Canadian National Class U-1-f explained

Canadian National U-1-f
Powertype:Steam
Builder:Montreal Locomotive Works
Ordernumber:Q-401
Serialnumber:72757–72776
Builddate:October 1944 to January 1945
Totalproduction:20
Whytetype:4-8-2
Uicclass:2′D1′h2
Leadingdiameter:343NaN3
Driverdiameter:733NaN3
Trailingdiameter:433NaN3
Length:90feet
Width:10feet
Height:15feet
Weightondrivers:236950lb
Locoweight:355700lb
Tenderweight:281840lb
Fueltype:Originally coal, later oil
Boilerpressure:2602NaN2
Firearea:70.2square feet
Fireboxarea:386ft2
Tubesandflues:3198square feet
Totalsurface:3584square feet
Superheatertype:Schmidt type E
Superheaterarea:1570square feet
Cylindercount:Two, outside
Cylindersize:24x
Valvegear:Walschaerts
Tractiveeffort:52% (52315lbf)
Factorofadhesion:4.5
Trainheating:Steam heat
Operator:Canadian National Railways
Operatorclass:U-1-f
Fleetnumbers:6060–6079
Retiredate:1960
Preservedunits:Three: 6060, 6069, 6077
Disposition:Three preserved, remainder scrapped
Nicknames:Bullet Nose Betty

Canadian National Railways U-1-f class locomotives were a class of twenty 4-8-2 or Mountain type locomotives built by Montreal Locomotive Works in 1944. They were numbered 6060–6079 by CN and nicknamed "Bullet Nose Bettys" due to their distinctive cone-shape smokebox door cover.

Construction history

The order for these engines came during World War II when steel was of extreme value. The mountain type locomotive was a step down in size from the much more prevalent Northern Type (4-8-4). As a result of this the mountain type had less power but more speed and served well as a general purpose workhorse.

Modifications

Half the class had been converted to oil-firing by October 1944. This resulted in the 18-ton coal/11700impgal tender being exchanged for a 5000impgal oil/11000impgal water tender. In later years several locomotives lost the distinctive cone-shaped smokebox door cover.

Preservation

Of the twenty locomotives that were built, only three remain in existence: 6060 owned by the Rocky Mountain Rail Society at the Alberta Prairie Railway, Stettler, Alberta; 6069 at Sarnia, Ontario; and 6077 at the Northern Ontario Railroad Museum, at Capreol, Ontario.

6060's restoration and run to Expo 86

In 1985 through to early 1986, Harry Home led efforts to restore CN 6060 and run it to Expo 86 in Vancouver. The 6060 was rebuilt in Jasper, Alberta, and was run under its own power to Vancouver for the "Cavalcade of Steam", an event which celebrated operational steam locomotives from around the world. 6060 arrived in Vancouver on the second-to-last day of the steam exhibit, and was welcomed by an extremely large crowd of people, happy to see the success of the restoration.

References

Further reading