4-8-4

The Norfolk & Western Railway's Class J locomotive #611, a 1950 product of the railroad's own Roanoke, Virginia shops.

Engineering sketch of the measurements and wheel placings of the St. Louis Southwestern's last five 4-8-4 locomotives (#815-#819), built in the railroad's own Pine Bluff, Arkansas shops.

Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, a 4-8-4 locomotive has four leading wheels, eight coupled driving wheels and four trailing wheels.

Other equivalent classifications are:
UIC classification: 2D2 (also known as German classification and Italian classification)
French classification: 242
Turkish classification: 48
Swiss classification: 4/8

The type is sometimes called Northern.

The 4-8-4 was an obvious progression from the 4-8-2 "Mountain" and the 4-6-4 "Hudson" types, combining the 4-8-2's ability to have more weight on the driving wheels (leading to greater traction, and allowing a larger, more powerful locomotive) and the 4-6-4's larger firebox supported by a 4-wheel trailing truck, allowing for freer steaming, particularly at speed.

Development in the United States

The 4-8-4 was first used by the Northern Pacific Railway and the type was thereafter named "Northern". Most railroads used this name, but a number adopted different titles, including “Confederation” CNR, Golden State SP, Niagara NYC and NdeM, Pocono DL&W, Wyoming LV, Dixie NC&SL, Big Apple CG, Greenbrier C&O, Western D&RGW, Potomac WM while the RF&P gave each of its three classes a separate title - General, Governor and Statesman!

Although locomotives of the 4-8-4 wheel arrangement were used in a number of countries, those developed outside the Americas included various design features which set them apart from American practice. The United States, Canada and Mexico were the home of the American 4-8-4, and scaled down examples of the type were exported by two American builders for metre gauge lines in Brazil.

The American 4-8-4

The Northern type evolved in the United States soon after the Lima Locomotive Works introduced the concept of “Lima Super Power” in 1925. The Northern Pacific Railway prototype was built by Alco in 1927 to Super Power principles, with a four-wheel trailing truck to carry the weight of a very large firebox designed to burn low quality lignite coal. But the potential of supporting a firebox with a 100 square foot grate on a four-wheel trailing truck was quickly seen, as given the additional weight of approximately 15,000 lbs over the two-wheel truck, the four wheel truck could carry an additional 55,000 lbs engine weight. So the difference of 40,000 lbs was available for increased boiler capacity, or in other words, the power plant of the locomotive.

The Northern type came at a time when nearly all the important design improvements had been proven, such as the superheater, mechanical stoker, outside valve gear, the Delta trailing truck and the one piece bed frame of cast steel with integral cylinders, which did so much to advance the application of roller bearings on locomotives since it gave the strength and rigidity to hold them in correct alignment. Indeed, in 1930 the Timken Company used a 4-8-4 with roller bearings an all axles, which they classified Timken 1111, to demonstrate the value of their roller bearings over nearly every main line in the United States. It was subsequently sold to the Northern Pacific Railway.

The stability of the 4-8-4 enabled it to be provided with driving wheels up to 80 inches diameter for high speed passenger and fast freight operation, and with the latest lateral control devices, the type was flexible on curves. The increased boiler size possible with this type, together with the high axle loads permitted on main lines in North America, led to the design of some massive locomotives, with all up weights exceeding 350 tons.

Builders

Most American 4-8-4’s were built by the American Locomotive Company, the Baldwin Locomotive Works or the Lima Locomotive Works. The large fleet of CNR was built by the Montreal Locomotive Works, and only the CPR, the N&W and Reading Railroad built their own.

Owning Railroads

The Northern type was purchased by 36 railroads in the Americas, including 31 railroads in the United States, three in Canada, one in Mexico and two in Brazil. In all, there were less than 1,200 engines of this type, compared with approximately 2,500 Mountain types and 6,800 Pacific types built in the United States.. By far the largest fleet was owned by the Canadian National Railway and its subsidiary the Grand Trunk Western Railroad, with 203 engines. Other major owners were the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad with 85, the Southern Pacific Railroad with 74, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway with 65, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad with 56, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad with 53, and the Union Pacific Railroad with 45. Seven railroads owned less than ten 4-8-4's, and many Class I railroads did not purchase any.

Route Availability

The American 4-8-4 was a heavy locomotive, nearly all examples in the United States having axle loads above 30 short tons. On railroads with 130 to 133 lb/yard rail, axle loads of over 36 short tons were permitted, and exceptionally heavy Northerns were therefore introduced on the AT&SF, C&NW, C&O, MILW, NP, N&W, SP&S and WM. The preserved Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700 is a surviving example of the five E-1 class, which had the heaviest axle load of all at 37.1 short tons. The lightest Northerns in the United States were the six H-10 class of the TP&W with an axle load of 23 short tons. The Canadian and Mexican 4-8-4’s weighed in with axle loads between 27.3 and 31.3 short tons, as main lines in those countries were generally laid with 115 lb per yard rail.

