Small(er) but Mighty

Classic Trains General Discussion
1

Some of this class lasted into the late 50’s but not these 2. Very handsome switchers. I’m certain they did their part in the war effort tirelessly.

V1a 6800-6819 (20)…Cyl. 20" x 24" Drv. 51" Press.180 lbs. Baldwin
V1b 6820-6834 (15)… Cyl. 20" x 26" Drv. 51" Press.180 lbs. Richmond
10 tons coal 3200 gals. water

6809 looking every bit its age even at this time three-quarters of a century ago!
Baldwin 15825 5/1898 Converted 9/1909 from 2-8-0 Vauclain compound to 0-8-0 simple.
Slab rods and “hat box” for slide valves. Note switchman on rear footboard.
It was the last of these old engines, scrapped at Ogden 2/1951!
Plenty of other details including coal chute with sand tower. ENLARGE
Lethbridge October 12, 1941 Al Paterson/Bud Laws Collection

V1a 6816 with fog headlight. Baldwin 15823 5/1898 Rebuilt from 2-8-0 9/1910 Scrapped 1/1946
Vancouver May 29, 1939 Walter Edwin Frost/City of Vancouver Archives.

2

That looks like an awfully small boiler for an 0-8-0.

3

It does, but remember when those engines were built in the 1890’s as 2-8-0’s their steaming capacity was perfectly adequate for the short freight trains of the day.

Comes the 20th Century, and it wasn’t adequate anymore, hence their conversion to switchers. Steaming capacity’s not of paramount importance for a switcher, they’re not going all that far.

4

Yes, nice analysis Firelock. They almost look like they would do well converted to narrow guage. I’m sure they did their part in the war effort along the docks in Vancouver.

5

Thanks Vince! You know, cleaned up and polished I’ll bet those 0-8-0’s were elegant looking in their time.

Considering how long they lasted we know just how well they were built! No planned obsolescence here, events and progress just overtook them.

Wayne

6

The last PRR steam locomotive in regular service ran in NJ as a lease unit on a subsidiary shortline. It was an 0-6-0, not a mighty K-4s or M-1 Mountain. Sept.3, 1958

7

NKP’s last steam locomotives in operation were some 0-8-0’s at Calumet Yard in 1959 and 1960.

8

Let’s not be forgetting Northwestern Steel & Wire.

9

Unless I’m mistaken I think those Northwestern Steel and Wire 0-8-0’s ran as late as 1970.

And pajrr, I think that Pennsy subsidiary was the Union Connecting, if memory serves in ran in southern New Jersey in the Fort Dix area.

10

You are. It was 1980.

11

So how did they get around the Clean Air Act circa '72 or any other air pollution type laws. Not like they were a tourist line or a historic operation.

Our CEO has a favourite saying …“we will just keep going with it until someone tells us to stop”.

12

Apparently not subject to the FRA, and the state boiler inspectors never came 'round. Or so one version of the tale says; it seems more than a little improbable doesn’t it?

Someone here will know the true account.

13

So it’s likely they did what my CEO gets away with ( admirably, I admit) “just keep going until someone tells you to stop”…works real well in government organizations and the education field!

14

I personally suspect there was a certain amount of action to keep the someones from telling them to stop. I leave those actually from Illinois to speculate on what forms that might have assumed.

15

Interesting. Patton did things like that. “Send a message back…your transmission garbled, please resend”…but wait 8 hours to send it.

Maybe they were just having too much fun running steam, I know I sure would be, do whatever to keep the dream going.

16

Northwestern Steel & Wire kept running ex-GTW 0-8-0’s that were sold to them for scrap because parts were available from other 0-8-0’s and it was cheaper than obtaining replacement power. They were eventually replaced by three SW1001’s, perhaps the last diesels purchased to replace steam.