Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville 4-6-2 "Pacific" Locomotives in the USA


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class K-1 (Locobase 8284)

Data from CI&L 1 - 1940 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

These were the first of some relatively light Pacifics on the Monon. The firebox area is relatively small, but the piston valves measured 11". The valve gear lay inside.

They were soon superheated; see Locobase 8285.


Class K-1-A (Locobase 8285)

Data from CI&L 8 - 1941 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

The Monon's rebuild of their 16-year-old Pacifics (Locobase 8284) included more than the addition of the superheater. Cylinders were enlarged by 1/2 inch, piston valve diameter increased by an inch to 12", and the firebox gained some more area (probably in the form of arch tubes). K-2s (first purchased in 1906) were similarly retrofitted. See Locobase 8286.


Class K-2 (Locobase 8286)

Data from CI&L 1 - 1940 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

A couple of years after the K-1s (Locobase 8284) became the Monon's first Pacifics, this batch of Brooks arrived. Still smaller than the already relatively light K-1s, the class offered a little more power thanks to the slightly larger cylinders.

Like the K-1s, the K-2s were later superheated; see Locobase 8288


Class K-2-A (Locobase 8287)

Data from CI&L 8 - 1941 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Although the Monon's rebuild of their 1906 K-2s (Locobase 8286) had many similarities to that of the K-1-a (see Locobase 8284), the later engine's combustion chamber shortened tube length by two feet, thus reducing the evaporative and superheater surface areas. On the other hand, the increase in direct heating surface was undoubtedly of more value for power at speed, especially when the steam was allocated to the cylinders by 12" piston valves.

Retirements began in 1939 and continued until the end of steam on the railroad, which occurred in the late 1940s.


Class K-3 (Locobase 8288)

Data from CI&L 1 - 1940 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Brooks' relationship continued with this threesome of Pacifics. They were a little larger than the K-2s (Locobase 8286) and the grate area grew a little, but the biggest changes were in the cylinder volume (1/2" more diameter, 2" more stroke) which somewhat offset the drop in tractive effort occasioned by the increase in driver diameter; the inside Stephenson gear of the K-2 was replaced by Walschaert valve gear operated outside. Like the other early Monon Pacifics, these engines were later superheated. (See Locobase 8289)


Class K-3-A (Locobase 8289)

Data from CI&L 8 - 1941 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

As with the other Monon Pacifics, the big change in superheating the K-3's (Locobase 8288) original saturated-steam boiler consisted of removing small tubes in favor of 24 flues. Otherwise the engines remained as they had been.


Class K-4 (Locobase 8290)

Data from CI&L 1 - 1940 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Two years after delivering the trio of K-3 Pacifics that were themselves slight enlargements of earlier Monon 4-6-2s (Locobase 8288), Brooks produced a second set of three that were a bit larger in the boiler (30 more small tubes). Other than that difference, the batch was a repeat of the 1909 batch. Like the others, these were superheated in the 1920s (see Locobase 8291).


Class K-4-A (Locobase 8291)

Data from CI&L 8 - 1941 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

The rebuilds applied to this trio of locomotives first delivered in 1911 (see Locobase 8290) amounted to a bit more than the usual for the Monon. In addition to the usual substitution of flues for tubes (at the usual ratio), the railroad enlarged the cylinders by an inch. More important the firebox gained 43 sq ft more direct heating surface.

All were retired in 1947.


Class K-5 (Locobase 7603)

Data from reproduction of 1913 Alco Bulletin 1016 on Richard Leonard's [] (accessed 16 June 2006). (Data from CI&L 8 - 1941 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange are used in the specifications; the Alco Bulletin showed 238 sq ft for the direct heating surface and a total of 2,502 sq ft for the evaporative surfaces.) Works numbers were 51674-51676.

The first three of these superheated steamers came on the property in 1912. The rest came later.

Direct heating surface shown in the Alco table includes 10 sq ft (0.93 sq m) supplied by a lone arch tube. The boiler is relatively small and the tubes shortened by 3 feet (914 mm) of combustion chamber.

They were retired in 1948.


Class K-5-A (Locobase 8292)

Data from CI&L 8 - 1941 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange. Works numbers were 63827-63829 in January 1923.

