| Truly one of the great locomotives built by Alco in June of 1940. The loco was a massive powerhouse but only got to serve for a mere 13 years before being sold for scrap in February of 1953. Specifics - four 20.5x32" cylinders, 69" drivers, an impressive boiler pressure of 285 ps, and a tractive effort of 94,000 lb. According to Steamlocomotive.com - "Considered by many observers to be the handsomest of the Challenger type. More important, it was this class that introduced flat bearing surfaces on the front boiler supports. Alfred Bruce acknowledged in 1952 (p. 327): "The flat bearing-plate surfaces required careful alignment on the erecting floor, but they were well worth the effort." Why? This modification in how the front engine was allowed to move under the boiler was combined with a new limitation on how much was allowed in the articulation pin's vertical clearance. Now the front engine moved only as much what its springs would allow, said Bruce, "..as in the case of the rigid-chassis engine." The payoff in productivity was especially noticeable where the trackbed and alignment would allow it: "The result is the most stable-riding articulated engine ever built and one that is safely operated at speeds up to 60 or 70 miles per hour." At those speeds, Bruce declared, "[t]here are no smoother riding articulated steam locomotives today." All were disposed off in 10 months from October 1952 to August 1953." No photographer listed. |