Pennsylvania Railroad Q2 class explained

Pennsylvania Railroad Q2 class
Powertype:Steam
Builddate:1944–45
Totalproduction:26
Uicclass:2'BC2'
Leadingdiameter:363NaN3
Driverdiameter:693NaN3
Wheelbase:26feet (driving)
20feet (rigid)
53feet
Length:124feet (locomotive and tender)
Width:11feet (storm windows open)
Height:16feet
Weightondrivers:393000lb
Locoweight:619100lb
Tenderweight:430000sigfig=3NaNsigfig=3
Locotenderweight:1049100lb
Tendertype:PRR class 180F84, 8 axles, with conductor "doghouse"
Fuelcap:39.86ST
Watercap:19020usgal
Consumption:12.5t of coal per hour
16600usgal of water per hour
Poweroutput:6645hp, (drawbar)
Tractiveeffort:100,816 lbf (without booster) / 115,816 lbf (with booster)
Factorofadhesion:3.9
Fleetnumbers:6131, 6175–6199
Lastrundate:1951
Frontcylindersize:NaNx
Rearcylindersize:NaNx
Boiler:1063NaN3
Boilerpressure:300psi
Disposition:All scrapped

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class Q2 comprised one prototype and twenty-five production duplex steam locomotives of 4-4-6-4 wheel arrangement built between 1944 and 1945.[1] [2] [3] [4]

They were the largest non-articulated locomotives ever built and the most powerful locomotives ever static tested, producing 7,987 cylinder horsepower (5,956 kW) on the PRR's static test plant. They were by far the most successful duplex type. The duplex propensity to slip was combated by an automatic slip control mechanism that reduced power to the slipping unit.

The Q2 locomotive was 78% more powerful than the locomotives that PRR had in service at the time, and the company claimed the Q2 could pull 125 freight cars at a speed of 50mph.[5] These were an improved version of the previous Q1 class, which was a 4-6-4-4 dual-purpose engine instead of a 4-4-6-4 freight engine.

Despite the overall success, the Q2s were all out of service by 1951. With dieselization, they were the obvious first targets to be withdrawn since they were only a little more capable than the conventional J1 class 2-10-4s, but with far-higher operating and maintenance costs. The final Q2, 6199's power output is 7,987 hp. All have been scrapped and none were preserved.

References

  1. Book: Classic Power 5: Pennsy Q Class . Harley, E.T. . 1982 . N.J. International . Hicksville, New York . 0-934088-09-8.
  2. Book: Pennsy Power . Staufer, Alvin . 1962 . Staufer . LOC 62-20872 . 216–225.
  3. Book: Loco Profile 24: Pennsylvania Duplexii . Brian Reed . June 1972 . Profile Publications . Windsor, Berkshire, UK.
  4. Book: American Steam Locomotives: Design and Development, 1880-1960 . William L. Withuhn . 2019 . Indiana University Press . Bloomington, IA . 978-0-253-03933-0.
  5. https://books.google.com/books?id=gN8DAAAAMBAJ&dq=Popular+Mechanics+Science+installing+linoleum&pg=PA13 "4-Cylinder Engine Has 78% More Power."