Performance

The 4-8-4 proved itself suitable for both express passenger and fast freight service. It was not suited to heavy drag freight, but faster and lighter trains were well suited to the type.

The AT&SF Northerns were daily rostered to haul the “Chief” and the “Fast Mail” between La Junta and Los Angeles, a distance of 1,255 miles, and also handled the Grand Canyon Limited between Los Angeles and Wellington, Kansas (1,534 miles). From 1942 they ran through from Los Angeles to Kansas City via Amarillo, a distance of 1,789 miles, setting a new record for through steam locomotive rosters [9], but this is understood to have been exceeded by the NP, which rostered a single Northern for the 1,800 mile run between St Paul, Minnesota and Livingston, Montana on the North Coast Limited. The Niagaras of the NYC also accomplished long runs, handling the twelve daily New York to Chicago passenger trains including "The Chicagoan", "The Commodore Vanderbilt" and "The Empire State Express" .

Not all railroads favoured the type. The Canadian Pacific Railroad experimented with Northerns in 1928, building two K-1a class in its Angus shops, numbered 3100 and 3101. As the CPR had main lines built to high standards, they preferred to develop the 4-6-4 Hudson type for passenger work, as it gave adequate power and was cheaper to maintain.For heavy duty work they adopted ten coupled types. Nevertheless, although CPR’s Northerns were orphans, they proved their worth on Montreal-Toronto overnight passenger trains, and before retirement in 1960 worked freight trains in the prairie provinces.

Rebuilds

The AT&SF spent considerable effort in developing their Northerns. The fourteen 3751 class engines introduced in 1928 were a rather conservative design, with 73 inch driving wheels, and a boiler pressure of 210 psi. In 1938 these engines were rebuilt with features including new 80-inch Boxpok driving wheels, increased size of steam passages to and from the cylinders, boiler pressure raised to 230 psi, and roller bearings on all engine axles. This gave them a maximum drawbar horsepower was 3,600 at 50 miles per hour. Engine 3752 was also fitted with Franklin rotary-cam poppet valves, and achieved the very low steam rate of 13.5lbs per indicated horsepower. These engines were permitted to run at 90 miles per hour, but they have been documented exceeding 100 miles per hour several times.,

The very heavy Northerns of the C&NW were rebuilt in 1940 with lightweight rods, boxpok driving wheels and roller bearings on all axles, and boiler pressure was raised from 250 psi to 275 psi. Some years later 24 of them underwent another rebuild which included new nickel - steel frames, new cylinders, pilot beams and air reservoirs, new fireboxes and many other minor improvements. These were reclassified as Class H-1.

In 1945 - 1947 an interesting conversion was undertaken by the Reading Co. Thirty of their heavy I-10 class 2-8-0s were rebuilt as booster-fitted 4-8-4s with 5 ft 10 in (1727 mm) driving wheels, class T1 Nos.2100 - 2129. An additional ring was added at the smokebox end of the boiler, increasing the length of the tubes from 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) to 20 ft (6.1 m), and much larger smokebox provided with distance of 111 in instead of 34 in between the tube plate and the chimney centre line. The steam pressure was raised from 220 psi (1,500 kPa) to 240 psi (1,700 kPa). Four syphons were fitted, three in the firebox proper, and one in the combustion chamber. A much larger twelve-wheeled tender, containing of 23.5 tons of coal and 19,000 US gallons (72 m³) of water, and weighing not less than 167 tons loaded, was attached. A new cast steel frame, with the cylinder cast integral, and roller bearings to all carrying wheels, were of course provided. Two of these engines, preserved for hauling special trains, were still in service in 1963.

Fame

During their service lives, the Northerns were workhorses that went without much public recognition. But there were a few exceptions. The Southern Pacific class GS-4 were semi-streamlined and given one of the most striking liveries of the steam era. A real flag waver for the SP, they headed the famous Coast Daylight (SP) train between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and caught the eye of Hollywood movie makers. Every episode of the TV series Superman was introduced by a GS-4 as the announcer declared that the hero was “more powerful than a locomotive!”

The Canadian National U-4a Confederation locomotive was one of few fully streamlined 4-8-4’s, and number 6400 achieved fame in 1939 by heading the Royal Train, and being exhibited at the New York World’s Fair the same year. After the demise of steam however, the Northern has constantly come into the spotlight of publicity, and has been the favoured type to provide main line excursions in the USA. Indeed, UP 844 of the Union Pacific FEF Series is the only steam locomotive of a Class I railroad never to have been retired.

Exports to Latin America

The FC Nacionales de Mexico placed orders with ALCO and Baldwin for 60 Niagaras in 1946 for use on its principal express passenger services on upgraded lines, but the order was reduced to 32 in favour of diesel locomotives. These QR-1 class engines were used mainly on lines north of Mexico City, and were nicknamed to La Maquina. All were taken out of service in the late 1960s.

