Chicago and North Western E-4 Class explained

C&NW class E-4
Powertype:Steam
Builder:American Locomotive Company
Serialnumber:68982–68989, 69028
Builddate:1937
Totalproduction:9
Whytetype:4-6-4
Uicclass:2′C2′ h2
Driverdiameter:840NaN0
Length:101feet
Height:15feet
Weightondrivers:216000abbr=inNaNabbr=in
Locoweight:412000abbr=inNaNabbr=in
Locotenderweight:791500abbr=inNaNabbr=in
Fueltype:Coal, later converted to burn Oil in 1946-1947
Fuelcap:50000abbr=inNaNabbr=in, later 6000usgal
Watercap:20000usgal
Boilerpressure:3002NaN2
Firearea:90.7square feet
Totalsurface:3958square feet
Superheaterarea:1884square feet
Cylindercount:Two
Cylindersize:25x
Tractiveeffort:550222NaN2
Operator:Chicago and North Western Railroad
Fleetnumbers:4001–4009
Retiredate:1953–1956
Scrapdate:1953–1961
Disposition:All scrapped

The Chicago and North Western Class E-4 was a class of nine streamlined 4-6-4 "Hudson" steam locomotives built in 1937 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO).

The nine E-4's were almost identical in specification and purpose to the Milwaukee Road's six class F7 locomotives, and they were built by the same builder at the same time, yet their streamlined designs were different. The E-4's were built to haul the Chicago and North Western's (C&NW) famous "400" express passenger trains, but before they were even delivered, the railroad's management decided that streamlined steam was the wrong direction and instead placed orders with General Motors Electro-Motive Division for new diesel locomotives.

The displaced E-4s instead pulled secondary passenger trains, until they were withdrawn from service between 1953 and 1956, and scrapping commenced on the fleet. Two remaining E-4's (Nos. 4008 and 4009) were kept in Escanaba, Michigan to thaw frozen ore with heat from their boilers.[1] In August 1961, Nos. 4008 and 4009 were replaced by a new infrared process, and since both E-4's had been welded to the rails, C&NW crews had to scrap them on site.

Other C&NW steam locomotives

References

Notes and References

  1. March 1962 . Steam! News Photos . limited . February 8, 2024 . Trains . Kalmbach Publishing . 12 . 22 . 5.