Locobase 7603 shows the first three K-5s that were delivered in 1912. Eleven years later, Alco produced another trio to almost the same design. The builder took the opportunity to swap out a few more small tubes for two more flues, which led to the 40-sq-ft increase in superheater area. (The result still seems modest at 18.3%.)

They were retired in 1948.


Class K-6 (Locobase 5464)

Data from table in January 1917 issue of Railway Mechanical Engineer (RME). Additional data from CI&L 8 - 1941 Locomotive Diagrams supplied in May 2005 by Allen Stanley from his extensive Rail Data Exchange.

Not an especially big or powerful Pacific, this design had all the ratios of a free steamer as well as a more-than-adequate factor of adhesion. In fact, it was the first Monon engine to near the size of typical 4-6-2s in service on other Class 1 roads and its 14" piston valves contributed to the locomotive's good running qualities.

Brooks works numbers for 451 & 452 were 56395 and 56397, according to [], a Monon steam roster website visited 17 June 2005. Locobase guesses that 450 may been works 56396.

The Monon (the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville) bought diesels early and the last of this trio went out of service in 1947.

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

ClassK-1K-1-AK-2K-2-AK-3
Locobase ID8284 8285 8286 8287 8288
RailroadChicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon)Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon)Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon)Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon)Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon)
CountryUSAUSAUSAUSAUSA
Whyte4-6-24-6-24-6-24-6-24-6-2
Number in Class44553
Road Numbers400-403400-403410-414410-414420-422
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built4553
BuilderAlco-BrooksMononAlco-BrooksMononAlco-Brooks
Year19051921190619211909
Valve GearStephensonWalschaertWalschaertWalschaertWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)12.33 / 3.7612.33 / 3.7612.33 / 3.7612.33 / 3.7612.83 / 3.91
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)31.67 / 9.6531.67 / 9.6531.67 / 9.6531.67 / 9.6532.92 / 10.03
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.39
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)61.86 / 18.8562.69 / 19.1162.85 / 19.1662.85 / 19.1661.37 / 18.71
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)147,000 / 66,678136,000 / 61,689134,000 / 60,781137,000 / 62,142132,000 / 59,874
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)203,500 / 92,306223,000 / 101,151219,000 / 99,337222,000 / 100,698205,000 / 92,987
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)162,000 / 73,482162,000 / 73,482162,000 / 73,482162,000 / 73,482162,000 / 73,482
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)365,500 / 165,788385,000 / 174,633381,000 / 172,819384,000 / 174,180367,000 / 166,469
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)7400 / 28.037400 / 28.037400 / 28.037400 / 28.037400 / 28.03
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)18 / 1618 / 1618 / 1618 / 1618 / 16
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)82 / 4176 / 3874 / 3776 / 3873 / 36.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)69 / 175369 / 175369 / 175369 / 175373 / 1854
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)200 / 13.80200 / 13.80200 / 13.80200 / 13.80200 / 13.80
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)21" x 26" / 533x66021.5" x 26" / 546x66021.5" x 26" / 546x66021.5" x 26" / 546x66022" x 28" / 559x711
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)28,250 / 12814.0029,611 / 13431.3429,611 / 13431.3429,611 / 13431.3431,559 / 14314.94
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.20 4.59 4.53 4.63 4.18
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)290 - 2" / 51160 - 2" / 51274 - 2" / 51158 - 2" / 51294 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)24 - 5.375" / 13722 - 5.375" / 137
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)18.54 / 5.6518.54 / 5.6516.21 / 4.9416.21 / 4.9417 / 5.18
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)160 / 14.87185 / 17.19207 / 19.24207 / 19.24212 / 19.70
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)45 / 4.1845 / 4.1845 / 4.1845 / 4.1849 / 4.55
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2975 / 276.492353 / 218.682532 / 235.322048 / 190.332817 / 261.80
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)517 / 48.05420 / 39.03
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2975 / 276.492870 / 266.732532 / 235.322468 / 229.362817 / 261.80
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume285.51215.28231.66187.37228.65
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation90009000900090009800
Same as above plus superheater percentage900010,620900010,5309800
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area32,00043,66041,40048,43842,400
Power L1833316,689750614,4427657
Power MT374.92811.61370.47697.21383.65

