followed in March 1944.

Class H-1 (Locobase 5006)

What a difference between sources. An elevation drawing executed in February 1965 and reproduced on the web states that these two Mallets started as West Side Belt Railway class I-1 0-6-6-0s in 1910. See also D&H 1 - 1927 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange; these have the same data.

When the D&H bought them in October 1917, it converted them to 2-6-6-0s, designated them as H class engines and put them to work in Oneonta.

Drury (1993) says that the Hs were two ex-Pittsburgh & West Virginia 2-6-6-0s that were converted to 0-6-6-0s and used as pushers. Richard E. Cooper's compilation of D&H steam power presented in Jim Shaughnessy's 1997 reprint of his 1982 Delaware & Hudson asserts the same.

The diagrams trump as does Gene Connelly's Alco builder's list, which shows the West Belt engines had works numbers 47113-47114 in May 1910.