Canadian National class S 2-8-2

Canadian National Railway (CN) Class S locomotives were a Class of 2-8-2 wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or 1′D1′ in UIC classification. These locomotives were designed for 16° operating curvature. The first examples of this very successful class were built for the Grand Trunk Railway in 1913. Major purchases of the class continued through 1924. Sub-classes S-3 and S-4 employed higher pressure boilers with smaller diameter cylinders to achieve similar tractive effort with higher efficiency. The class remained in freight service until the final replacement of steam with diesel-electric locomotives. 53 were renumbered between 4045 and 4097 in 1956.[1]

Canadian National class S
CN 3254, an example of a preserved S class locomotive
Type and origin Reference:[1] Power type Steam Build date 1913–1936 Total produced 466
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-2  • UIC 1′D1′ Gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Leading dia. 31 ^1⁄4 in (790 mm) Driver dia. 63 in (1,600 mm) Trailing dia. 43 in (1,100 mm) Wheelbase 35 ft 1 in (10.69 m) Length 78 ft 5 in (23.90 m) including tender Height 14 ft 9 in (4.50 m) Fuel type Coal Boiler pressure 180 lbf/in^2 (1.2 MPa) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 27 in × 30 in (690 mm × 760 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 53,000 lbf (240 kN)
Career Retired 1950 (1) 1958 - 1961 (Remainder)

Sub-classes

Sub-class	Builder	Works numbers	Dates	CN numbers	Notes[1]
S-1-a	CLC	1353-1402	1916-1917	3200-3249	50 built as CGR numbers 2800-2849
S-1-b	CLC	1459-1508	1917-1918	3250-3299	50 built as CGR numbers 2850-2899
S-1-c	MLW	58347-58376	1917	3300-3329	30 built as CGR numbers 2900-2929
S-1-d	CLC	1535-1594	1918-1919	3330-3389	60 built as CGR numbers 2930-2989
S-1-e	CLC	1673-1687	1920-1921	3390-3404	15 built
S-1-f	ALCO	52788-52812	1913	3405-3429	25 built as GT numbers 500-524
S-1-f	BLW	40210-40211 40255-40258 40269-40274 40339-40342 40365-40370 40379-40381	1913	3430-3454	25 built as GT numbers 525-549
S-1-f	MLW	53920-53969	1913	3455-3504	50 built as GT numbers 550-599
S-1-g	CLC	1449-1458	1917	3505-3514	10 built as GT numbers 485-494
S-1-g	ALCO	59950-59954	1918	3515-3519	[2] 5 built as GT numbers 480-484
S-1-h	ALCO	58315-58319	1918	3520-3524	[2] 5 built as GT numbers 495-499
S-1-j	CN	53928&53954	1926	3198-3199	[3] 2 built
S-2-a	MLW	64475-64509	1923	3525-3559	35 built but S-2-a 3538 was wreck in 1950 Canoe Train Crash
S-2-b	CLC	1712-1721	1923	3560-3569	10 built
S-2-c	MLW	65633-65662	1924	3570-3599	30 built
S-3-a	ALCO	59563-59577 60300-60324	1918	3700-3739	[4] 40 USRA Light Mikados built as GT numbers 440-479
S-3-b	ALCO	64510-64517	1923	3740-3747	[4][5]8 built
S-3-c	ALCO	65317-65326	1924	3748-3757	[4]10 built
S-4-a	CN	1623	1930	3800	[3][6] 1 built
S-4-b	CLC	1914-1918	1936	3801-3805	[6] 5 built

Preservation

Number 3239 was preserved by the Canadian Railway Historical Association. Number 3254 by W.F. Barron of Ashland, Pennsylvania. The 3254 is the only member of the surviving S Class 2-8-2s to operate in excursion service, finding its home on the rails of Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania. 3254 operated excursions at Steamtown from 1987 to 2012 when it was taken out of service indefinitely due to severe frame issues. Number 3377 was first owned by the Edaville Railroad, but later moved to Steamtown as a source of spare parts for No. 3254. Number 3734 (renumbered 4070) is now owned by the Midwestern Railway Preservation Society in ex Baltimore and Ohio Railroad roundhouse in Cleveland Ohio .

Notes

1. Clegg, Anthony; Corley, Ray (1969). Canadian National Steam Power. Trains & Trolleys: Montreal. pp. 91–95.
2. Numbers 3515-3517 & 3520-3523 were converted to 0-8-2 switchers in 1936 and 1937
3. Built in Canadian National Railway Pointe-Saint-Charles shops
4. Boiler pressure increased to 200 lbf/in² (1.4 MPa) and cylinder diameter reduced to 26 inches (660 mm).
5. Ordered as GT numbers 600-607, but delivered to CN
6. Boiler pressure increased to 265 lbf/in² (1.83 MPa) and cylinder diameter reduced to 24 inches (610 mm).