In order to meet the acute locomotive shortages in Brazil post World War II , the American Locomotive CompanyALCo scaled down the 4-8-4 to suit the metre gauge lines of the V.G. de Rio Grande do Sul, and supplied 42 locomotives in 1945 - 1946. Baldwin also supplied metre gauge Northerns to Brazil.

Builder details:

• DNEF 1001 - 1018 4-8-4 (2D2-h2) ALCo-S 72930 - 72947 / 1945 meter gauge 18x28 59 (457x711 1500)
• DNEF 1019 - 1027 4-8-4 (2D2-h2) ALCo-S 73767 - 73778 / 1946 meter gauge 18x28 59 (457x711 1500)
• DNEF 1028 - 1042 4-4-8 (2D2-h2) ALCo-M 74873 - 74887 / 1946 meter gauge 18x28 59 (457x711 1500) for V.G. de Rio Grande do Sul.

The Chapelon designed 4-8-4’s supplied to Brazil are discussed under "The French 4-8-4" below.

Disadvantages

The big wheeled 4-8-4 was at home on heavy passenger trains, and quite capable of speeds over 100 mph, but freight was the Railroad’s bread and butter and in that service the Northern had limitations. On a 4-8-4 adhesive weight was limited to about 60 percent of the engines weight, not including the dead weight of the tender. Henry Bowen, the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the CPR (1928-1949) recognised this, and after testing the first two K-1a Northerns introduced by his predecessor, he designed a 2-10-4 using the same boiler, or in other words, the same power plant. This T-1a Selkirk locomotive had the same number of axles as the Northern, but the driving wheels were reduced from 75 to 63 inches, and tractive effort increased by 27 percent. In a later variant, Bowen added a booster to the trailing truck, enabling the big Selkirk to exert nearly 50 percent more tractive effort than the K-1a, which was much the same size. A three unit EMD F3 diesel electric weighing a little less than the total engine and tender of K-1a could produce nearly three times its tractive effort: this won the railroads, and super power steam locomotives a few years old were set aside as quickly as finance allowed.

Variants

Most 4-8-4’s were two cylinder locomotives, but three classes of three cylinder 4-8-4’s were built, one by the Deutsche Reichsbahn, one by the Victorian Railways, and the amazing 242A1 of the SNCF in France, which also had the distinction of being the only compound 4-8-4. These are described below.

The only four cylinder design was the large and striking duplex locomotive developed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works and the Pennsylvania Railroad, which used two sets of cylinders in a rigid frame, each set driving two of the four driving axles. The 52 T1 class are classified by the Whyte system as a 4-4-4-4type, but they had the same number of leading, driving and trailing wheels as a 4-8-4 and are generally compared with other 4-8-4's. Indeed, they were set in competition against the NYC Niagara’s between New York and Chicago, and provided a brief but spectacular swan song of giant high speed super power steam.

The Russian 4-8-4

Outside North America, the largest fleet of 4-8-4's was the P36 class of the SZD (Sovetskie Zheleznye Dorogi or Soviet Railways), with 251 examples built from 1949 to 1956. As the last Russian standard class steam locomotive, they shared some common components and design attributes with the earlier standard designs, the L class 2-10-0 and LV 2-10-2, plus common attributes with the P34 2-6-6-2 Mallet and P38 2-8-8-4 Mallet. For example, the P36 and LV-classes shared the same feedwater heater made by the Bryansk machine factory. They were the only semi-streamlined steam locomotives built in Russia, although a trio of fully streamlined 4-6-4 locomotives were built. They were one of the best classes of passenger steam locomotives built in Soviet Union. They had boilers of 243.2 m², worked on 15 kg/cm² boiler pressure. Russian designed roller bearings were fitted throughout, and the boilers was designed to provide continuous steaming capacity of 57 kg for each sq meter of heating surface on boiler. The 1850 mm driving wheels could easily provide speeds up to 125 km/h and the 575x800 mm cylinders proved to be satisfactory with passenger train up to 800 tons.

Class P36 appeared at first on the Oktyabrskaya Railway to haul principal express trains between Moscow and Leningrad. But they were very short lived on this 650 km main line. The diesels took over after only a couple of years and the P36 locomotives were transferred to other railways. At first they worked on Moscow - Kursk, Moscow - Ryazan, Kalinin, October, Krasnoyarsk, Belorussian, Stalin (Melitopol depot), Kuibyshev, and Northern (Alexandrov depot) Railways.

