B&O 2-8-4

[gmpullman]

Here is a very good article about the Lima B&A 2-8-4.

https://nycshs.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/baaclasses.pdf

Once they found out how much steam they could make, they decided to up the driver size, too. 63" drivers carried over from the H-10s on the A-1 which worked OK on the hilly B&A but other roads opted for 69 or 70 inch drivers for greater speed.

Once trials were done on the B&A over the "Berkshires" Lima (who actually owned the engine) brought it to other roads to try out.

Good Luck, Ed.

[IA and eastern]

The locomotive was getting a bigger boiler and a bigger grate. Several people over the years said they had seen the proposal but some people wodered if it was going to be great idea since the locomotive would have 63 inch drivers and what would have been the point. Gary

[gmpullman]

Hi,

I have checked in four different books and haven't found any mention of a proposal to add a four-wheel trailing truck to a Q Mikado.

B&O and Supt. of Motive Power, G. W. Emerson were not shy about experimental locomotives. Col. Emerson was big on water-tube boilers for a while and one was fitted to Q-1 #4045 in 1927.

Perhaps there was some discussion of needing a larger trailing truck for more support at the firebox?

A few years earlier, September, 1924, Lima and New York Central (B&A) were working out plans for their own 2-8-4, the A-1. Based off of experience gained from the latest H-10 Mikados, it was decided to increase grate area to 100 square feet to increase steam output. This necessitated the four-wheel trailing truck... and the Berkshire was born.

Interestingly, the B&O was developing a "constant torque" locomotive, the W-1, #5800. This would have been a 4-8-4 with a steam "power-unit" on each driving axle, based on the Besler steam motor. Imagine a two-piston booster engine geared to each axle. Rather than four power pulses to each driver revolution there would be 92 pulses per revolution and much less rotating weight to counterbalance, thus reducing impact on track and roadbed.

Only one power unit was ever built and the boiler went on to another engine.

Do you recall any more particulars about the trailing truck change, or where you first heard about it?

Regards, Ed

 

[tstage]

Did you try the B&O Railroad Historical Society?

Tom

[IA and eastern]

I am looking for a drawing of the proposed B&O 2-8-4 locomotives that were to be rebuilt from B&O Q-4 2-8-2 locomotives. Gary