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VGN Blue Ridge class (2-6-6-6)

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  • From: South Central Virginia
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VGN Blue Ridge class (2-6-6-6)
Posted by VGN Jess on Sunday, April 3, 2022 1:36 AM

Can anyone give a guestimate as to whether a VGN Blue Ridge class could haul, on a 0.3% grade, 8,500 tons of coal, at 35-37mph?

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Posted by daveklepper on Sunday, April 3, 2022 5:46 AM

Practically identical to the C&O's of the same wheel arrangement?

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  • From: South Central Virginia
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Posted by VGN Jess on Monday, April 4, 2022 3:51 AM

Yes, the VGN Blue Ridge class and C&O Allegheny class were virtually identical.

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  • From: Roanoke, VA
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Posted by BigJim on Monday, April 4, 2022 11:51 AM

You might find your answer in Gene Huddleston's book...'Allegheny - Lima's Finest".

.

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Posted by kgbw49 on Monday, April 4, 2022 6:21 PM

Per data on steamlocomotive.com:

C&O Class H-8 numbers 1600-1644 were built from 1941 through 1944 and were delivered with 25,000-gallon tenders.

Virginian Class AG numbers 900-907 were built in 1945 and were delivered with 26,500-gallon tenders.

C&O Class H-8 numbers 1645-1659 were built in 1948 and were delivered with 26,500-gallon tenders.

Comparison photos here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/trains/comments/sq4t00/just_a_quick_question_is_there_any_difference/

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Posted by timz on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 12:34 PM

8500 tons total, including the cars?

If so, 9000+ tons including the engine, so rail tractive effort needs to be somewhere around 90000-100000 pounds on 0.3%, and of course the engine can't manage that at 35+ mph.

So if someone claimed the engine could haul 8500 tons at 35-37 mph, the first guess is that the grade wasn't really 0.3% at that location. I've never seen a VGN track chart -- maybe they're not that exact.

(Come to think -- wasn't the eastward VGN ruling grade east of Princeton always 0.2% or 0.6%?)

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Posted by pennytrains on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 6:40 PM

Maybe they were looking down the hill?  Smile, Wink & Grin

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

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  • From: South Central Virginia
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Posted by VGN Jess on Sunday, April 10, 2022 1:29 AM

That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for; thank you! No one told me that. In TS2022 I have downloaded a VGN Blue Ridge plus VGN hoppers, and was wondering how many tons I could haul to get 35mph on a 0.3 grade. I do know the eastward VGN ruling grade from Victoria, VA was 0.3 most of the way to Norfolk.

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  • From: South Central Virginia
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Posted by VGN Jess on Sunday, April 10, 2022 1:32 AM

Thanks!!

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Posted by timz on Monday, April 11, 2022 1:38 PM

VGN Jess
the eastward VGN ruling grade from Victoria, VA was 0.3 most of the way to Norfolk.

More likely 0.2%. Who says 0.3%?

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