Soo Line B-4 class

Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Builder	American Locomotive Company
Build date	1915 (6), 1920 (5)

Specifications
Configuration	0-6-0
UIC class	C h2
Gauge	4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm)
Driver diameter	51 in (1,295 mm)
Wheelbase	Loco: 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Length	58 ft 10 ³⁄₈ in (17.94 m)
Width	10 ft 5 in (3.18 m)
Height	15 ft 3 ¹⁄₂ in (4.66 m)
Axle load	51,500 lb (23.4 tonnes)
Loco weight	151,000 lb (68.5 tonnes)
Tender weight	102,900 lb (46.7 tonnes)
Fuel type	Coal
Fuel capacity	16,000 lb (7.3 tonnes)
Water cap	5,000 US gal (19,000 l; 4,200 imp gal)
Boiler pressure	180 lbf/in² (1.24 MPa)
Cylinders	Two, outside
Cylinder size	20 in × 26 in (508 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gear	Walschaerts

Performance figures
Tractive effort	31,200 lbf (138.78 kN)

Career
Operators	Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway (Soo Line)
Class	B-4
Number in class	11
Numbers	344–354
Preserved	#346; #353
Disposition	Two preserved, of which one is operational

The Soo Line B-4 class were 0-6-0 steam locomotives constructed for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway (Soo Line) by the American Locomotive Company. Six (#344–349) were built at their Schenectady plant in 1915, with a further five (#350–354) being constructed by their Brooks plant in Dunkirk, New York in 1920.

They were the last, and largest design of purpose-built switch engines that the Soo Line owned, any heavier switching duties were performed by down-graded 2-8-0 freight engines. All were still on the active roster in May 1953,^[1] but all had been retired by the end December 1954 when the railroad completed its dieselization.

Two are preserved^[2] - #363 from the first batch which is displayed at the Wheels Across the Prairie Museum at Tracy, Minnesota as Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern #9, and #353 from the second batch. which is operational today and gives free rides annually at the Western Minnesota Steam Thresher's Reunion, Rollag, Minnesota.

References

↑ "Soo Line Locomotive Roaster, May 1953". Retrieved 2008-05-29.
↑ "Surviving Soo Line locomotives". Steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved 2008-05-29.

Gjevre, John A. (1990) [1973]. Saga of the Soo, West from Shoreham (Second ed.). Moorhead, Minnesota: Gjevre Books. p. 176.

Soo Line steam locomotives

0-4-0	A A-20 A-21

0-6-0	B (321 / X90) B-1 B-2 B-3 B-4 (346) (353) B-20 B-21 B-22 B-23

4-4-0	C C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 V

2-6-0	D D-1 D-2 D-3 D-4 D-20 Z

4-6-0	E E-1 E-2 E-20 E-21 E-22 E-23 E-24 E-25 (2645)

2-8-0	F-1 F-2 F-3 F-4 F-6 F-7 F-8 (440) F-9 (451) F-10 F-11 F-12 F-20 F-21 (2425) F-22 (2442) F-23

2-10-0	G (950)

4-6-2	H H-1 H-2 H-3 (735) (736) H-20 H-21 (2713) H-22 (2714) H-23 (2718) (2719)

2-6-2	J

4-4-2	K-20

2-8-2	L L-1 (1003) L-2 (1011) L-3 L-4 (1024) L-20

4-8-2	N-20

4-8-4	O-20

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