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

ClassK-3-AK-4K-4-AK-5K-5-A
Locobase ID8289 8290 8291 7603 8292
RailroadChicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon)Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon)Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon)Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon)Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon)
CountryUSAUSAUSAUSAUSA
Whyte4-6-24-6-24-6-24-6-24-6-2
Number in Class33333
Road Numbers420-422430-432430-432440-442443-445
GaugeStdStdStdStdStd
Number Built333
BuilderMononAlco-BrooksMononAlco-BrooksAlco-Brooks
Year19211911192119121923
Valve GearWalschaertWalschaertWalschaertWalschaertWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)12.83 / 3.9112.83 / 3.9112.83 / 3.9112.83 / 3.9112.83 / 3.91
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)32.92 / 10.0332.92 / 10.0332.92 / 10.0332.92 / 10.0333.58 / 10.24
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.38
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)61.37 / 18.7161.37 / 18.7164.11 / 19.5464.27 / 19.5965.60 / 19.99
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)135,000 / 61,235143,500 / 65,091143,500 / 65,091147,500 / 66,905149,000 / 67,585
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)209,100 / 94,846219,800 / 99,700219,800 / 99,700227,000 / 102,966237,000 / 107,502
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)162,000 / 73,482162,000 / 73,482162,000 / 73,482151,000 / 68,493190,000 / 86,183
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)371,100 / 168,328381,800 / 173,182381,800 / 173,182378,000 / 171,459427,000 / 193,685
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)7400 / 28.037400 / 28.037400 / 28.037000 / 26.529900 / 37.50
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)18 / 1618 / 1618 / 1615 / 1417 / 16
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)75 / 37.5080 / 4080 / 4082 / 4183 / 41.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)73 / 185473 / 185473 / 185473 / 185473 / 1854
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)200 / 13.80200 / 13.80200 / 13.80185 / 12.80200 / 13.80
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)22" x 28" / 559x71122" x 28" / 559x71123" x 28" / 584x71123" x 28" / 584x71123" x 28" / 584x711
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)31,559 / 14314.9431,559 / 14314.9434,494 / 15646.2331,907 / 14472.7934,494 / 15646.23
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.28 4.55 4.16 4.62 4.32
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)171 - 2" / 51324 - 2" / 51185 - 2" / 51185 - 2" / 51177 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)24 - 5.375" / 13726 - 5.375" / 13726 - 5.375" / 13728 - 5.375" / 137
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)17 / 5.1817 / 5.1817 / 5.1817 / 5.1817 / 5.18
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)212 / 19.70212 / 19.70255 / 23.70238 / 22.12255 / 23.69
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)49 / 4.5549 / 4.5549 / 4.5548.80 / 4.5449 / 4.55
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2297 / 213.483128 / 290.712481 / 230.582481 / 230.582489 / 231.23
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)468 / 43.49518 / 48.14518 / 48.14558 / 51.84
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)2765 / 256.973128 / 290.712999 / 278.722999 / 278.723047 / 283.07
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume186.44253.90184.32184.32184.92
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation98009800980090289800
Same as above plus superheater percentage11,466980011,46610,56311,564
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area49,60842,40059,67051,51560,180
Power L114,950827215,21813,93515,884
Power MT732.42381.25701.39624.84705.06

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

ClassK-6
Locobase ID5464
RailroadChicago, Indianapolis & Louisville (Monon)
CountryUSA
Whyte4-6-2
Number in Class3
Road Numbers450-452
GaugeStd
Number Built3
BuilderAlco-Brooks
Year1916
Valve GearWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m)13 / 3.96
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)34.50 / 10.52
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.38
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)70.17 / 21.39
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)179,000 / 81,193
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)285,000 / 129,274
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)179,500 / 81,420
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)464,500 / 210,694
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)9900 / 37.50
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)13 / 12
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)99 / 49.50
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)73 / 1854
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)190 / 13.10
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)26" x 28" / 660x711
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)41,875 / 18994.20
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 4.27
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)259 - 2" / 51
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)38 - 5.375" / 137
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)20.17 / 6.15
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)255 / 23.70
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)70 / 6.51
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)4052 / 376.58
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)880 / 81.78
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)4932 / 458.36
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume235.44
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation13,300
Same as above plus superheater percentage15,694
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area57,171
Power L117,794
Power MT657.47

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