Later, when the elecrification and dieselization expanded, many of the class P36 locomotives were transferred to work on Lvov, Far East, Eastern Siberia, and Transbaikal Railways. The last were withdrawn in 1974 from regular scheduled express passenger train service. All were stored in full working order for times of extraordinary demand. It was common that at certain intervals the engines were taken out from store, steamed up and coupled to trains to haul them to test the condition of the locomotives. Only in the late 1980s were these "strategic reserves" of locomotives disbanded and the P36 locomotives were distributed for museums and for preservation. Some, without regular use for more than 15 years, which were in the worst mechanical condition, were scrapped. It was found that the roller bearings suffered most by standing unused. When the computerised new class numbers were introduced by MPS class P36 become class 1000.001 -1000.0251 with a control digit. In the 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a number were sold to private train operators.

Builder details:

• P36-0001 Kolomna Locomotive Works 9000 / 1949 (prototype)
• P36-0002 - P36-0005 Kolomna Locomotive Works ? - ? / 1953
• P36-0006 Kolomna Locomotive Works ? / 1954
• P36-0007 - P36-0036 Kolomna Locomotive Works 10182 - 10201 / 1954
• P36-0037 - P36-0161 Kolomna Locomotive Works 10205 - 10330 / 1955
• P36-0162 - P36-0251 Kolomna Locomotive Works 10331 - 10420 / 1956

The South African 4-8-4

The South African Railways introduced the first of 140 Class 25 4-8-4's in 1953, at a time when when American railroads were replacing the type with diesel-electric locomotives. These powerful engines were incorporated any aspects of American 4-8-4 locomotive design, scaled down for 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge operation. A novel feature of many of these locomotives was the use of enormous condensing tenders, designed to save water in arid areas by converting exhaust steam back to water. The condensing tenders were so big that Henschel provided own works numbers for the tenders it built.

• Henschel 28780 - 28839 / 1953

Originally, when placed into service the class 25 with condensing tenders worked through Great Karroo from Beaufort West to De Aar and the non-condensing locomotives, class 25NC, north of De Aar to Kimberley and to Welverdiend near Johannesburg. These locomotives nearly monopolised the service between 485 km Kimberley and Beafort West including named express trains such as Blue Train, Orange Express and Drakensberg. This line has always been a busy one in South Africa. Up to 60 trains per day occupied the rails. The 25 class locomotives become known as Silent Suzy. In late 1970s the need of condensing locomotives dropped dramatically when dieselization and electrification expanded. Most of the condensing class 25 locomoives, when passing through major overhaul at Salt River Works were rebuilt to non-condensing version, class 25NC. Only three remained with condensing tenders, 87 locomotives being rebuilt. These locomotives become known in Afrikaans as Worshonde (Sausage Dog) after the shape of their rebuilt tenders.

When the teething troubles had been solved the class 25 locomotives proved to be most economical in the service, especially class 25NC locomotives. Their enormous boilers were in 1970s still in splendid condition and needed only 600 to 800 manhours at works during major overhauls. The major overhaul was done only after 800.000 km or nine years intervals. Intermediate repairs were carried out after 400.000 km or 54 months (4.5 years). As early as in 1960 SAR reported that ninety condensing locomotives had achieved an aggregate mileage of 30 million corresponding to a monthly average of around 5.000 to 6.000 miles (8.000 to 10.000 km) per locomotive over difficult terrain. They hauled heavy, but relatively slow (by European standard) trains with much time spend standing at passing points on the mainly single line railway.

In 1981, a Class 25 locomotive was rebuilt into the experimental Class 26NC "Red Devil". This relatively compact locomotive (the engine unit weighed just 123 tonnes) was capable of extraordinary power (in excess of 4,000 horsepower (3,000 kW) drawbar) yet delivered exceptional economy in coal and water use. However, like the French 242A1 4-8-4 built 35 years earlier, the 26NC remained a one-off. The new leadership of SAR had decided to modernise its fleet with diesel and electric traction rather than invest further development in steam traction.

Builder details:

• 3401 - 3410 2D2-h2 24x28 60 (610x711 1524) North British Locomotive 27287 - 27296 / 1953
• 3411 2D2-h2 24x28 60 (610x711 1524) North British Locomotive 27311 / 1953
• 3412 - 3450 2D2-h2 24x28 60 (610x711 1524) Henschel 28731 - 28769 / 1953
• 3451 2D2-h2 24x28 60 (610x711 1524) Henschel 28730 / 1953
• 3452 - 3540 2D2-h2 24x28 60 (610x711 1524) North British Locomotive 27312 - 27400 / 1953

The 4-8-4 in New Zealand

After Russia and South Africa, the New Zealand Railways Departmenthad the largest fleet of 4-8-4's outside North America, with 71 similar locomotives in the K, K^A and K^Bclasses.

The small South Pacific nation of New Zealand adopted the narrow gauge of 3’6” (1067mm) to minimise railway construction costs, and due to the mountainous terrain the structure gauge was restricted to a maximum height of 11’6” and width of 8’6” – one of the most restrictive structure gauges in the world. No doubt this reduced the cost of building the 200 odd tunnels on the railway system, but it posed major problems for locomotive designers, which were exacerbated an axle load limit of 14 tons.

