Chesapeake and Ohio class T-1

The Chesapeake and Ohio T-1 was a class of forty 2-10-4 steam locomotives built by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1930 and operated until the early 1950s.

C&O T-1 class
C&O T-1 locomotive No. 3021 in May 1941
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer Advisory Mechanical Committee Builder Lima Locomotive Works Order number 1122 Serial number 7516–7555 Build date 1930 Total produced 40
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-10-4  • UIC 1′E2′ h2 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Leading dia. 33 in (838 mm) Driver dia. 69 in (1,753 mm) Trailing dia. 36 in (914 mm) 43 in (1,092 mm) (trail axle) Tender wheels 36 in (914 mm) Minimum curve 338 ft (103 m) radius / 17° Wheelbase 99 ft 5+3⁄4 in (30.32 m) (Total) Length 111 ft 5+1⁄8 in (33.96 m) Width 11 ft 3 in (3.43 m) Height 16 ft 7 in (5.05 m) Frame type Built-up Axle load 75,000 lb (38 short tons) Adhesive weight 373,000 lb (186.5 tons) Loco weight 566,000 lb (283 tons) Tender weight 415,000 lb (207.5 tons) Total weight 981,000 lb (490.5 tons) Tender type 23-RA Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 30 tons (60,000 lb) Water cap. 23,500 US gallons Sandbox cap. 72 cu ft (2.0 m3) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 121 sq ft (11.2 m2) Boiler: ​  • Model Fire Tube  • Diameter 108 in (2,743 mm)  • Tube plates 21 ft (6 m) Boiler pressure 265 psi (1933-) 260 psi (As built) Safety valve Pop, 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) 4 per locomotive Feedwater heater Worthington 6-S 12,000 US gal / hr capacity Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 477 sq ft (44 m2)  • Arch tubes 168.5 sq ft (16 m2)  • Tubes and flues 5,978 sq ft (555 m2)  • Total surface 6,623.5 sq ft (615 m2) Superheater: ​  • Type Type E  • Heating area 3,030 sq ft (281 m2) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 29 in × 34 in (737 mm × 864 mm) Valve gear Baker-long travel Valve type Piston Valve travel 9 in (229 mm) Valve lap 1+15⁄16 in (49 mm) Valve lead 3⁄16 in (5 mm) Loco brake Pneumatic, Schedule 6-ET Train brakes Pneumatic
Performance figures Maximum speed 60 mph (97 km/h) Power output 5,200 hp (3,900 kW) @ 41 mph (66 km/h) (drawbar) Tractive effort 93,350 lbf (Engine) 15,275 lbf (Booster) 108,625 lbf (Total) Factor of adh. 4.00 (Engine) 4.32 (Booster)
Career Operators Chesapeake and Ohio Class T-1 Numbers 3000–3039 Retired 1952–1953 Disposition All scrapped

History and design

In 1925, the Lima Locomotive Works of Lima, Ohio, built their prototype A-1 class 2-8-4 locomotive, and they demonstrated it on various railroads, proclaiming it as a "super power" locomotive with its high horsepower output.^[1] The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O), which was in search of larger locomotives, allowed for the A-1 to be tested in their Allegheny Subdivision, and while impressed with the A-1’s performance, the C&O opted to wait for reviews from other railroads before placing their own orders.^[1]

By 1929, other railroads had rostered 2-8-4 "Berkshires", including the Erie Railroad, and then the C&O decided to roster their own super power designs.^[1][2] By that time, the C&O was operating under control of the Van Sweringen brothers, who formed the Advisory Mechanical Committee (AMC) to standardize all of their railroad subsidiaries.^[1] In 1930, the C&O ordered the first of forty 2-10-4 "Texas"-types from Lima, which they classified as the T-1 class, and they shared identical design features with the Erie’s 2-8-4s.^[1]

The T-1s were equipped with a trailing truck booster that exerted 15,275 pounds-force (67.95 kN) of tractive effort. The T-1s could haul trains of the same length as an H-7 class 2-8-8-2 at a faster speed. The locomotives mainly operated between Russell, Kentucky and Toledo, Ohio, with a few being assigned in eastern Virginia. They were rated at 13,500-short-ton (12,200 t; 12,100-long-ton) loaded coal hoppers. They also sported the most heating surface of any two-cylinder steam locomotive, with a combined heating surface of 9,654 square feet (896.9 m²).

Despite their overall success, their long-wheelbase made it difficult to maintain a proper counterbalancing scheme as the drivers wore unevenly in service. Later in their careers, as their built up frames began to work loose, the T-1s rode roughly and pounded the track to the point that a special gang stood by at the bottom of one long grade to repair the damage.^[3]

In 1942, the Pennsylvania Railroad based 125 of their J1 class 2-10-4s off of the T-1s with slight modifications.

Accident

On May 12, 1948, no. 3020 suffered a boiler explosion due to a low water level near Chillicothe, Ohio. The engineer, fireman and front brakeman were killed.

Disposition

The C&O began retiring the T-1 locomotives in 1952 in favor of diesel locomotives, and by 1953, all had been retired. None were preserved.

See also

• Chesapeake and Ohio class H-8
• Chesapeake and Ohio class K-4

References

1. Nuckles, Douglas; Dixon, Thomas (1994). Chesapeake & Ohio Greenbrier Type 4-8-4 Locomotives. Clifton Forge, Virginia: The Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society. pp. 8, 12. ISBN 0-939487-18-7.
2. Drury, George H. (1997). "The Berkshire: Steam's fast-freight legend". Trains Magazine; Kalmbach Publishing. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-05-29.
3. "The World of Steam Locomotives". steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved 2022-01-15.