Maine Central class W 2-8-0

Maine Central class W

Type and origin Reference:[1] Power type Steam Builder ALCO Build date 1910–1914 Total produced 28

Specifications Configuration 2-8-0 UIC class 1'D Gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Leading dia 33 in (838 mm) Driver diameter 63 in (1,600 mm) Wheelbase 25 ft 6 in (7.77 m) Length 71 ft 4 in (21.74 m) including tender Height 14 ft 8 ^1⁄4 in (4.48 m) Loco weight 198,000 lb (89.8 tonnes) Loco & tender weight 338,000 lb (153.3 tonnes) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 12 t Water cap 7,000 US gal (26 m^3) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 50.2 sq ft (4.66 m^2) Boiler pressure 185 lbf/in^2 (13.0 kg/cm^2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 23 in × 28 in (584 mm × 711 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts

Performance figures Tractive effort 37,000 lbf (164.6 kN)

Career Retired 1954

Maine Central Railroad Class W locomotives were intended for heavy freight service. They were of 2-8-0 wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or "1'D" in UIC classification. They replaced earlier class O 4-6-0 locomotives beginning in 1910. They were in turn replaced by class S 2-8-2 locomotives for the heaviest freight service beginning in 1914, but remained in use on lighter freight trains until replaced by diesel locomotives after World War II.^[1]

Sub-classes

All were built in American Locomotive Company's plant at Schenectady, New York. The first nine built in 1910 (builders numbers 47732-47736 & 49207-49210) were 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg) lighter than the infobox figure. Sub-class W-1 consisted of seven locomotives added in 1912 (builders numbers 50933-50939) and eight more (builders numbers 52989-52996) delivered in 1913. The last four designated sub-class W-2 (builders numbers 54564-54567) were delivered in 1914 and were 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) heavier than the infobox figure.^[1]

Preservation

Class W locomotives were numbered from 501 to 528 as delivered. Numbers 501 and 519 were officially property of the European and North American Railway (E&NA) as a condition of the lease of that company by the Maine Central Railroad. They therefore avoided scrapping until Maine Central purchased E&NA to remove the lease obligation in 1955. The locomotives were then sold to railfans, and have been preserved at Conway Scenic Railroad and Steamtown National Historic Site, respectively.^[2]

Replacement

When the Maine Central began purchasing diesel locomotives, road switchers were numbered in the 500 series previously reserved for the W class.^[3] ALCO RS-2s and ALCO RS-3s were numbered 551 through 557, and EMD GP7s were numbered 561 through 569 and 571 through 581.^[4]

References

1. Robertson, Edwin B. Maine Central Steam Locomotives Edwin B. Robertson (1977) Westbrook, Maine pp.44-47
2. "Pictures of MEC 519" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
3. Plant, Jeremy F. and Melvin, George F. (1999). Maine Central in Color Volume 2. Morning Sun Books. p. 70. ISBN 1-58248-030-3.
4. Robertson, Edwin B. (1978). Maine Central Diesel Locomotives. Edwin B. Robertson. pp. 35,41&49.