Maine Central class W 2-8-0

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]

Maine Central class W
Type and origin
Reference:[1]
Power typeSteam
BuilderALCO
Build date1910–1914
Total produced28
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-8-0
 • UIC1'D
Gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.33 in (838 mm)
Driver dia.63 in (1,600 mm)
Wheelbase25 ft 6 in (7.77 m)
Length71 ft 4 in (21.74 m) including tender
Height14 ft 8 1⁄4 in (4.48 m)
Loco weight198,000 lb (89.8 tonnes)
Total weight338,000 lb (153.3 tonnes)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity12 t
Water cap7,000 US gal (26 m3)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		50.2 sq ft (4.66 m2)
Boiler pressure185 lbf/in2 (13.0 kg/cm2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size23 in × 28 in (584 mm × 711 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort37,000 lbf (164.6 kN)
Career
Retired1954

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. (1977). Maine Central Steam Locomotives. Westbrook, Maine: Edwin B. Robertson. pp. 44–47.
  2. "Pictures of MEC 519" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
  3. Plant, Jeremy F. & 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.
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