Pittsburgh & Lake Erie / Boston & Albany 2-8-4 "Berkshire" Type Locomotives

Class A-2a (Locobase 51)

Data from Walter A Lucas, Popular Picture and Plan Book of Railroad Cars and Locomotives (New York: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp, 1951), p. 20.

The NYC's last steam locomotives delivered, these went to the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie. They were retired in 1957.

Class A1a/b (Locobase 46)

Boiler had Elesco feedwater heater, valve motion had limited cutoff. Boston and Maine T-1 class and Illinois Central #7000 class were very similar and built at approximately the same time. Later A-1c (1445-54) -- see Locobase 3172 -- carried 78 2 1/4-in tubes, concealed Coffin feedwater heaters, and the firebox was fitted with 149 sq ft of thermic syphons.

Retired in 1949.

Class A1c (Locobase 3172)

This was the last batch of 10 Berkshires built for the B&A. Compared to the A-1a/b of a few years earlier, these had fewer 2 1/4" tubes (78 vs 90), concealed Coffin feedwater heaters vs Elescos, and the firebox was fitted with 149 sq ft of thermic syphons.

Retired in 1949.

Specifications
ClassA-2aA1a/bA1c
Locobase ID51463172
RailroadPittsburgh & Lake Erie (NYC)Boston & Albany (NYC)Boston & Albany (NYC)
Whyte2-8-42-8-42-8-4
Road Numbers9400-94061400-14441445-54
GaugeStdStdStd
BuilderAlcoLimaLima
Year194819261930
Valve GearBakerWalschaertWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase16.75'16.50'16.50'
Engine Wheelbase41.17'41.70'40.17'
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheebase 0.41 0.40 0.41
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender)95.44'82.50'82.66'
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle)
Weight on Drivers280000 lbs248200 lbs252200 lbs
Engine Weight426000 lbs389000 lbs396100 lbs
Tender Light Weight353000 lbs275000 lbs238530 lbs
Total Engine and Tender Weight779000 lbs664000 lbs634630 lbs
Tender Water Capacity20000 gals15000 gals15500 gals
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal)22 tons16 tons21 tons
Minimum weight per yard of rail on which locomotive could run117 lb rail103.42 lb rail105.08 lb rail
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter63"63"63"
Boiler Pressure230 psi240 psi240 psi
Cylinders (dia x stroke)26" x 32"28" x 30"28" x 30"
Tractive Effort67128 lbs76160 lbs76160 lbs
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.17 3.26 3.31
Heating Ability
Firebox Area388 sq. ft337 sq. ft433 sq. ft
Grate Area90.30 sq. ft100 sq. ft100 sq. ft
Evaporative Heating Surface427651105065
Superheating Surface188121112111
Combined Heating Surface615772217176
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume217.45239.01236.90
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation207692400024000
Same as above plus superheater percentage2720731016.2031060.20
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area116904104524.60134490.67
Power L12842530402.2530914.97
Power MT895.231080.181080.98

Photos

Reference

Credits

Introduction and specifications provided by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media.

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