American 2-8-0 Locomotives in USA-Puerto_Rico

Class 21 (Locobase 15360)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 78, p. 98+. Works number was 58798 in October 1925.

Small superheated, oil-burning Consolidation with 8" (203 mm) piston valves and relatively short tubes and flues. A Locobase review turned up the Federaux de l'est Bresilien 451 class of Consolidations from 1913 (Locobase 13973) that had the same specifications.

Class 31 (Locobase 11479)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 26, p. 173. Works numbers were 23182-23183 in November 1903, 24425 in May 1904, and 24452 in June.. See also Department of Commerce and Labor, Commercial Porto Rico [sic] in 1906 (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1907).

Designed to run on 20 kilo/metre (40 lb/yard) rail and negotiate 80-metre (262-ft) curves, this quartet of small Consolidations were delivered at a timely opportunity. The APR had just opened the 43-km stretch of line between Hormigueros and Yauco, eliminating a gap in the line between Aguadilla and Mayaguez on the one end and Yauco and Ponce on the other. As the United States DOCAL explained, this gave "...great impulse to the sugar-cane industry by the facilities afforded to the transportation of cane to the different factories from the rich valleys traversed by the line. Extensions of the track have been made as follows: From Carolina to central Buena Vista: from the main line near Arecibo to that town; from the main line in Mayaguez to the harbor of Mayaguez; from the main line in Aguadilla to the harbor of Aguadilla."

The railroad rebuilt the class in 1924 and 1928.

Class 39 (Locobase 13032)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 29, p. 252. (Thanks to Wes Barris of steamlocomotive.com for his 28 June 2018 email reporting the missing metric equivalents to cylinder diameter and stroke.) Works numbers were 30038, 30065-30066 in January 1907 and 32225, 32232, 32236 in November.

Locobase has noted before how uncommon it was for Baldwin to build two-cylinder cross-compounds. Here, however, was a sugar-plantation that wanted just such engines and Baldwin supplied them. This sextet of Consolidations repeated the specifications of the 1903 engines (Locobase 11479), but substituted the von Borries compound layout in place of the earlier locomotives' simple-expansion 14" x 20" power.

Class 51 (Locobase 16288)

Data from Catalogue No. 10036--Locomotives for Export (New York City: American Locomotive Company (April 1910), pp. 54-55. Works numbers were Cooke (45559-45560 in October 1908, 48901-48903 in October 1910; Schenectady (50485-50488 in November 1911).

Locobase 13032 describes the earlier Baldwin cross-compounds that repeated the specifications of the 1903 engines (Locobase 11479), but substituted the von Borries compound layout in place of the earlier locomotives' simple-expansion 14" x 20" power.

This entry shows the Alcos that added to the stud in 1908-1911. A significant difference is the boiler pressure setting, which is 53 psi (3.65 bar) higher than the Baldwins.