The remarkable K class 4-8-4 was designed by R.J.Gard to the requirements of Locomotive Superintendent (later Chief Mechanical Engineer) P.R. Angus. and was built locally at the NZR Hutt Workshops, the first being outshopped during the depths of the Depression in 1932. The 47 sq.ft grate and comparatively large boiler was slung low on narrow frames to keep within the height restrictions, and width restrictions were avoided by sloped cab sides and the mounting of two single stage air compressors in front of the smokebox.

After construction of 30 K class locomotives, the NZR further developed the design to strengthen the frames, and introduce improvements such as roller bearings on all axles and ACFI feedwater heaters. Introduced from 1939, they were built in NZR workshops, most of them with streamlined casing to cover external pipe work. Thirty five were classed Ka, and worked North Island mainlines with the older K class, but six others were built for service on the steeply graded Midland line in the South Island, and were given trailing truck boosters, which lifted their tractive effort by 6,000lbs.

The streamlining of the Ka and Kb was removed in the late 1940’s as the ACFI feedwater heaters were replaced with exhaust steam injectors. These 4-8-4's recorded speeds up to 75mph on occasion. The last of them was set aside in 1968.

The French 4-8-4

Although only one 4-8-4 was designed and built for the SNCF, a class of 24 distinctively French 4-8-4's was built for metre gauge railways in Brazil. As the hand of Andre Chapelon is evident in all these locomotives, they are considered together.

SNCF 242A1

The lone SNCF 242A1 prototype, rebuilt from an unsuccessful Etat three-cylinder 4-8-2 simple expansion locomotive 241.101 into a 4-8-4 compound locomotive. This remarkable locomotive achieved both extraordinary power outputs and efficiencies in coal and water use, but no further examples were built as SNCF focused on electric traction for its future motive power development. 242A1 was trialed on many test runs which showed that this locomotive was equal in power output as the (then) existed SNCF electric locomotives. Here, for the first time in Europe, was a steam locomotive with a 20-ton axle load which not only was at least as powerful as the most powerful high-speed electric locomotive but which could repeadetly develop its maximum power without any mechanical trouble. Developing 5,300 ihp (4,000 kW)[vague] in the cylinders and with 65,679 lbf (292.15 kN) of peak tractive effort, 46,225 lbf (205.6 kN) mean tractive effort—nothing in Europe could touch it. While Nr.242A1 being tested the electrical engineers were designing the locomotives for 512 km (318 miles) Paris - Lyon line, which was to be electrified. An electric locomotive slightly more powerful than the successful Paris - Orleans 2-D-2 type electric locomotive was contemplated. But when the test results of the test of 242A1 become known, the design was hurriedly changed to incorporate the maximum capacity possible within a 23-ton axle load, and then the 144-ton 9100 class was produced with over 1.000 hp (0.746 kW) more than the originally designed. Thus the performances of the Mistral and other heavy passenger express trains would not have been so outstanding if 242A1 had not existed.

Therefore Andre Chapelon indirectly infuenced French electric locomotive design. In addition 242A1 demonstrated the suitability of the Sauvage-Smith system of compounding for French conditions and the designs for future French steam locomotives, prepared but unfortunately stopped, were of Sauvage-Smith compounding system.

In ordinary service 242A1 was allocated at Le Mans depot (SNCF Region-3 Ouest and hauled express trains in 1950 - 1960 between Le Mans and Brest 411 km. Nr. 242A1 did not last long, it was withdrawn from service and hurriedly scrapped in 1960.

Builder details:

• SNCF 242A1 2D2-h3v (1)600x720 (HP) / (2)680x760 (LP) 1950 148 tons Marine Homecourt 339 / 1945 (rebuilt from 2D1-h3 Fives Lille 4800 / 1932) Written off from books 10 / 1960.

Brazil's 242F

French engineer André Chapelon was chief designer of 24 metre gauge 4-8-4's built by GESLA, - Groupement d´Exportation de Locomotives en Sud-Amerique - , a job he took after retirement from SNCF where he had designed the 242A1. On October 27, 1949, a contract was signed between the D.N.E.F. (Brazil) and the GELSA for the construction 24 locomotives of the 4-8-4 type with a 13 ton axle load. The order included 66 2-8-4's and all were delivered by January 1953. The Federal DNEF - Departmento Nacional de Estrados de Ferre allocated the locomotives to four of Brazil's state railways. The specification was for a maximum speed of 80 km/h, a Tractive Effort @ 85% pressure of 29,120lbs, and the ability to negotiate curves with a minimum radius of 80 metres. This last point proved to be a source of contention, as it was later discovered that in some places the curves were less than 50 metres. Consequently the 242F was involved in a number of derailments.

These modern, - perhaps too modern - locomotives for Brazilian railway conditions were not liked by local staff, and were not used as much as had been hoped. Their maximum axle load 13 tons restricted their use, as did their long tenders. In some places turntables were too short to turn the engines and they had to be turned on triangles.

