Maine Central class C 4-6-2 explained

Maine Central class C
Powertype:Steam
Hatnote:Reference:[1]
Builder:ALCO
Builddate:1907–1924
Totalproduction:21
Retiredate:1954
Whytetype:4-6-2
Uicclass:2'C1'
Leadingdiameter:330NaN0
Driverdiameter:730NaN0
Trailingdiameter:460NaN0
Wheelbase:33feet
Length:75feet including tender
Height:14feet
Locoweight:2280001NaN1
Locotenderweight:3670001NaN1
Fueltype:Coal
Fuelcap:11 t
Watercap:70000NaN0
Boilerpressure:200lb/in2
Firearea:502NaN2
Cylindercount:Two
Cylindersize:22x
Valvegear:Walschaerts
Tractiveeffort:320001NaN1
Preservedunits:1 C-3 No. 470 preserved
Disposition:One preserved, remainder scrapped

Maine Central Railroad Class C locomotives were intended for main line passenger service. They were of 4-6-2 wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or " 2'C1' " in UIC classification. They replaced earlier class N 4-6-0 locomotives beginning in 1907. Class C locomotives pulled named passenger trains until replacement by diesel locomotives after World War II.[1]

Sub-classes

All were built in American Locomotive Company's plant at Schenectady, New York and were numbered from 450 to 470 as delivered. The original C class were builders numbers 42439 & 42440 delivered in 1907, 46036-46038 in 1909, 47731 in 1910, and 49205-49206 in 1911. Sub-class C-1 consisted of builders numbers 50940 & 50941 built in 1912, and 52985-52986 & 53291 completed in 1913. Builders numbers 54568 through 54570 arrived in 1914 as sub-class C-2 with weight increased to 2385001NaN1.[2]

Sub-class C-3

The last five Maine Central Pacifics were built with booster engines. Increasing cylinder diameter to 24inches increased tractive effort to 365001NaN1 or 468001NaN1 with the booster. Enlarged tenders held 13 tons of coal and 91000NaN0 of water. Builders numbers 57885 through 57887 were delivered in 1917 with weight increased to 2683001NaN1. Building of new 4-6-2s was interrupted by World War I when the United States Railroad Administration (USRA) authorized construction of non-standard class O 4-6-0s because Maine Central Pacifics were so much smaller than USRA Light Pacifics. The final two class C engines were builders numbers 65554 and 65555 delivered in 1924.[3] Number 470 was preserved in Waterville, Maine after pulling the last Maine Central steam-powered train on 13 June 1954.[4]

Replacement

The last steam locomotives built for Maine Central were class D 4-6-4s numbered 701 and 702 from Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1930.[1] The Budd Company Flying Yankee train set and unstreamlined 600hp oil-electric rail car number 901 arrived in 1935. EMD E7s numbered 705 through 711 began pulling main line passenger trains in 1946. Steam-generator-equipped road switchers pulled a declining number of branch line passenger trains from 1950 until Maine Central discontinued all passenger service in 1960.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Robertson, Edwin B. Maine Central Steam Locomotives Edwin B. Robertson (1977) Westbrook, Maine pp.38-43&56
  2. Book: Maine Central R.R. Mountain Division . Johnson, Ron . 470 Railroad Club . n.d.. 323.
  3. Book: American Locomotives . registration . Alexander, Edwin P. . Bonanza Books . 1950. 136. 9780517014233 .
  4. Book: The Best of Maine Railroads . Johnson, Ron . Portland Litho . 1985 . 140.
  5. Book: Maine Central Diesel Locomotives . Robertson, Edwin B. . Edwin B. Robertson . 1978. 49,61&70–73.