The 242s were built by Batignolles Chatillon. They were two cylinder simple expansion locomotives designed to burn local low calorific thermal value coal, with driving wheels of 1525 mm (60in / 5ft) diameter and grate area of 58 sq ft (5.4 m²) to burn the poor quality coal. They were coupled to big tenders which carried 18 tons of coal. The Belpaire type boiler included a combustion chamber and the boiler pressure was a high 18 kg (atm) /sq cm. One member of class 242F1 - 242F24 locomotive was tested on metre gauge Reseau Breton line before shipment to Brazil.

In the late 1960s they were relegated down from first class passenger trains. Some locomotives, allocated to Southern Brazilia, were even tried in Bolivia.

Builder details:

• 2D2-h2 Batignolles - Chatillon 850 - 861 / 1951 DNEF 242F1 - 242F12
• 2D2-h2 Batignolles - Chatillon 862 - 873 / 1952 DNEF 242F13 - 242F24

Note: These Nantes-St.Joseph works plates are not confirmed.

The British 4-8-4 for China

A total of 24 4-8-4s were designed and built in Britain for the Shanghai-Nanking Railway. These Chinese Government Railways Class KF1 were designed by Colonel Kenneth Cantlie and No 607 is preserved by the National Railway Museum, UK.

Originally idented for 303 km Shanghai-Nanking Railway, these big 2D2-h2 locomotives worked on this railway only up to Japan - China Incident, their roster included also the famous Shanghai Express. (Named after the Hollywood classic film Shanghai Lily). When the whole 706 km Changsha - Kanton Railway was finally completed in October 1936, the class KF 1 - 24 locomotives were transferred to operate over northern section between Hankow and Changsha on this new main line, combining Tientsin and Peking with Kanton, over vast distance of 2428 and 2290 km (1509 and 1423 miles).

Most of the class KF survived the 1937 - 1945 Sino - Japanese Conflict / World War II 1939 - 1945. They retained their old classification and continued in service up to early 1970s. One was presented by the Chinese Government, as a Good Will gesture back to the British to be presented at United Kingdom representing what is commonly thought to be the biggest and heaviest non-articulated British built exported steam locomotive. However, this distinction belongs to the ten 500 class 4-8-2 locomotives supplied by Armstrong Whitworth to the South Australian Railways in 1926, which were 20 tons heavier.

Builder details:

• KF 1-16 2D2-h2 520x725 1752 Vulcan Foundry 4668 - 4683 / 1935 Renumbered to 'KF' 601 - 616
• KF 17-24 2D2-h2 520x725 1752 Vulcan Foundry 4696 - 4703 / 1936 Renumbered to 'KF' 617 - 624

The 4-8-4 in Australia

A total of 21 4-8-4's operated in Australia, built to three distinct designs.

South Australian Railways

The South Australian Railways 500 class of 1926, originally a 4-8-2 design, was modified in 1929 into the 4-8-4 500B class by the replacement of the trailing axle with a booster-equipped four-wheel trailing truck. These engines were built by Armstrong Whitworth and were the largest non-articulated locomotives built in Great Britain. The design was based on ALCO drawings modified by AW and SAR engineers.

In 1943 the first of ten streamlined South Australian Railways 520 class were outshoped from the Islington Workshops in Adelaide. They were designed to run on lightly-constructed 30 kg/m (60 lb/yd) track by virtue of the engine unit's weight being spread over eight axles. Their streamlining bears a strong resemblance to that of the PRR T1 locomotive.

Victorian Railways

The Victorian Railways H class three-cylinder 4-8-4 of 1941 was designed for heavy passenger work on the Melbourne-Adelaide line. It was the largest and most powerful locomotive built in Australia. Due to the necessary upgrades to the Adelaide line being deferred, the H class operated only on the Melbourne-Albury line, achieving success as a fast freight locomotive.

The 4-8-4 in Chile

In 1935 the German builder Henchel & Son supplied ten 4-8-4's of the 5’6” gauge to the Ferrocarri les del Estado (FdE) of Chile, which became their 100 class. They were called “Super Mountains” as they followed the 80 class 4-8-2 introduced six years previously. They were equipped with mechanical stokers, and Vanderbilt tenders, and weighed 185 tonnes. On test they produced 2,355 Indicated Horse Power, at a coal consumption of 34kg/km and water consumption of 274 l/km. The design was not repeated however, and the (FdE)returned to the 4-8-2. The 100 class were used on the Almeda to Talca line, and were replaced by diesels in 1970. No 1009 is preserved in the Santiago Railway Museum.

The 4-8-4 in Spain

Ten express passenger 4-8-4's were designed by the RENFE in 1955, and were remarkably well-proportioned. Developed from a preceding 4-8-2 type, they had improved steam passages and developed 30 to 40 per cent more power at medium cut-offs and high speed. These engines, Nos.242F2001 - 242F2010 were built by La Maquinista Terrestre y Maritima SA, Barcelona to burn fuel oil and had Witte type smoke deflectors. They were fitted with a double Kylchap (Kylälä-Chapelon) blast-pipe, a Worthington feedwater heater and the T.I.A. (Traitement Integral Armand) water-softening device. The plate frames, 1.25 inches (32 mm) thick were substantially braced by a cast-steel coffer between the cylinders, transverse plates between the cylinders and the first coupled axle, by front and back buffer beams by six groups of transverse cross-ties, those joining the lower parts of the frames near firebox being of heavy design in order to counteract any tendency of the frames. The main journals were 10.25 inches (260 mm) in diameter, the journals of the coupled axles, 9.5 inches (240 mm). All axless had SKF roller-bearing axle-boxes and the coupled axles were provided by Franklin automatic wedges. All the rotaring weights and 33 per cent of the alternating weights were balanced. The weight per coupled axle was reduced to 19 tons, with driving wheels of 6 ft 2.25 in (1885 mm) in diameter. (Later replaced with 1900 mm diameter wheels.) The spokes of the coupled wheels were of U section and both sides of the wheels were braked. The four-wheeled pony truck was provided with Isothermos axle boxes as well as tender bogies. To increase the comfort of the locomotive crew, the cabs of these oil-fired 4-8-4s had a wooden floor mounted on springs, and the seats of the driver and fireman were also provided with springs, a very welcome improvement for long runs on poor tracks. These locomotives were painted green when coming out from builers works at Barcelona.

The 4-8-4 was a very swift machine, and when tested on the line from Barcelona to Tarragona between Villanueva y Geltru and San Vincente, over 10.4 miles (16.7 km) practically level and straight line a speed exceeding 84 mph (135 km/h) was sustained twice, firstly with 430 tons and then with 480 tons behind tender. High-capacity tests took place between Madrid and Avila. A train weighing 426 tons, including a dynamometer car, was hauled at sustained speeds of 70.3 mph (113.1 km/h) up a gradient of 3.5 pro mille (1 in 286), 57.2 mph (92.1 km/h) up 10.5 pro mille (1 in 95) and 39.1 mph (62.9 km/h) up 22.8 pro mille (1 in 44.5). The gross hp figures recorded with the dynamometer car being 1.790, 2.350, and 2.320, and the calculated hp at the rim of driving wheels being 2.600, 3.400 and 3.580. The latter output indicates about 4.000 ihp (2.983 kW). Shortly later it was found that they had too small tenders. With these engines there was almost some anxiety about water. The capacity of the tender was only 6.200 gallons and, with only few water cranes in service, the full capacity of the locomotive was not always used for fear of running short of this essential supply in half-arid Spanish landscape. As example, for the 163.3 km (101.5 miles) between Medina del Campo and Burgos, rising 131 metres with start uphill, three intermediate stops, one slack and some shunting movements to couple in the train some extra coaches, the amount of water consumed was about 7.300 gallons.

All ten were allocated to Miranda de Ebro shed to haul principal heavy express trains. They were called generally Los Verdes. In the 1960s they were familiar sight at the head of best express trains, but in 1971 they were wiped out from express trains used in semifast passenger trains and even to haul heavy seasonal fruit trains between Castejon and Alasua from October to January. One, 242F.2009 is preserved at Madrid Railway Museum.

Builder details:

• 242F.2001 2D2-h2 1672 640x710 1900 142.3 tons La Maquinista 695 - 704 / 1955-1956

RENFE 242F.2001 was completed in October 1955, 242F.2002 - 242F.2010 in 1956.

The German 4-8-4

In 1939 the Deutsche Reichsbahn placed in service two prototype three cylinder DRG Class 06 heavy express locomotives, with a maximum speed of 140 km/h (87 mph). Due to World War II no further examples were produced, and 06 002 was bombed during the hostilities. The 06 001 survived util 1951, when it was set aside. With large 2000mm (6'6¾") driving wheels, a high 280 psi (1,900 kPa) boiler pressure and tractive effort of 14,566kg (32,114lb), they could haul a 650 tonne train at 120 km/h. Many parts such as the boiler were standardised with the DRG Class 45 heavy freight locomotive. Both were scrapped in the 1950s.

• DRB 06.001 - 06.002 2D2-h3 3x520 x 720 2000 129.9 tons Krupp 2000 -2001 / 1938 + 14.11.1951

Preservation

The 4-8-4 was a late development of the steam locomotive, and was often 'name' passenger power at the time of steam's demise. Many were therefore earmarked for preservation, either plinthed or in museums, with a few in running condition.

Of the 205 original Canadian Northerns only eight have been preserved, six CNR Northerns and both 3100 and 3101 Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) Northerns.

Some of the more notable of this type are:

Santa Fe 3751 operates in excursion service on the BNSF Railway. It is seen here passing through Streator, Illinois, in 1993.

Victorian Railways H220, the largest non-articulated steam locomotive built in Australia, is believed to be the only surviving three-cylinder 4-8-4.

St. Louis Southwestern 819 on an early excursion run in 1986.

• Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 2913 - On static display in Fort Madison, Iowa
• Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 3751 - Restored in 1991, owned by the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society
• Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 3759 - On Display in Kingman, Arizona
• Canadian National Railway 6153 - On static display at the Canadian Railway Museum in Delson, Quebec
• Canadian National Railway 6167 - On static display in downtown Guelph, Ontario
• Chesapeake & Ohio 614 - Restored in 1980 and again in 1995, owned by Iron Horse Enterprise
• Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México 3028 - Retired in 1966, acquired by the Great North Eastern Railroad Foundation and displayed at the Altamont, New York, fairgrounds until 1983. Currently on lease to and being restored by the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad. Eleven other N de M Niagara QR-1 class locomotives are preserved in various locations in Mexico; one (in Puebla) is operational.
• Grand Trunk Western 6325 - Restored in 2001 by the Ohio Central Railroad
• Milwaukee Road 261 - Restored in 1993, owned by the National Railway Museum in Green Bay, WI. Leased by North Star Rail in St. Paul, MN
• New Zealand Government Railways K 900 - on static display at MOTAT in Auckland
• K 911 - under overhaul at Mainline Steam, Wellington.
• K 917 - stored Steam Incorporated, Wellington
• K^A 935 - operating on the Silver Stream Railway, near Wellington, New Zealand.
• K^A 942 - under overhaul at Mainline Steam, Wellington* Kb 968 - under overhaul at Mainline Steam, Christchurch
• K^A 945 - under overhaul at Steam Incorporated, Wellington
• Norfolk & Western 611 - Ran frequent excursions in the 1980s and early 1990s, on display in the Virginia Museum of Transportation.
• Reading 2100 - Restored in 1988, and 1998, converted to burn oil in the Early 2000s. In 2006 in Tacoma, WA for excursion service.
• Reading 2124 - Used on the "Reading Rambles" in the late 1950s and 1960s. On static display at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
• St. Louis Southwestern 819 - Built in 1943, it was the last locomotive build by the Cotton Belt. Restored to service in 1986 and housed at the Arkansas Railroad Museum in Pine Bluff, AR
• St. Louis-San Francisco Railway 4501 - Built in 1942, ran overnight passenger service between St. Louis, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City. Donated to the Dallas Museum of the American Railroad in September 1964
• Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700
• South Australian Railways 504 - in static preservation at the National Railway Museum in Port Adelaide.
• South Australian Railways 520 - Restored to service in 1972, operating the Steamranger tourist railway between Mt Barker and Victor Harbor
• Southern Pacific 4449 - still in operation, served as the locomotive for the Bicentennial American Freedom Train
• Southern Pacific 4460 - on static display at the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri. This was the last steam locomotive used in revenue service by the SP.
• Union Pacific 844 - the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific Railroad, running in excursion service.
• P36-0001 - Lebyazhe store (TsMZhT)
• P36-0027 - Babaevo (TsMOZhD)
• P36-0031 - Zlatoust (Intertrack a/o)
• P36-0032 - the only private steam locomotive operated in Russia. Owned by GW Travel.
• P36-0050 - Korosten depot (Belarus Railways)
• P36-0058 - Zlatoust (Intertrack a/o)
• P36-0062 - Sibirtsevo Station
• P36-0064 - Brest (Belarus Railways)
• P36-0071 - Zlatoust (Intertrack a/o and Steam Traction)
• P36-0086 - Zlatoust (Intertrack a/o)
• P36-0091 - Skovorodino station
• P36-0094 - Belogorsk station
• P36-0097 - Zlatoust (Intertrack a/o)
• P36-0107 - Park near Irkutsk
• P36-0110 - Mogzhon station
• P36-0111 - Orsha station, Belarus
• P36-0120 - named after Ilicha depot, Moscow
• P36-0123 - Shushary Railway Museum, St.Petersburg (TsMOZhD)
• P36-0124 - Chernyshevsk depot
• P36-0147 - Sharja station
• P36-0164 - Zlatoust (Intertrack a/o)
• P36-0182 - Zlatoust (Intertrack a/o)
• P36-0192 - Taiga station
• P36-0218 - Tihoretsk depot, Northern Caucasus, (Veltour s/p)
• P36-0228 - Uulan Baatar Railway Museum, Mongolia
• P36-0232 - Zlatoust (Intertrack a/o)
• P36-0249 - Babaevo (TsMZhT)
• P36-0250 - Tashkent Railway Museum, Uzbekistan
• P36-0251 - Shushary Railway Museum, St.Petersburg

External links

• List of 4-8-4 locomotives and pictures